We welcome Shaun Brodie (he/him) the Artistic Director of The Queer Songbook Orchestra (QSO), a Toronto based 13-piece chamber pop ensemble, dedicated to exploring and uplifting 2SLGBTQ+ narrative in pop music. The QSO have been steadily working to bring intimacy and vulnerability to stages across Canada since the project was founded in 2014 by Artistic Director Shaun Brodie. By working with a base of familiar songs, drawn from pop music of the last century, which is reinterpreted and offered alongside their accompanying narratives, the listener is allowed a new entry point into familiar works, and a peek inside the elusive nature of song and the pockets of memory where they tuck away. They are a highly collaborative ensemble and have worked with nearly 200 guest artists and arrangers, and many others, including high school students and elders from all across Canada. The QSO have released four albums to date; the 2017 collaborative album with Vivek Shraya, Part-Time Woman (Long Listed for the Polaris Music Prize); the 2018 solo debut, Anthems & Icons; the 2019 collaborative EP with Christine Bougie, Love Songs; and the 2020 live holiday ep Roasted Chestnuts. The QSO produced a short stop-motion animated film, Reach the Sky, which is now available online, and has played festivals all around the world. They have a new show for the holidays - Roasted Chestnuts VII - a holiday fundraiser for the Queer Songbook YOUTH Orchestra at the Opera House in Toronto taking placed Tuesday, December 20th. For our local BC folx, mark your calendars for January 15th, 2023, for their show with Intrepid Theatre at the University of Victoria. Check out the incredible work they do at www.queersongbook.com ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* Vancouver’s piano man, Matthew Presidente (he/him) is a bold rock/pop songwriter. Whether performing solo or with his full band, his music’s honest queer perspective invokes nostalgia, small town memories and challenges you to reflect on an exciting journey of self discovery. His next gig will be December 30th at Windfall Cider Company in North Vancouver, keep an eye out on his socials for gigs in the New Year! He’s currently recording a new full band album with songs speaking of loss, life changes and ultimately evolution. You can hear the first single, ‘A-List’, now on all streaming platforms and for more info on the artist, visit his website at www.matthewpresidente.com