QUO’s Artistic and Developmental Staff

Artistic Director

David Bloom (he/him) is a conductor equally at home in orchestral repertoire, opera, and new music, noted for his “dazzling precision and grace” (San Francisco Chronicle), “intelligence, elegance, and passion” (Opera News), and “breathtaking and inspired programming” (Shepherd Express). He is Artistic Director of Queer Urban Orchestra, Principal Conductor of the orchestras at NYU, Co-Artistic Director Contemporaneous, and Principal Conductor Present Music. In such venues as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Disney Hall, Kennedy Center, and Park Avenue Armory, Bloom has guest conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Washington National Opera, Opera Omaha, American Composers Orchestra, Tri-Cities Opera, Bang on a Can All-Stars, and Beth Morrison Projects and worked with Dashon Burton, David Byrne, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Helga Davis, Isabel Leonard, Hila Plitmann, Dawn Upshaw, and Andrew Yee. He has conducted over 450 world premieres, including Raven Chacon’s Voiceless Mass, which won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize.
 
 

Musician/Educator/Wearer-of-Many-Hats Derek J. Weagle (they/them) is a Brooklyn-based artist and healer invested in the disruption of social and academic barriers around classical music, as well as the preservation of music-making as an act of joyful humanness. With a practice rooted in syncretism, Derek can be found equally comfortable in roles ranging from conductor to composer, performer to teacher. They hold a B.M. in Music Education from UMass Lowell and an M.M. in Composition with a minor in Choral Conducting from New England Conservatory, as well as a Certificate in Sound Healing from the Sage Academy of Sound in Woodstock, NY. Current engagements include work as an independent Sound Healing Practitioner; Associate Conductor of the Queer Urban Orchestra; Assistant Conductor of Choral Chameleon; Artistic Director of the Adelphi University Vocal Ensemble; Founding Artistic Director of Bloom Sound Collective; Composer & Owner at Risanare Music; Board of Directors for the Refugee Orchestra Project. For more information on Derek’s artistic practice and services offered, see their website at www.derekjweagle.com.

Associate Conductor

Board Members

Bob Wei

President

Dustin Zuelke

Vice-President

Matthew Hadley

Vice-President

Shang Young

Secretary

Scott Oaks

Treasurer

Rafael Albertini

At Large

Lynn Caron

At Large

Jared Chamoff

At Large

Ryan McTernan

At Large

Genevieve Pool

At Large

Eli Parrish

Orchestra Manager

Nick Johnson

Librarian

2026-2027 Conducting Fellows

Garrett Makosky

Kadine Pierre

Kadine Pierre is an exciting new conductor from Oklahoma. She has degrees from the University of Oklahoma in Music Education (BME 2020) and Choral Conducting (MM 2022). She also has a 2nd Master’s degree from the European Academy of Fine Arts in conjunction with American College Dublin for Classical, Studio, Contemporary Conducting and Recording Technologies. Kadine is not only a conductor but a singer and music educator. As an educator she has worked with groups of all ages (3yrs.-Adults). As a singer she has sung in many different genres and languages. This year she received a singing fellowship with Trinity Church Wall St. along with her fellowship at Queer Urban Orchestra.


Working with QUO is something Kadine has been wanting for a while. She wants to continue to grow as a conductor with such an inclusive and talented organization. “I want to
be a representation for people who look like me that think they can’t be in this space. You
can and you will.” — Kadine Pierre

Alex Whittington

Alex M. Whittington is a conductor, vocalist, and researcher born, raised, and based in New York City. They are a three-time graduate of Yale University (BA, MA, MM), a recent graduate of Brooklyn College (postgraduate certificate), and serve as the Director of Music at Christ Church New Haven. Their research focuses on the restoration and dissemination of choral works by 19th-century Puerto Rican composer Felipe Gutiérrez Espinosa. Previous professional ensemble credits include the Yale Schola Cantorum and Puerto Rico-based ensemble Orfeón San Juan Bautista.

This season, Alex sings with Music at Co-Cath, Yale Choral Artists, and other project-based ensembles in and around the NYC area. In September 2026, Alex began as a teacher in the music department at Edward R. Murrow High School. Recent accolades include the Richard Paul DeLong Prize and the Conservatory Cerf Award in Music Education.