About OUT Ensemble
Based in Ann Arbor, MI, OUT Ensemble is a dynamic new wind quintet committed to increasing the representation of LGBTQ+ composers and performers in classical music.
Alongside uplifting queer composers of the past, OUT highlights new works by contemporary composers. Their debut album, Seasons of Change, features two new commissions written by Nora Farley and Mattie Levy. Released on May 22nd, Seasons of Change explores a year in the life through the lens of queer composers. The album was the centerpiece of the group’s Second Annual Pride Concert Series on their tour of Michigan last summer. In addition to traditional concert venues, OUT performs in community spaces, having offered concerts in the Ypsilanti Freighthouse, Kerrytown Concert House, and St. Thomas Parish in Washington, D.C. Bringing classical music into familiar spaces is integral to their work of making classical music more accessible to all communities. Through partnerships with the University Musical Society, Berlin Philharmonic, and the Crescendo Detroit program, OUT has offered educational concerts for students of all ages throughout Washtenaw County.
In June of 2025, the quintet presented their First Annual Pride Concert Series in Washington, DC during the WorldPride celebrations. Performances included the DC premiere of Dominick DiOrio’s Our Wildest Imagining with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. and a concert as members of the International Pride Orchestra at the Strathmore Music Center. 2026-27 season highlights include their international debut at the 2026 WorldPride festival in Amsterdam, university residencies at Pennsylvania State University and East Tennessee State University, and performances across the state of Florida.