James Knapp didn’t become the artistic and managing director of the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus 10 years ago just to make pretty music. He did it to make some noise.

Unlike other arts organizations that essentially exist to make our world prettier, the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus makes its glorious harmonies while threats of violence against the LGBTQIA+ community are increasing and intensifying, according to the Department of Homeland Security. And responds to them.

“Choral music has a unique opportunity to present issues and social-justice stances in a unique way,” Knapp said this week, just ahead of his retirement after a decade that has been marked by some of the greatest advances – and most severe backlashes – in gay-rights history.

Mass shootings. Proud Boys. Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. Bans against gender-affirming care, trans curricula in schools and drag-queen performances. Threats of violence at children’s storytime events. Knapp doesn’t have the luxury of keeping quiet. And he doesn’t want it.

“No, I don’t – and I say that emphatically, because I have always been a hands-on activist,” Knapp said. And he does mean always. Young James was waving a George McGovern sign in 1972 to the horror of his Richard Nixon-supporting parents. “When I was in eighth grade, I was at this rally screaming, ‘Redistribute the wealth!’ at the top of my lungs,” he said with a laugh. “My mother was like … ‘Get in the car!’”

Knapp is a strong believer in public service and in supporting the greater good of all people. “So, whatever I can do toward making the United States a more perfect union in equity and diversity and inclusion and respect – I will do it.”

He’s certainly done that while building the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus into the premier gay performing-arts organization in the Rocky Mountain region. And not only by championing issues of importance to the gay community. He’s led the way on wider initiatives like homelessness, police brutality, immigration and climate change. His commissioned piece called “A Home is More,” by Craig Carnahan, raised more than $10,000 for homeless organizations in Denver and Fort Collins. Last year, he collaborated with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance on “Motown” program bookeded by social-justice songs from Marvin Gaye and Nina Simone.

“We are always on the front lines singing,” Knapp said. The night after a man killed 49 people and wounded 53 more in a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus was singing at a vigil in Denver’s Cheesman Park. It responded similarly after the Club Q attack in December.

“But our singers also go into homeless shelters and cook meals,” he said. “Our singers work at Casa de Paz, which helps people coming out of the ICE detention facility in Aurora with thir basic needs. Because all of these issues are human issues. For us, it’s not all about pretty music and Broadway tunes.”

Knapp has always understood and embraced the power of music and storytelling not only to heal but to change hearts and minds. And the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus, he said, is powered by a social-justice heartbeat.

“And that was not the easiest sell to the organization at the beginning,” he said, meaning the parent Rocky Mountain Arts Association, which also now runs the “en fuego” (Knapp’s words) Denver Women’s Chorus. “But they have bought into it 110% now – because they get it.”

The Denver Gay Men’s Chorus was founded in 1982 as a catalyst for change through musical excellence. But when Knapp took over as both the business and artistic leader in 2013, the company was in both financial and administrative disarray.

“Well, I definitely came into a building situation,” said Knapp, who was a bit of a unicorn in that he was a choral conductor who had also held positions in corporate America.

“I’ve always had this understanding that money fuels art, but you need to be responsible to the money that fuels the art,” he said. “I didn’t realize it was as untidy as it was when I got here, but I like a challenge.”

Under Knapp, the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus has doubled in size – from 75 member singers to 150 – and the Rocky Mountain Arts Association annual budget has doubled  from $350,000 to more than 700,000. And all along the way, there has been welcoming, envelope-pushing, and, in some cases, historic programming. Often in collaboration with a huge range of cultural partners.

In 2014, Knapp hosted an evening of ABBA songs, followed by the Colorado premiere of Andrew Lippa’s “I Am Harvey Milk,” a tribute to California’s first openly gay elected public official, who was assassinated in 1978. Knapp then took “Harvey Milk” to Fort Collins – and a night of Judy Garland to Colorado Springs.

Being invited to perform at the inauguration of Jared Polis, the first openly gay governor in the United States, was a big deal. But Knapp is more proud to have sung the national anthem for every major sports team in Denver except the Broncos – ”who will not return my phone calls,” he said.

“Singing for the governor? Oh my God, yes, that was a historic moment. But I would say singing for the Nuggets was a more transformative experience for our singers because, let’s face it, major professional team sports can be a very homophobic environment for both the athletes and the fans. But to me, it’s all about visibility. We are sports fans as well. We are there supporting the team. We are supporting our city. And people see that. To me, that is the power of what we do as singing activists.”

In 2016, the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus made its first appearance at Red Rocks singing before a screening of the Prince film “Purple Rain.” But the biggest moment in the company’s history came two months later, when it became the first gay chorus to ever sing at any U.S. military institution when it sang in “America’s Chapel” at the Air Force Academy.

“That just blew my mind,” said Knapp. “And it was down to the last minute whether it was even going to happen. We were all there and ready to sing, but at the very last minute, the chaplain was having second thoughts. And so I said to him, ‘Chaplain, I am here to tell you that you do not want to change your mind on this. You do not want to piss off 300 gay men. It will not be pretty.”

It actually turned out to be very pretty. “It was an amazing experience,” Knapp said. “At the end of the day, for all of those gay men to sing at a military institution was really life-changing for them.”

Knapp’s retirement takes effect after three farewell concerts called “Divas: Icons and Justice Warriors” coming up June 9-10 at the King Center. He will then leave the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus with a much higher profile than it had when he started, because Knapp has never been content to sit back and wait for audiences to come to him. He took the music to one audience after another that probably didn’t know his chorus existed.

Of all his career accomplishments, Knapp ranks this one first: One recent year, his chorus was one of only three arts organizations that qualified for funding from all seven metropolitan counties that distribute Denver’s SCFD arts tax. That can only happen when you offer programming in all seven metro counties.

“We go to Douglas County every year,” Knapp said. “We go to Adams County. We go to Boulder County. Three weeks ago, we sang at St. Andrew United Methodist Church in the heart of Highlands Ranch. That’s red country. But being an activist is not just preaching to the choir. It’s preaching to the people who’ve never heard your music before.”

The Rocky Mountain Arts Association just created the James Knapp Legacy Fund, which already sits at $14,000. “They asked me how I would like to use those funds, and I said, ‘Take our singers to the Western Slope.’ Because it’s very easy to sing in downtown Denver. It’s not so easy to sing in Sterling. But you have to go beyond your calling.”

Part of activism is also building bridges, and that’s why Knapp believes the highlight of his entire career was staging “Disney Pride in Concert” at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in April. That was 120 singers accompanied by a 25-piece orchestra singing 41 Disney songs reimagined through a queer lens.

“It was the largest show in Denver Gay Men’s Chorus history, and it was our biggest success,” added Knapp. Most impressively, he added: Forty percent of the people who came to the Disney concert had never been to one of our concerts before.

“This was a very family friendly experience,” said Knapp, “and I’m really proud of what we accomplished, because I think a lot of those people are going to come back.”

On Monday, Knapp will receive a proclamation from the Denver City Council in recognition of his contributions to all citizens of Denver over the past 10 years. His replacement, Johnny Nichols Jr. of Boston, starts in August. Knapp’s greatest legacy may be leaving a job, and a chorus, that are now considered among the best in the nation.

“I hope that people remember the important projects that we have done in terms of collaborating with other marginalized communities,” he said of his legacy. “I hope that I’m remembered as a strong musician who was committed to a high level of excellence, but also led with heart and with passion.

“It has certainly been a privilege to be the director of this chorus and to serve this city.”