Founded in 1953 and in our 57th season, Queens Symphony Orchestra (QSO) is the borough’s only professional orchestra and the oldest and largest professional arts organization in Queens. QSO is made up of professional, union musicians who also perform on Broadway, with the New York City Ballet, and other freelance orchestras. The orchestra was founded and first conducted by David Katz, father of City Council Member Melinda Katz. Our current Music Director, Constantine Kitsopoulos, is in his fourth season with QSO. Maestro Kitsopoulos is in a rare position in the orchestral world in that he is only the third Music Director in the 57-year history of Queens Symphony Orchestra.
QSO’s vision and mission statements reflect the organization’s priority of service to the culturally diverse members of the Queens community. QSO has several programs that enhance the musical offerings to the borough of Queens, presenting 10 to 20 concerts throughout the year, serving 30,000 residents, including 8,000 youth. As part of QSO’s ongoing decentralization mission to reach out to the community, performances have been offered in several locations and communities, partnering with local community leaders and cultural groups throughout the borough. As new audience members from these communities were developed, an artistic home was established for these members to associate QSO with. Now, at our new home, QSO is developing the diverse audience by creating exciting programming that “crosses over” new and old audiences and ethnic groups to draw them together to one location and concert series. QSO has embarked upon a new strategic artistic plan, combining the various world art forms with the traditional symphonic style to create a new art form entirely that speaks to the heart of the ethnically diverse borough of Queens.
