On April 25, 2026, Crescendo brought 700 supporters together for the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and raised a record-breaking $1.65 million. The annual gala celebrated the people and partnerships that sustain the chorus’s music and community programs.
A celebration of leadership and partnership
Monét X Change hosted the evening, with Rita Moreno, Scott Wiener, and Nancy Pelosi among the guests. Gilead Sciences received the Corporate Champion Award, and CEO Chris Verdugo was honored with the Visionary Leadership Award. Greg Sarris was also recognized for his role in helping secure the chorus’s permanent home at The Chan National Queer Arts Center.
Supporting the work beyond the stage
As the San Francisco Bay Times reported, the record fundraising supports concerts, programming at The Chan, and RHYTHM, the chorus’s youth education program. Crescendo’s achievement belongs in the chorus’s history as a milestone in community support: an evening whose impact continues through performances, arts access, and work with young people.
Crescendo 2026 photo gallery
Featured photo: Chris Verdugo, Monét X Change, and Jacob Stensberg at Crescendo 2026. Photo: Devlin Shand for Drew Altizer Photography.
Gallery photography: Kelly Keltos and Devlin Shand for Drew Altizer Photography; Bree Sees U Photography. Video stills: Marco Solorio / OneRiver Media.
