Ballet, You Stay

Shantay with Queer Urban Orchestra in an afternoon of dance! Led by Artistic Director David Bloom, two works that changed ballet flank trombone soloist Sasha Romero, principal of the Met Opera Orchestra. Associate Conductor Derek Weagle leads a scintillating ballet suite by Cécile Chaminade, the first woman composer awarded the French Légion d'honneur. The evening concludes with iconic music from Prokofiev's monumental ballet Romeo and Juliet, which narrowly escaped oblivion in Stalin's Great Purge.

Queer Urban Orchestra (QUO) is the Northeast’s only orchestra rooted in the LGBTQ+ community. Celebrating queer artistry from its membership to featured composers and performers, the orchestra promotes equity and empathy. QUO was founded in 2009 as New York City’s first orchestra specifically serving the LGBTQ+ community. Since its inaugural concert, the orchestra’s membership has grown to 100 musicians, and the group’s collaborations with the Danspace Project have resulted in praise from The New York Times.

The orchestra has premiered numerous works and has collaborated with Anthony Roth-Costanzo, Ariadne Greif, Ryan Roberts, Andrew Yee, Jasmine Rice LaBeija, Empire City Men’s Chorus, Youth Pride Chorus, and Stonewall Chorale. Since 2023, QUO has been led by Artistic Director David Bloom and Associate Conductor Derek Weagle. Previous Artistic Directors have included Ian Shafer, Julie Desbordes, Nolan N Dresden, and Brandyn Metzko.