Jim plays bass trombone and joined QUO in November 2011. How did you come to join QUO? Several years ago I was asked to sub by Jim Babcock for one concert and ended up being called for just about all of them. What is your favorite place to take friends visiting NYC? I like the High Line, the various art …
Laura Flanagan
Laura plays second violin and has been a member of QUO since April 2010 How did you come to join QUO? I moved to the city to attend the American Musical and Dramatic Academy as a musical theatre major. I’m still not sure why, but I brought my violin with me. I had already been in the city for three …
Ian Shafer
Ian is our principal oboe and assistant conductor, serves on our board, and joined QUO in September 2010. How did you come to join QUO? I was invited to play with QUO by Phong Ta whom I met at the break in rehearsal of the Manhattan Symphonie Orchestra. What is your favorite place to take friends visiting NYC? Being from …
Bjorn Berkhout
Bjorn is our cello principal and section leader, serves on our board as marketing coordinator, has been a featured composer, and joined QUO in January 2011. How did you come to join QUO? After moving from Chicago, where I played in the Lakeside Pride Orchestra, I looked to see if there was a gay orchestra in NY and found QUO. …
Liann Wadewitz
Liann plays first violin, is currently serving her fourth term on our board as Membership Coordinator, and joined QUO in September 2011. How did you come to join QUO? I was feeling slightly frustrated with my other orchestra at the time. I was playing as an alumni at my college and I didn’t feel I was being challenged enough. After …
Fran Novak
Fran is our principal clarinetist and a founding member of QUO. How did you come to join QUO?I first knew about QUO from its very inception in 2009, when it was still an idea and fantasy of musicians in our sister ensemble, The Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps Symphonic Band. We were all very excited and supportive of finally …
Thomas Lai
Thomas is our assistant principal violist, and joined QUO in September 2014. How did you come to join QUO?I came to a QUO concert several years ago because a friend of mine was playing in the violin section at the time. This was during a period of time when I had gotten away from music and was not playing in …
George Gehring
George plays trumpet and percussion, and joined QUO in September 2013. How did you come to join QUO? I have been a trumpet and percussion sub with QUO for the last 2 1/2 years, after moving to NYC about 3 years ago. I found out about the orchestra when I was still living in Philadelphia, and looked forward to joining …
Christina Rose Rahn
How did you come to join QUO? I came to join QUO after meeting a friend of mine at work (fellow second violinist Laura Flanagan). We got to talking one day about our hobbies and interests: pizza, Broadway, and playing the violin. I mentioned to her that I missed playing in an orchestra, and she introduced me to QUO. I …
David Lohman
David is our principal bassoon player and joined QUO in September 2011 How did you come to join QUO? I was looking for an amateur orchestra to join after moving to NYC, and QUO seemed like the perfect opportunity. After sending an email inquiring about the possibility of joining QUO, I received an immediate reply that the bassoon section was …