Invincible: Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida & composer Saunder Choi mark 10 years since the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida

Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida

On 12 June 2016, a gunman opened fire at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The attack killed 49 people and wounded 53 others, making it one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history at the time. The victims were predominantly young Latino LGBTQ+ individuals.

Almost ten years to the day, on 19 June 2026 the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida (GMCSF) will present the world premiere of Amor Eterno: A Requiem for Pulse, a choral work by composer Saunder Choi commissioned to mark 10 years since the Pulse nightclub shooting. Choi's work is part of the programme Invincible: A Pride Concert of Remembrance, Resilience, and Song that the choir is presenting at the Au-Rene Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale.

Choi's Amor Eterno: A Requiem for Pulse is a 45-minute choral work, featuring soloists bass-baritone Enrico Lagasca and soprano Elisse Albian. Choi sets poetry by LGBTQ+ writers Amir Rabiyah, Leo Herrera, Andrea Assaf, and Brian Sonia-Wallace, whose work traces grief, longing, frustration, and the persistence of love across the decade since the shooting. 

Saunder Choi is a Los Angeles-based Filipino composer and performer who has written a wide variety of works, from contemporary classical instrumental, vocal and choral works to jazz charts and popular music arrangements. He is the winner of the 2024 American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Raymond Brock Prize for professional composers. His music is performed by groups such as the LA Master Chorale Chamber Singers, Philippine Madrigal Singers, and the Crossing Choir. He studied at Berklee College of Music, and USC.

Choi explains, "Inspired by the humanistic vision of Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem, the work shifts the focus from ritual prayers for the departed toward solace for the living. Through the voices of contemporary poets and the stories of families and survivors, the piece honours a community forever changed by violence while affirming that love, joy, and remembrance remain acts of resilience."  

Further information from the Broward Center website.