Introducing the Queer Urban Orchestra

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It — Introducing the Queer Urban Orchestra

Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Date: December 12, 2025
Guests:

• David Bloom, Artistic Director & Conductor
• Dave Lohman, Principal Bassoonist & Former President
• Brian Shaw, Principal Oboist & Orchestral Manager

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Overview

This episode spotlights the Queer Urban Orchestra (QUO), New York City’s first orchestra founded specifically to serve the LGBTQ community. The discussion centers on the orchestra’s origins, evolution, community building, and their upcoming concert “Refuge,” which celebrates “the joy, beauty and necessity of a queer space.” The guests share insights into the orchestra’s mission, its welcoming culture, and the season’s theme, “A Place for Us.”

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Key Discussion Points

1. The Origins of QUO

[01:22]

• QUO was founded in 2009 by members of the Big Apple Corps, a symphonic and marching band.
• The first rehearsals were held in the cafeteria of Gay Men's Health Crisis in Chelsea, beginning as "a ragtag group… four oboes, two violins, two cellos, a tuba, and a couple brass."
• Over 15+ years, it transformed into a robust organization.

  "We pulled it together, and over the last 15, 16 years, we've really just exploded."
  — Brian Shaw [01:59]

2. Expanding Mission and Inclusive Membership

[02:16]

• Originally a space for LGBTQ musicians, QUO now welcomes "all adult musicians, regardless of age, race, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity."
• Programming now highlights contemporary LGBTQ composers, outreach programs, and competitions for new works and conductors.

  "We've enlarged our activities to include outreach, training, new conductors, giving new composers a place to hear their music through competition and things like that."
  — Dave Lohman [02:16]

3. Attraction and Dedication to the Mission

[02:47]

• David Bloom was attracted to QUO for its uniquely devoted musicians and focus on uplifting queer artistry.

  "GUO is the only LGBTQ orchestra in the Northeast, and so it's a big job, and the musicians are all really devoted to it."
  — David Bloom [02:47]

4. Recruitment and Community

[03:12]

• The group grows by word of mouth and personal connections at concerts and online presence.

  "We haven't really needed in the last few years to really go out and try hard to get people who want to play with us."
  — Dave Lohman [03:12]

• Community is foundational:

  "It's so important as queer people to have a space where you feel safe to come together. …We also have a social committee… We like to go out for drinks after rehearsals, after our concerts, just sort of fostering that sense of togetherness."
  — Brian Shaw [03:42]

5. Season Theme: "A Place for Us"

[04:19]

• Each season is designed around a queer cultural theme; this year centers on finding refuge, belonging, and safety.

  "Refuge is one perspective on that of home, of belonging, of safety. And each of the pieces that we will play tomorrow… have something to do with a sense of home, a sense of safety in space."
  — David Bloom [04:19]

• Personal resonance:

  "Growing up gay, when I felt like I couldn't be myself was an experience that many people of my generation have had. …It gives us a sense of family and community and a place to be."
  — Dave Lohman [05:21]

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Notable Performances & Program Highlights

1. Francis Poulenc Sextet

[05:50 – 14:01]

• QUO performed a segment from Poulenc’s Sextet for Piano and Winds.

  "As with many of the composers that Quo performs, Poulenc was queer, and it's wonderful to give him his queer day in the sun today."
  — David Bloom [05:50]

2. Preview of "Refuge" Concert Program

[14:37]

• Features:
  • Work by LeiLihuela Lanzilotti, Hawaiian composer focused on land stewardship.
  • Debussy's piece performed by clarinetist Johan Paulo, QUO's Concerto Competition winner.
  • World premiere by cellist/composer Michael Filhoen.
  • Tchaikovsky’s Second Symphony, inspired by Ukrainian folk traditions.

3. Balancing Tradition and Innovation

[15:22]

• Mixing classic repertoire with new music deepens appreciation and challenges the musicians.

  "The programming that David has done has really been inspiring, and it's made me appreciate music in a whole new way."
  — Dave Lohman [15:22]

4. Personal Connection to the Oboe

[15:55]

"Oh, gosh. The oboe is such a unique instrument. …I played it since I was 16 years old. That’s actually the same oboe I played since I was a kid."
— Brian Shaw [15:55]

5. Michael Filoen’s "Kumbula"

[16:26]

• The group performed "Kumbula" by Michael Filoen; the title is a Zulu word meaning "remembering" or "homesickness."

  "The title is a Zulu word that means remembering and conveys a sense of homesickness."
  — David Bloom [16:26]

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Memorable Quotes

• "To live in New York City now in this time, and it's not perfect, but things are improving. It gives us a sense of family and community and a place to be." — Dave Lohman [05:21]
• "Refuge is one perspective on that of home, of belonging, of safety." — David Bloom [04:19]
• "It's so important as queer people to have a space where you feel safe to come together." — Brian Shaw [03:42]
• "GUO is the only LGBTQ orchestra in the Northeast, and so it's a big job, and the musicians are all really devoted to it." — David Bloom [02:47]

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Important Timestamps

• 00:09–01:24: Introduction of guests, formation story
• 01:24–02:16: Founding principles and early days
• 02:16–03:12: Expansion of mission, inclusive membership
• 03:12–03:42: Recruitment, word-of-mouth growth
• 03:42–05:21: Fostering community, personal impact
• 05:50–14:01: In-studio performance: Poulenc Sextet
• 14:37–15:18: Upcoming concert program details
• 15:22–16:16: Repertoire philosophies, instrumental connection
• 16:26–21:38: Performance: Michael Filoen's "Kumbula"

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Conclusion

The episode captures the heart of QUO's journey as a dynamic hub for LGBTQ musicians striving for excellence, inclusivity, and community. The conversation and live performances showcase both the artistic ambition and the vital safe space the orchestra provides—making "Refuge" not just a concert, but an invitation to belonging. Attendees of the upcoming concert can expect a thoughtfully curated program that honors tradition while championing new voices and queer artistry.

Transcript

[A]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. The weather forecast is calling for chilly temps, and if you're looking for a place to enjoy an inside activity, look no further than the Queer Urban Orchestra's Saturday night concert titled Refuge. The Queer Urban Orchestra was founded in 2009 as New York City's first orchestra specifically serving the LGBT LGBTQ community. This year, it's celebrating, quote, the joy, beauty and necessity of a queer space through its season. Titled A Place for Us, tomorrow's program features Tchaikovsky's second Symphony, plus Debussy and a world premiere of a piece by one of the orchestra's cellists. In a moment, you'll get to hear a bit of that piece from a portion of the group because we couldn't fit a 60 piece ensemble in the studio. But first, joining me now to preview tomorrow's show and talk about the orchestra are David Bloom, artistic and conductor of the Queer urban orchestra since 2022. It's nice to meet you, David.

[B]

You too.

[A]

Dave Lohman, principal bassoonist, bassoonist of the orchestra, and former president. Hi, Dave.

[C]

Nice to meet you.

[A]

And Brian Shaw, principal oboist and orchestral manager. Hello. Nice to meet you as well. So, Brian, you've been a member of the group since its beginning?

[D]

Yes.

[A]

How did the group come to be?

[D]

So we have a sister organization called the Big Apple Corps. It's a symphonic band and marching band, and they've been around for a long time. But there were a few, few members that really wanted a space to play some orchestral music. So a bunch of them sort of set out to make this happen. 2009, it all came together. We started our first rehearsals at the Gay Men's Health Crisis down in Chelsea, playing in their cafeteria. It was a ragtag group of, you know, four oboes, two violins, two cellos, a tuba, and a couple brass. And we pulled it together, and over the last 15, 16 years, we've really just exploded.

[E]

Dave.

[A]

The group was founded as a space specifically for musicians in the LGBTQ community, but now its membership is open to all adult musicians, regardless of age, race, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity. How has the group and its mission grown since it was first founded?

[C]

I think that we've expanded the repertoire for sure. We've added a lot of music by contemporary composers who identify as lgbtq. And we've enlarged our activities to include outreach, training, new conductors, giving new composers a place to hear their music through competition and things like that.

[A]

David, you joined the group in 2022, right? What attracted you to this group.

[B]

It is such a special group of musicians who are really devoted to the mission of uplifting queer artistry. Guo is the only LGBTQ orchestra in the Northeast, and so it's a big job, and the musicians are all really devoted to it.

[A]

How do people.

[E]

How do you recruit musicians for the group?

[A]

Who wants to take that much?

[C]

By word of mouth. Word of mouth, really. And hopefully, after this broadcast, we'll get a few more people here get invited to concerts. They hear us and they write us. They see our website, and we. We haven't needed, with a couple of exceptions, we haven't really needed in the last few years to really go out and try hard to get people who want to play with us.

[A]

Brian, it seems like community is an important part of this.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

How do you all try to foster.

[E]

A sense of community?

[D]

Well, it's so important as queer people to have a space where you feel safe to come together. So just by the nature of being, we are a space where people can come together and make music in community. But we also have a social committee on our board that tries to find other places outside of the rehearsal setting where we can come together. We like to go out for drinks after rehearsals, after our concerts, just sort of fostering that sense of togetherness and enjoying each other's company.

[E]

David, this season is titled A Place for Us. How is this season's message expressed through the concerts and the music we're going to hear today?

[B]

Yeah, each season, we look at some. We choose a theme, often having to do with some essential part of queer culture. This season, of course, finding a space for gatherings, a safe space for queer expression, which is what QWO is all about. And refuge is one. Tomorrow night's concert. Refuge is one perspective on that of home, of belonging, of safety. And each of the pieces that we will play tomorrow, including the world premiere by our member Michael Filhoen, Tchaikovsky, Lele, Hua, Lanzilotti. All of these pieces have something to do with a sense of home, a sense of safety in space.

[E]

So, Brian, you're gonna take your place for the performance, and I'll ask you one question while he gets all set. The season is titled A Place for Us. We took bets upstairs. What does a place for Us mean? Hmm.

[C]

I think for me, I'll speak personally. You know, growing up gay, when I felt like I couldn't be myself was an experience that many people of my generation have had. And I think to live in New York City now in this time, and it's not perfect, but things are improving. It gives us a sense of family and community and a place to be.

[E]

What's the song we're going to hear?

[B]

This is music by Francis Poulenc. It is the sextet for piano and winds. As with many of the composers that Quo performs, Poulenc was queer, and it's wonderful to give him his queer day in the sun today.

[E]

Let's listen.

[F]

Sam. Sa.

[E]

Sa.

[A]

We're here in studio with the Queer Urban Orchestra. They have a performance tomorrow night at the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue at 30 West 68th Street. I'm speaking with its artistic director, David Bloom, principal. Sorry, I keep saying. Bassoonist Dave Loman, and principal oboist Brian Shaw. Okay, these folks are going to leave the studio. We're going to bring in our next set of musicians. We can ask a couple of questions while they're getting set, and then we want to make sure we get to their performance as well. All right, tomorrow night's show at Stephen Wise Free Synagogue. What's in the program? Who wants to take it?

[B]

We have a work by native Hawaiian composer leilihuelan Salotti, all about taking care of the land in Hawaii. We have the winner of Kuo's Concerto competition for this year, clarinetist Johan Paulo playing Debussy. And we have a world premiere by Michael Filion, whose music you'll hear a little bit very soon. And the Tchaikovsky Second Symphony, music that takes inspiration from the folk traditions of Ukraine, which was kind of like a second home for him. He loved spending time there and getting to know the music there.

[A]

Dave, how do you feel about the balancing of the new and the old?

[C]

To be honest, at first, I really just wanted to play the pieces that I already knew. But the programming that David has done has really been inspiring, and it's made me appreciate music in a whole new way. I find that I like these more contemporary pieces just as much, but in a different way than I do the ones that I can hum from memory.

[A]

Brian, I wanted to ask you, you were playing oboe in that piece. What is that like for you? What do you like about playing the oboe?

[D]

Oh, gosh. The oboe is such a unique instrument. It's very soloistic at times. Being part of an oboe section, you're in an orchestra, you're part of a block of musicians that's really focusing the winds. It's a challenge. But I love the oboe. I played it since I was 16 years old. That's actually the same oboe I played since I was a kid.

[A]

Oh, no. Really? Oh, that's wonderful.

[D]

It held up nicely and you have as well.

[A]

Our next piece we're going to hear. What is it we are going to hear?

[B]

This is a piece by one of her members, Michael Filoen, whose piece will play tomorrow. This is a different piece than the one we'll hear tomorrow. This piece is called Kumbula, which was a piece he wrote in 2007. The title is a Zulu word that means remembering and conveys a sense of homesickness.

[A]

You're about to hear the Queer Urban Orchestra. They will have a concert tomorrow at the Stephen Wise Free synagogue on West 68th Street. Here they are with a performance. Thank you so much for being with us.

[B]

Thank you.

[D]

Thank you.

[E]

That was the Queer Urban Orchestra. They will performing tomorrow night at West 68th street at the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue.

[A]

Thank you so much for joining us.

[E]

On all of it.

[D]

Thank you.

[B]

Such a pleasure.

[G]

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[H]

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