Pinkston, Russell2017-03-082018-01-222017-03-082018-01-222016-12December 2http://hdl.handle.net/2152/45936Choirs made up primarily of individuals from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community have been around for nearly 40 years. Because there is very little repertoire which tells their particular story, they have supported the creation of many new, LGBT-centric works to present in concert over the course of their history. This dissertation will concern itself with the creation of "Two Boys Kissing: An Oratorio for Men's Voices and Instruments" which stems from a commission the author received in the spring of 2015 from the Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus (TCGMC1) to adapt David Levithan's 2013 award-winning, young adult novel, "Two Boys Kissing," into an evening-length, musical work to be presented by the TCGMC during their 35th-anniversary season. Composing such a work presents many challenges on many levels both musical, literary, historical, and emotional. Over the course of this document the source material will be examined, and the history of pieces commissioned by gay men's chorus in the United States will be examined. Finally, the method of adaptation of the source material and the compositional process which resulted in the final work will be explained.application/pdfenLGBTGALA chorusesGay men's chorusesMen's choirJoshua ShankDavid LevithanTwo boys kissingYoung adult literatureQueer youth literatureThesis2017-03-08