Established in 1927 by Flushing folks who loved to sing, the Oratorio Society of Flushing was Queens’ answer to the prestigious Oratorio Society of New York, founded 54 years earlier. Without the acoustics and grandeur of Carnegie Hall, the Oratorio Society of Flushing brought the best of classic choral music across the East River into Queens. As the population of Queens grew and prospered, so did the Oratorio Society of Flushing and in 1985 the Society incorporated as the Oratorio Society of Queens (OSQ), reflecting the expanding participation of voices from neighborhoods beyond Flushing. Today the membership is borough-wide and even includes several Bronx and Nassau County residents. OSQ is one of the borough’s oldest cultural institutions and a charter member of both the Queens Council on the Arts and the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts. Throughout its history OSQ has been non-sectarian and to this day welcomes adult members of all ages, faiths, and ethnicities. Maestro David Close, their Artistic Director and Conductor, is a major reason for their devotion to OSQ. He is a joy to work with. David has worked very hard - and succeeded, they feel - in developing them into very high-level performers.