Oran Tobin, the man, the myth, the baton
Meet Oran Tobin
Oran Tobin is the Artistic Director of Cór Bród, co-founder of Unhinged, and the creative engine driving some of the most exciting, queer-affirming music-making in Galway. He is a composer, conductor, vocal coach, and all-round force of nature, the kind of person who walks into a room and immediately makes you want to sing louder, stand taller, and be more yourself.
"Music is a queer superpower. It lets us say the things we cannot say, feel the things we have been told not to feel, and build communities that the world told us we could never have. Cór Bród is that community, and I cannot wait to make some noise with you."
Oran brings a wealth of experience across classical, contemporary, and experimental music. As Composer in Residence at Unhinged, he has created works that blend traditional Irish influences with modern queer storytelling: pieces that are by turns tender, explosive, heartbreaking, and hilarious. His work refuses to sit neatly in any one box, because neither does he.
Why Cór Bród?
"Because queer voices deserve their own space. Not just a seat at someone else's table: a whole new table, with better music, better lighting, and a lot more glitter. Cór Bród is a place where you do not have to leave any part of yourself at the door. Bring your voice, bring your heart, bring your full glorious queer self."
Under Oran's direction, Cór Bród’s repertoire ranges from reimagined pop anthems to original choral works, from heart-swelling ballads to roof-raising bangers. Every rehearsal is a creative workshop, every performance a celebration. He believes that everyone can sing, yes, even you, even if you have been told otherwise, and he has the patience, skill, and sheer Irish stubbornness to prove it.
Beyond the Baton
When he is not conducting, composing, or planning the next big thing, Oran can be found championing other queer artists, drinking very good coffee, and generally being the heartbeat of Galway’s alternative arts scene. He is also, incidentally, the person who convinced Rob that starting an opera company in a city with no opera house was a perfectly sensible idea. It was. Look where we are now.