Choral Connector: As executive director, Chase Maggiano has bold ideas for building on GMCW's strong, harmonious history

''Bach is my favorite composer, hands down,'' Chase Maggiano says, when asked what he listens to in his spare time. But in addition to baroque Bach and Tchaikovksy, his favorite Romantic, Maggiano cops to more current sounds. ''I also like Top 40,'' he says. ''It's fun, and that's what music should be, right?''

Chase Maggiano

(Photo by Todd Franson)

Maggiano is executive director of the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, so it would be unusual if he didn't like pop music. ''Yeah, our chorus can get away with doing the fun, poppy stuff,'' he says, adding that his pitch when reaching out to other local, classically minded arts organizations, exploring future collaborations, is, ''Come let your hair down with us.''

Oftentimes, the best way to let your hair down with the Gay Men's Chorus is by donning a wig. For example, take Maggiano's description of this weekend's chorus offering, Von Trapped.

''Think of the Mother Abbess in drag, or a six-foot Gretl,'' he suggests. ''It's a hilarious, smart, gay parody of The Sound of Music. We're back to our campy roots.''

Leading a gay arts organization isn't exactly the career path Maggiano thought he might pursue. As a teenager in Vienna, Va., he traveled to Germany, Brazil and Argentina playing violin with a small local orchestra. But Maggiano -- who, incidentally, is not related to the American-Italian restaurant of the same name -- opted for a career outside of the arts. ''I didn't want to make my bread and butter doing something that I loved so much,'' he says. ''So I just decided in high school to leave music as an avocation.''

Chase Maggiano

(Photo by Todd Franson)

But after a few years post-college working in Virginia's high-tech field, Maggiano got the arts itch. He spent a couple years exploring, including a gig in the pit orchestra for a national tour of South Pacific. Eventually, he decided arts management would be a good fit. Now 30, Maggiano came to the chorus after a stint fundraising and managing programs for the Washington Performing Arts Society.

When asked if he enjoys fundraising, Maggiano responds vividly. ''If there's something I'm passionate about, like music and equality, then I'll spill my blood on the floor for it.'' He'll also apparently devote every fiber of his being to it, at least at the start. ''Let's just say I'm married to my job. It's a very busy year.''

Only six months into his first year, Maggiano is certainly fired up by the chorus's prospects. GMCW is one of the largest choruses by size in D.C., widely regarded as the choral capital of the country. And the 33-year-old organization is also one of the largest and most successful choruses in the national gay choral movement. Much of the chorus's success can be attributed to Jeff Buhrman, who will step down after 14 seasons as GMCW's artistic director. A search for Buhrman's replacement is in its beginning stages.

Once a new artistic director has been selected, Maggiano intends to build on the chorus's strong track record -- in part by working with more arts groups, and performing at more venues, around Washington.

''I want to actually share directors and share repertoire and share stages,'' he says, rattling off a few of his bold ideas. ''To kind of come together as a whole city to say, 'We're all here to sing in support of equality for everybody.' We can't do that sitting alone in isolation on stage. We really need to reach into other communities.''

Chase Maggiano

For the record, Maggiano doesn't sing himself. ''I studied voice in college, and I know what to listen for,'' he explains. ''My instrument's just not very good.''

He's better suited to championing those with better instruments. And championing the chorus is something he seems to relish, even down to every last concert, such as the final offering this season, A Gay Man's Guide to Broadway. This May show-tunes revue finds the chorus performing at the Kennedy Center and with a special guest, Tony Award-winner Laura Benanti.

But in many ways it's conceived as a toast to the departing artistic director Jeff Buhrman. Says Maggiano, ''This concert is really his baby. It's an opportunity to really celebrate Jeff and his great work with the chorus.''

The Gay Men's Chorus of Washington performs Friday, March 14, and Saturday, March 15, at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, March 16, at 3 p.m. Lisner Auditorium, The George Washington University, 730 21st St. NW. Tickets are $59. Call 202-293-1548 or visit lisner.org or gmcw.org.