40 of our fabulous members recently travelled to Amsterdam to participate in Queer Voices Unite, a mini LGBTQI+ choir festival organised by Manoeuvre Gay Men’s Choir as part of WorldPride 2026.
If one thing has been made clear by recent attacks at Brussels Pride, Various Voices Brussels 2026 and of course Berlin Pride, it is that we need Pride now more than ever. Beyond LGBTQI+ people being physically attacked simply for existing in public spaces, our rights are under attack all around the world.
Against this backdrop, what was meant to be a joyful celebration of queer choirs took on greater significance. We departed for Amsterdam feeling somewhat apprehensive about whether it is safe to attend Pride in 2026 but more determined than ever to raise our voices and demand freedom, equality and safety for LGBTQI+ people everywhere. As one group of singers arrived in Amsterdam, though, someone shouted homophobic abuse at them at a tram stop – not quite the welcome we were expecting to WorldPride.
Luckily, our community has a thick skin and spirits were soon raised at a welcome soirée hosted by the organising choirs: a lovely opportunity to mingle with singers from the eight choirs in attendance. We were quick swept away by the spirit of WorldPride: watching flamboyant drag performances or heartfelt spoken word performances, attending bustling street parties or simply enjoying a chat by the canals, marvelling at how the queer community had taken over the city.
Saturday brought the main event of the week; rather than a traditional Pride march, Amsterdam fittingly has a canal parade. Sing Out joined the other attending choirs in the Wertheimpark on the banks of the Nieuwe Herengracht to watch the 80 barges pass by. Highlights included a glimpse of Dutch prime minister Rob Jetten, TransPride’s ‘INVEST IN TRANS FUTURES’ float and seeing queer hard-of-hearing organisation Roze Gebaar represented, while we were less impressed with the overwhelming presence of corporate sponsors. Later, most of the group danced the night away to queer pop hits at the enchanting Paradiso nightclub.
As a result, Sunday’s 9:50 am rehearsal was rather a rude awakening for some… though the venue, the opulent Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium, offered some relief. After an impromptu performance for hotel guests in the lobby, singers enjoyed a canal boat tour followed by a picnic in the Vondelpark. The afternoon brought street performances in the park and outside the Stedelijk Museum. The party animals of the group then went on for a few drinks on the Reguliersdwaartstraat, aka Gay Street, Amsterdam’s answer to Brussels’ Rue du Marché au Charbon.
After so much excitement over the weekend, you might think our trip would be drawing to a close by Monday. In fact, it was time for the main event of Queer Voices Unite: the once in a lifetime opportunity to perform at the prestigious Concertgebouw. After taking the stage of Bozar’s Salle Henri Le Bœuf in June, we feel incredibly fortunate to have sung at another unique venue in such quick succession. Hearing the powerful harmonies of The Power of Love resonate around the sold out hall was a deeply special moment for our singers as well as guest conductors Ricard Celorio and Danielle Lyle. As well as giving it all in our own performance, we were lucky enough to hear the other choirs too, with highlights including DynamiQ Voices’ rendition of Chosen Family and Taiwan-based G Major Chorus’ spellbinding set.
Then, it was back to Paradiso for a truly special moment at the festival after-party. We danced our asses off (with choreo of course) to Madonna’s Vogue, we were touched when the DJ played Belgian favourite Désenchantée, and we wouldn’t take no for an answer at closing time, keeping Cher’s Do You Believe in Life after Love going a capella as we left the venue.
Tuesday was our last day in the Dutch capital and offered some well-needed free time to rest and recuperate. Some singers visited an exhibition about Queer Amsterdam, others went for a dip at Nieuwe Meer, and others opted to pay their respects at the Homomonument, dedicated to all those who have suffered persecution and oppression because of their sexuality. But there was a reason we stuck around: the evening had one last concert in store on the biggest stage of all. We were honoured to be one of three choirs to perform on the main outdoor stage of WorldPride on the Museumplein. Sing Out Brussels! being on the same lineup as Beth Ditto, Billy Porter and Joss Stone was pretty special!
After that, it was finally time to head home. We left Amsterdam with our hearts full to the brim with queer joy and newly inspired to keep raising our voices and building our community. We offer our sincere thanks to the organisers, our Board and our guest conductors for an unforgettable weekend together.