What QUEER SONGBOOK ORCHESTRA does

The Queer Songbook Orchestra (QSO) is a Toronto-based nonprofit arts organization founded in 2014 by Artistic Director Shaun Brodie, operating a 14-piece professional chamber pop ensemble that performs pop song arrangements reframed through a 2SLGBTQ+ storytelling lens. Its portfolio includes the main touring ensemble, the Queer Songbook Youth Orchestra (QSYO) — a roughly 50-member program for 2SLGBTQ+ youth aged 14-21 launched in Spring 2022 — and 'Kids of Heart & Mind,' a 45-minute interactive digital presentation for K-6 classrooms launched in 2021. The organization generates revenue through ticketed live performances ($10-$34 per ticket with free 2SLGBTQ+ youth access), sliding-scale education program fees distributed via ArtStarts in BC, donations and an annual 'Roasted Chestnuts' holiday fundraiser (now in its 10th year), and recorded music sales via Bandcamp (debut album 'Anthems & Icons' 2018, 'Part-Time Woman' with Vivek Shraya 2017, 'Love Songs' with Christine Bougie 2019). The 'Reach the Sky' animated short film (online release March 18, 2020), produced with TAIS and partially funded through the Canada Council for the Arts New Chapter initiative, has been selected at 30+ international film festivals and represents an extension into screen content.

QSO incorporated as a nonprofit in March 2021 under a Board of Directors chaired by Jonathan Broderick, and is based on Dish with One Spoon territory (the traditional home of the Anishnaabe, Haudenosaunee, Wendat and Mississaugas of the Credit). GTM is event-driven: the ensemble tours major Canadian festivals (Luminato, Regina Folk Festival, Ottawa Chamberfest, Toronto Jazz Festival, Fierté Montréal) and concert venues, supported by earned media (CBC Arts documentary, Exclaim/Noisey reviews, NOW Magazine recognition) and a network of 200+ collaborators including Orville Peck, Beverly Glenn Copeland, Jeremy Dutcher, and Carole Pope. Geographic reach now spans every Canadian province and territory from Whitehorse, YK to St. John's, NL following the 2018 nationwide 'Tour of Heart & Mind.' Customer segments include the 2SLGBTQ+ community (primary), K-6 schools and educators, 2SLGBTQ+ youth aged 14-21, and performing arts festivals and venues.

Name

QUEER SONGBOOK ORCHESTRA

Legal name

Queer Songbook Orchestra

Website

https://queersongbook.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Queer Songbook Orchestra is a Toronto-based nonprofit operating a 14-piece professional chamber pop ensemble that uses curated pop song arrangements and storytelling to elevate 2SLGBTQ+ experience, with a youth orchestra, K-6 education program, and touring festival presence across Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Music Publishers (512230)

akta.pro primary industry

Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Custom Music & Original Score/Composition (MPAIALAD), Private Music Lessons (Instrumental) (EDAMANAA)

Keywords

• Live music performances
• Chamber pop ensemble
• Educational arts programs
• Community fundraising events
• Recorded music albums

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Live Performance Tickets: Revenue from ticketed live performances at festivals, concert venues, and special events. Shows range from $10-$34 per ticket with free youth tickets available.
2. Education Program Fees: Kids of Heart & Mind program offered to K-6 classrooms with a sliding scale fee structure. Available across Canada with partnerships through ArtStarts in BC.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Annual holiday fundraiser 'Roasted Chestnuts' generates donations. Proceeds support the nonprofit organization and the Queer Songbook Youth Orchestra initiative.
4. Album Sales: Physical and digital album sales including debut album 'Anthems & Icons', collaboration with Vivek Shraya 'Part-Time Woman', and Christine Bougie collaboration 'Love Songs'.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Queer Songbook Orchestra is a 14-piece professional chamber pop ensemble that delivers live musical performances, storytelling events, and recorded music centered on 2SLGBTQ+ experience. It operates an annual holiday fundraiser (Roasted Chestnuts), produces animated short films (Reach the Sky), runs the Kids of Heart & Mind K-6 educational program, and runs the Queer Songbook Youth Orchestra (QSYO) for 2SLGBTQ+ youth aged 14-21.

Product overview

The Queer Songbook Orchestra operates as a multi-initiative arts organization centered around a 14-piece professional chamber pop ensemble (QSO) dedicated to elevating 2SLGBTQ+ experience through music and storytelling. The portfolio includes: the main QSO ensemble and touring productions; the Queer Songbook Youth Orchestra (QSYO) for youth aged 14-21; the Kids of Heart & Mind educational program for K-6 classrooms; the animated short film 'Reach the Sky'; and recorded music releases including 'Anthems & Icons' (2018 solo debut), 'Part-Time Woman' (2017 collaboration with Vivek Shraya), and 'Love Songs' (2019 collaboration with Christine Bougie). The annual 'Roasted Chestnuts' holiday fundraiser event is a signature offering. All initiatives share the core mission of fostering dialogue and deeper community through stories and songs that reflect 2SLGBTQ+ experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Queer Songbook Youth Orchestra (QSYO): A Toronto based pop orchestra initiative for young musicians aged 14-21 who identify as 2SLGBTQ+ and their allies, providing mentorship opportunities and collaborative performances.
• Kids of Heart & Mind
• Reach the Sky

Products and services

• Queer Songbook Orchestra (QSO) Live Performances A 14-piece professional chamber pop ensemble delivering live performances at festivals, concert venues, and community spaces, dedicated to expressing, honoring, and elevating 2SLGBTQ+ experience through story and song. Founded in 2014 by Artistic Director Shaun Brodie.
• Queer Songbook Youth Orchestra (QSYO) A Toronto-based pop orchestra initiative for young musicians aged 14-21 who identify as 2SLGBTQ+ and their allies, providing mentorship opportunities through professional musicians and artists, and presenting collaborative performances reflective of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
• Kids of Heart & Mind A 45-minute interactive digital or in-person presentation for K-6 classrooms exploring identity and acceptance through 2SLGBTQ+ figures and connected songs. Features personal anecdotes from the community and artists, offering a judgment-free entry point for young people. Available on a sliding scale with no school turned away.
• Roasted Chestnuts Annual Holiday Fundraiser Annual holiday gathering of music and storytelling with a focus on chosen family and queer joy, featuring special guests from the 2SLGBTQ+ Toronto community. Dubbed "Our Christmas" by past attendees; 10th annual edition held in December 2024. Includes 7PM early show and 9:30PM late show formats.
• Anthems & Icons Album QSO's solo debut album featuring material from Billy Strayhorn to kd lang, developed since the group formed in 2014. Limited streams available with physical copies sold at live shows. Includes PDF booklet with album credits and historical/personal narratives.
• Part-Time Woman Album Collaborative album with Vivek Shraya exploring 2SLGBTQ+ experience through story and song. Polaris Prize Long Listed album released June 2017.
• Love Songs with The Queer Songbook Orchestra EP A 2-song 7" vinyl/digital EP collaboration with Christine Bougie, with songs written by Bougie and arranged by Andrew Downing, recorded at Union Sound Toronto.
• Reach the Sky Animated Short Film A QSO-produced animated short film inspired by Rita MacNeil, featuring stop-motion animation, puppetry, and Toronto crochet artist Chason Yeboah. Written and directed by Daniel Sterlin-Altman, set to Thom Gill's arrangement. Selected at 30+ international film festivals including Merlinka, Outfest LA, and Inside Out.

Quantifiable outcome

• Toured extensively throughout Canada with a 2018 nationwide tour from Whitehorse to St. John's
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CBC ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018CBC Arts produced a documentary profile on the Queer Songbook Orchestra, featuring many members of the QSO family. This media partnership helped raise national awareness of the organization.
• TAIS (Toronto Animated Image Society)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018TAIS provided production and studio support for the Reach the Sky animated short film. This collaboration enabled the creation of the award-winning animation.
• Bellwoods BreweryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQSO partnered with Bellwoods Brewery to create 'A Beer They Made' - a summer lager infused with dandelion. The partnership included a launch event at the brewery's Ossington location.
• ArtStartsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArtStarts serves as a booking channel for the Kids of Heart & Mind program in British Columbia schools. QSO uses this partnership to reach educational audiences in BC.
• Regina Symphony OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQSO performed with the Regina Symphony Orchestra at the Forward Currents Festival, presenting collaborative orchestral performances.
• Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity StudiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Queer and Trans Research Lab at the Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, University of Toronto, provided support for Roasted Chestnuts IX holiday fundraiser.
• West End PhoenixminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQSO performed at WEPFEST Toronto, a fundraiser in support of local independent journalism with the West End Phoenix.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• GALA Choruses: The international industry association for LGBTQ+ choruses — QSO is a natural affiliate rather than a competitor, and membership or visibility through GALA could indicate shared audiences, conferences, and commissioning opportunities.
• Harbourfront Centre: Major Toronto performing-arts presenter that has hosted QSO's Kids of Heart & Mind — a presenting partner and ecosystem reference point for how small arts organizations scale reach through venue partnerships.
• Factory Theatre: Long-standing Toronto performing arts nonprofit with a comparable scale of operations, grant dependency, and community-mission orientation — relevant as a benchmark for Canadian arts-nonprofit operating models.
• Buddies in Bad Times Theatre: Toronto's leading LGBTQ+ performing arts venue, where QSO has hosted multiple anniversary and Roasted Chestnuts shows — an ecosystem partner and natural co-presenter rather than a competitor, but a comparable Canadian LGBTQ+ performing-arts nonprofit.
• ArtStarts: BC-based arts-education booking organization and QSO's distribution channel for Kids of Heart & Mind — illustrates the school-channel model QSO could replicate in other provinces.

Direct peers

• San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus: One of the largest and most established LGBTQ+ community choruses, with similar storytelling-through-song programming, youth education outreach, and nonprofit community-arts mission — directly comparable in mandate, if larger in scale.
• Pink Martini: Portland-based chamber pop ensemble of comparable size that blends classical instrumentation with pop repertoire and multilingual, multicultural storytelling — the closest genre and format analog to QSO's 14-piece chamber pop model.
• Toronto Gay Men's Chorus: Toronto-based LGBTQ+ community chorus with a similar mission of serving 2SLGBTQ+ audiences through ensemble music performance, comparable scale, and overlapping Toronto venue ecosystem — the most directly comparable peer to QSO in Canada.

Regional players

• Vancouver Men's Chorus: Western Canadian LGBTQ+ community chorus with a comparable mission and concert-format programming — a regional peer rather than a direct Toronto competitor, useful for benchmarking west-coast audience development.

Broad incumbents

• New York City Gay Men's Chorus: A much larger and longer-established LGBTQ+ community chorus that operates education, youth, and performance programs in a major market — illustrates the scale ceiling and program-model benchmarks QSO could aspire to over the long term.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/queersongbook
• Facebookfacebook.com/toqso
• Instagraminstagram.com/queersongbook

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about QUEER SONGBOOK ORCHESTRA