Clint plays percussion, serves on our board, and joined QUO in September 2015. How did you come to join QUO? I joined through friends in the ensemble who encouraged me to join. What is your favorite place to take friends visiting NYC? (besides the High Line) DUMBO in Brooklyn. The waterfront views and the bridges are incredible. What musical symbol …
Darcy Leon
Darcy is our assistant principal bassoon and joined QUO in 2015. How did you come to join QUO? I was a member of The Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps for about a year, after running into Matthew Hadley (oboe) at an LGBT psychotherapy certification class. Matthew, Charlie Scatamacchia (bassoon section leader), and a ton of other great people in …
Michael Shattner
Michael plays ‘cello and is a founding member of QUO. How did you come to join QUO? I heard about QUO from the original announcement back in the day and was present at the first rehearsal. It was exciting to be a part of it from the very beginning! What is your favorite place to take friends visiting NYC? My …
Julie Desbordes
Julie plays trumpet, and joined QUO as our Artistic Director in July 2014. How did you come to join QUO? In 2014, QUO was searching for a new Artistic Director, so I applied and came to audition. The first round was a meeting with the search committee, and the second round was a rehearsal with the orchestra. I immediately felt …
Vasanth Subramaniam
Vasanth plays violin and joined QUO in September 2014 How did you come to join QUO? I came to know about QUO via the internet. I was learning and performing with a strings group when it occurred to me that a full-fledged orchestra would be fun to be part of. QUO seemed diverse and inclusive and that was important to …
Alan Hyde
Alan plays oboe and English horn, has served as our librarian, and joined QUO in February 2010. How did you come to join QUO? E-mail message through ACMP. A flutist friend was at my place and we applied together. QUO needed an oboe but no flute. I’m afraid it ended our friendship but QUO is worth it. What is your …
Andy Holland
Andy is our assistant concertmaster and joined us in November 2010 How did you come to join QUO? I knew someone, a viola player, who was one of the first members of the group, and he recommended it to me. I came to a few rehearsals and a concert. That was back in 2010, and I came to rehearsals and …
Frederick Hodges
Freddy plays viola and joined QUO in January 2012 How did you come to join QUO? It had been several years since I had performed with an orchestra. I remembered the feeling of joy and happiness when I played my viola with other instrumentalists, whose love of playing music is also shared with others. So, I searched online to see …
Jenn Forese
Jenn plays flute and joined QUO in April 2013 (for Firebird) How did you come to join QUO? I was first asked to play in a QUOtets performance as part of a saxophone quartet with Matthew Hadley, Ben Solis, Brian Shaw, and myself (on baritone sax) performing the tango Por Una Cabeza by Carlos Gardel, featured in the film Scent …
Andrew Berman
Andrew is our percussion section leader and board president, and is a founding member and founding board member of QUO. How did you come to join QUO? In July of 2009, QUO founder Brandynn Metzko emailed the Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps (LGBAC) listserv looking for people interested in starting an LGBT orchestra. I was excited not only to …