Upcoming Performances
Concert Band
Marching Band
Pep Band
Spotlight on the 70s
Sat, May 20, 8:00 pm PDT
San Francisco Pride Parade
Sun, Jun 25, 10:30 am PDT
San Francisco Gay Softball League 50th Anniversary Celebration & Game
Sun, Mar 19, 12:00 pm PDT
Our Mission
The San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band provides for the education and musical development of its members, promotes visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, and with its allies, fosters understanding among diverse communities through public performance.
News & Updates

SFLGFB Announces Roger Zare as First Recipient for Its BIPOC Commission Initiative
August 7, 2022The Band is proud to announce the selection of composer Roger Zare as the recipient of the inaugural SFLGFB BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color) Commission Program! Zare’s composition, Awakening, is set to debut in May 2023 and was selected following a nationwide request for proposal process.
Meet Our Members
Our members are as diverse as the San Francisco Bay Area. See some of their stories.
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Patti UpsavsPercussionWhat I ended up finding was not only a band; I found a band with a mission.
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David MalespinTromboneMy current favorite experiences with the band are the community concerts where we showcase our fine musicianship
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Nick SetnikPercussion, TubaIt means so much to me to be part of this organization because we are a beacon of positivity.
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Kathy HennigClarinet, Tenor SaxophoneI began my relationship with the gay band movement serving as a Board Member during the early days of LGBA starting back in 1982.
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Sally Canjura-ClaytonPercussionI was accepted into a family that helped me grow as a musician and as a person.
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Mike MehrTuba, PianoI have had so many opportunities with the Band that I would never have had otherwise.
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Doug LitwinClarinetA group like the SFLGFB breaks down barriers between LGBT and non-LGBT communities through music and performance.
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Stephanie RichardsonTromboneI cry happy tears whenever I think of how much joy and support this band has given me!
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Adam SharmaEuphoniumThe band has been accommodating to me, even as I learn a new instrument. This band is truly accessible for all music abilities.
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Julie WilliamsonFlute, PiccoloMy journey with the Band has been, quite literally, life changing. I have met so many wonderful people that I now consider family. My skills as a player continue to grow, and I love traveling with the band to play in new venues and new cities.
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Joel ShapiroFormer TreasurerThe Band caught my eye when I was first transferred to San Francisco in the early 1990s and I enjoyed following it during those years.
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Bradley ConnlainTrumpetI love...sharing the bands' and our communities' past, but more importantly, being a part of what is yet to come.
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Guy DanusAlto SaxophoneThis group is amazing and I've made many great friends and played lots of fun and interesting music.
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Bruce SinorFrench HornThe most important thing I get out of being a member of the band is a higher quality of life that is not achievable without a consistent creative outlet.
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Jonathan YoungFrench HornBeing a member of the band has been a great way to find a community and make friends.
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Todd PopeFluteAs a former high school band geek, I was thrilled to join a few years later and fill the band-shaped hole in my heart.
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Larry HetrickTrumpetThe band has brought more meaning to my life and more loving relationships. The SFLGFB has become a big extended family for me.
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Meredith GadouryClarinetBeing part of SFLGFB is meaningful to me because it is a great way to connect with people from different backgrounds.
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Terri GaydonFluteI was so incredibly full of joy for performing in a group again, that I pretty much cried the whole way through the concert.
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Ruth KeysFlute, PiccoloHow amazing to be able to share my passion for music while Playing with Pride for community and social justice!
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Andrea NguyenArchivistI joined the Board because I strongly support the Band's mission to nurture the joy of music in the San Francisco-Bay Area community and to be an utterly inclusive forum.
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Jane MagidFlute, PiccoloI love the band’s joyful inclusiveness and believe its mission in the community is more important now than ever.
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Ginnie PadgettTrumpetI am thrilled to once again have the joy of making music with like-minded musicians and spread the Band's mission throughout the Bay Area.
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Vi LeBaritone SaxophoneLife pulled me away from playing music for a few years. I don't think I truly realized how big a loss that was until I found the Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band.
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Chris OchoaTrumpetI am so proud to be a part of an organization that is actively involved in promoting visibility and changing hearts and minds through musical performance.
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Sue LeonardiTrumpetWhen I attended my first rehearsal I felt so accepted and supported as a person and musician - instant family!
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Chris HewesOboe, GlockenspielWhen you join, you become part of a band family spanning decades and with members from all walks of life.
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Corbin SkerritBass TromboneI love taking a moment throughout my week to escape into music and it's even better given the values, contribution to community and acceptance the band represents.
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Brandon MossAlto SaxophoneI love being able to perform in new places to make an impact on people who may never have experienced LGBTQ+ musicians!
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Gary CozziPercussionI told myself, 'If I ever live in the city, I’m going to try and join!' I eventually moved to San Francisco and after a few years, joined the SFLGFB!
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Linda WernerPercussionI joined the Band in 1979 and my first gig was a 6 a.m. Easter Service at Glide Memorial Church (what an intro)!
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Pedro AcevedoAlto Sax, Tenor SaxI joined the band because I wanted to keep music performance part of my adult life, but more importantly, I joined this organization because of its core mission of bridging divides and promoting understanding through music.
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Moira WilmesBass Clarinet, Tenor SaxophoneI joined the band as soon as I could after moving to San Francisco so I could march and also meet like-minded people.
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Wes KashiwagiAlto Saxophone, Tenor SaxophoneOne reason I play with the Band is to promote gay Asian visibility. It’s important to me that gay Asians see someone that looks like them, and part of that is marching in globally-televised events like the Chinese New Year Parade.
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Taka AokiFlute, PiccoloI like how I can feel the impact of the music on other people and make connections between the crowd and band members.
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Kirk ReadTrumpetThis band connects me to a lineage of people using the arts to weave communities together.
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Steve StJohnPercussionI joined the band for many reasons: I wanted to perform, to make new friends, to have a healthy hobby, to socialize, to be part of something larger than myself, but primarily I needed to do something joyful just for me.
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Keith SklowerOboeI see the Band as my way to make a political statement through music.
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Dee SpencerClarinetI finally got the courage to attend a rehearsal...and enjoyed every minute (except when my clarinet squeaked).
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Jared FoelschTromboneI love being part of all of SFLGFB's performing ensembles and have made many lasting friendships.
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Brian TrimboliEuphoniumI love that being in the band makes me feel like a part of San Francisco’s continuing LGBT history.
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Shawn CaseAlto SaxophoneMaking music is one of the earliest, most enduring and most rewarding form of "social media" out there today.
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Support the Band
Join us in making a charitable donation to the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band which allows us to continue to grow and make beautiful music while changing lives. Your donation is an investment in the future of our organization and our community. The band is a non-profit organization with a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
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