Queer Songbook Orchestra

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Queer Songbook Orchestra are a Canadian chamber pop ensemble, who record and perform orchestral versions of pop songs with meaning to the LGBTQ community. [1] Songs performed by the orchestra do not necessarily have to be explicitly LGBTQ-themed; the group's stated selection criteria permits any song that can be paired with a compelling story about how that song has "touched a queer life in a way". [2]

Contents

In concert, each song performed is paired with a recitation of the background story that inspired the group to perform the song. The submitted stories are also collected for posterity by the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives. [3]

Membership

Launched by artistic director Shaun Brodie in 2014, [4] the group's core members include vocalists Alanna Stuart and Alex Samaras, poet Stephen Jackman-Torkoff, violinist Jennifer Burford, cellist Evan Lamberton, oboist and English horn player Lief Mosbaugh, French horn player Micajah Sturgess, guitarist Thom Gill, double bassist Dan Fortin, and percussionist Stefan Schneider. A rotating collective of other musicians and storytellers have also collaborated with the group at individual performances, including Carole Pope, [5] Beverly Glenn-Copeland, [5] Leah Fay, [6] Vivek Shraya, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Gwen Benaway, [5] Mark Tewksbury, [5] Veda Hille, [7] Lorraine Segato, [4] Bill Richardson, [7] Gentleman Reg, [5] Gary Beals, Louis Negin, Wayson Choy, Rémy Huberdeau, Simone Schmidt, Torquil Campbell, Daniela Gesundheit, Katie Ritchie, Casey Mecija, Cris Derksen, [5] Rae Spoon and Safia Nolin.

Live performances

The group performed for the first time at Toronto's Videofag in 2014. [8] In 2015 they gave their first live performance outside Toronto, performing at St. Alban's Anglican Church in Ottawa. [9] In recent years they have performed an annual show at Buddies in Bad Times during Pride Toronto, [5] and have performed at various arts festivals throughout Canada. In fall 2018, they undertook a 12-city national tour. [10]

Recordings

The group collaborated with Vivek Shraya on her 2017 album Part Time Woman, [11] which was a longlisted nominee for the 2018 Polaris Music Prize. [12] In 2018, they released their own debut album, Anthems & Icons, which includes renditions of songs by k.d. lang, Billy Strayhorn, Rita MacNeil, Joe Meek, Gene MacLellan, Melissa Etheridge and Arthur Russell. [13]

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