What is Queer ensemble project?
Mission:
Queer Ensemble Project, founded by Mina Kim and Sam Kelder in 2024, is an initiative to uplift and celebrate queer artistry in the greater Boston area; to bring to the forefront LGBTQ+ performers and composers, amplify their individual voices; and start conversations between performers and audience with the ambition of building a stronger community around music – particularly audiences of LGBTQ+ youth and elders who may experience the need for community the greatest.
Season partnering organizations include Ethos Boston, OutstandingLife, The Pryde, First Church Somerville, and the J. S. Brayant School.
Community Testimonials:
“Queer Ensemble Project’s performance gave me a sense of beauty and order in a chaotic, scary time”
-Ethos Boston attendee
"Mina and Sam were so generous with their time and knowledge. Their passion for music is infectious and fun! Our students - neurodiverse LGBTQIA+ teens who are navigating mental health and social emotional challenges - enjoyed the performance and the opportunity to ask questions about the instruments, pieces of music, composers, and practice and approach to playing. Most of our students aren't comfortable with field trips, so having Mina and Sam come to us made it possible for our community to experience live classical music played by queer performers. It was fantastic!"
- J.S. Bryant School Admissions Director
“Meeting around music calms me down and makes me less focused on issues of insecurity”
-Ethos Boston attendee
“It is important to be around our own, and to open our minds to different music”
-Ethos Boston attendee
"I found the performances moving and inspiring. It was wonderful to watch our students see themselves and their identities reflected in classical music, and gave them such a unique experience that they're still talking about weeks later."
- J.S. Bryant School Therapist
“I want more! This music is a tonic, an oasis”
-Ethos Boston attendee
“Music is the best way to reach out — it speaks directly to us”
-Ethos Boston attendee
“I am thrilled to be exposed to this ensemble — I am ecstatic over it!”
-Ethos Boston attendee
"Mina and Sam did a wonderful job sharing with our students and staff. Their expertise and their open spirits made them an instant fit for our small community. Their musical artistry, combined with their back stories and love of music, was inspiring to all of us. I would love them to move closer to Western Mass so they could come by more often."
- J.S. Bryant School Teacher
Founders:
We are Mina Kim and Sam Kelder, full-time musicians in the Boston area and the founders of Queer Ensemble Project (QEP).
QEP is a chamber music concert series showcasing exceptional queer musicians and composers across the New England area through financially accessible concerts, with a special focus on serving audiences of LGBTQ+ elders and youth. QEP is our way of paying it forward to the LGBTQ+ community, creating a safe space to celebrate queer artistry and foster connection between artist and audience alike – an experience that would have been invaluable to our younger selves. Our hope is to cultivate not only a recurring concert experience, but a growing audience transformed by the meaningful connections made with each other and the artists on stage.