There's a relatively new vocal ensemble in town, and the news is all good. Founded in February 2004 with the goal of supporting and serving the GLBT community by donating 100% of net proceeds from concert ticket sales to organizations, Colla Voce is about to sing for P.A.W.S. Their July 9 concert, which follows others that have benefited Project Open Hand, The Pacific Center, and the JHAI Foundation, offers a tantalizing program that should have a host of music-lovers circling the venue, marking their spots even before the doors open.

Most of Colla Voce's founding members have either sung with or continue to sing with the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. Many participated in Nota Bene, a small subgroup of the chorus directed by Alameda's Steven Ng. After they approached him to ask if he was interested in starting an independent group that would enable them to continue singing together, Ng envisioned a chorus of no more than 24 men that would serve the community. The result is an ensemble sufficiently polished to represent San Francisco in the Cultural Festival at the First World OutGames in Montreal this summer, and compete in the choral competition.

Colla Voce is a consensus-based organization rooted in the belief that music is a collaborative venture. Most of its members boast considerable singing experience. Ng, who has a Masters in viola performance, began singing in the Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus in 1981. His history of service through music dates back to at least 1985, when he founded a vocal group that donated ticket proceeds to charities mainly associated with AIDS. He currently counts on offers of discount performance and rehearsal spaces to allow his nonprofit organization to maximize contributions to the community.

Colla Voce's July program, whose Canadian/American theme reflects their imminent departure for Montreal, features the world premiere of Brian Wilbur Grundstrom's How I Found Sam, with lyrics by James Skofield. The work addresses growing up gay, accepting yourself, and finding happiness with who you are. Other works on the program range from classical (Brahms and the gay Saint-Sa'ns in a typically jovial mood) to American and Canadian folk, gospel, and pop.

All of the ensemble's programming reflects our lives as LGBT people. The second half of the program begins with a frequently programmed gay choral anthem, "Something Inside So Strong."

"It basically says we're here, we're queer, deal with us!" Ng explained in an extensive phone interview. "You can't put us aside or toss us out. We exist. We're going to show you that we're here and really very strong and proud."

Ng, who has lived with his partner for going on 27 years, notes that the song's message is especially appropriate at this time.

"We're dealing with the bullshit threat of a state Constitutional amendment in 2008 that would prevent us from marrying. They can't squash us. We're going to be there."

Some pieces on the program reflect the Celtic themes that frequently surface in music from the North, others the Irish and Scottish influences that contribute to modern Canadian culture. You can also expect repertoire that conveys the joyful, irreverent humor that has been known to surface during Colla Voce rehearsals.

"I'm a perfectionist," says Ng of a group that has honed its skills in workshops with the San Francisco Symphony's Vance George and Stanford's Stephen Sano. "A performance is nothing if you don't impact the audience. We're not a group that has a lot of energy but doesn't sing well. By the diversity of our program, our love of singing, and our sheer excellence, we provide a fine program that also illustrates that we sing because we care about the community."

Colla Voce performs Sunday, July 9, 2:30 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church, 1661 15th St. in SF. Tickets are available at the door or through www.colla-voce.org.