Singing Beyond the Binary

Singing Beyond the Binary

Jan 24, 2025

Butler University School of Music launches Singing Beyond the Binary (SBTB) this February, a weekend event that celebrates trans and nonbinary singers and offers teachers and administrators opportunities to cultivate trans-affirming pedagogy. SBTB takes place in person February 21-23, 2025 at Butler University in Indianapolis, IN, and is for pre-college and college-age trans and nonbinary singers, teachers of all academic levels, and administrators of voice and opera programs.

The Big Idea

Singing as a form of expression should be accessible for everyone. This includes practices steeped in centuries of tradition – opera and classical music. Singing has often been a bastion for those seeking opportunities to express themselves in a heartfelt, authentic manner. As more people are identifying as trans during their teens, it follows that the music programs of which they are a part should have practices in place to support these emerging young artists.

Singing Beyond the Binary grew out of the shared vision of the voice faculty at Butler University and in collaboration with the founder of Detroit’s Opera MODO Danielle Wright to create an actively trans-affirming space to study the vocal craft. SBTB is specifically geared toward gender-expansive singers, challenging and expanding the paradigms of voice type, gendered casting, and traditional stagecraft. To connect with singers and teachers who share this goal, Buter University offers this weekend of voice coaching for transgender high school and college-age singers and professional development for voice teachers and educators in the opera industry who will be mentoring and shaping the careers of these young artists.

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Singing Beyond the Binary will move beyond general DEI statements and offer tangible ways to support and include trans, nonbinary, and gender expansive singers.  From trans 101 to education sessions with the ACLU and breakout groups for solving individual institutional issues surrounding gender equity, SBTB will equip educators, administrators and students with tangible ways to support and uplift trans and nonbinary voices. SBTB empowers student agency in the casting process, octave-neutral and gender-blind casting, creative repertoire exploration, representation in artistic and teaching staff, and responsible allyship. At a moment when trans and nonbinary people are threatened on a national level in legislative and educational settings, Butler University offers space that celebrates these artists and the stories they bring to life. SBTB is a weekend where young trans and nonbinary singers, their families, and educators can gather, connect, learn, and make music together.

This year’s event features Key of T, an interactive performance featuring nonbinary/trans singer Ari Agha (they/them), Mackenzie Lyn Marr (she/her) on piano, and everyone at the performance! Directed by Robert Farid Karimi, Ari shares their experience of the effects of testosterone on their singing voice, revealing under-explored possibilities of voice for everyone, regardless of gender identity. Key of T reminds us of our own vocal possibilities and “genderful” freedom. The Singing Beyond the Binary weekend coincides with Butler University’s Wayne C. Wentzel lecture featuring Dr. Naomi André, David G. Frey Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill whose research focuses on opera and issues surrounding gender, voice, and race. Dr. William Sauerland, author of Queering Vocal Pedagogy, will also present.

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What is Offered for Singers?

Singers will perform in master classes taught by trans and nonbinary faculty, receive repertoire consultations and individual coaching sessions, attend panels and discussions with other college-level trans and nonbinary students, learn about campus-wide support services at Butler University, and have a chance to build community.

What is Offered for Professional Development Attendees?

Teachers will be able to observe expert trans-affirming pedagogues in action, delve into trans terminology and gender-neutral voice pedagogy, learn about the legal landscape for students, refine inclusive teaching and casting best practices, and participate in “Spill the Tea” sessions for collaborative problem-solving and brainstorming about issues at their institutions or companies.  The topics covered will be tailored to the needs of the teachers and administrators who enroll.

Join us and reach out with your questions!  Learn more at https://www.butler.edu/jordan-arts/undergraduate-programs/music/events-performances/singing-beyond-the-binary-an-identity-affirming-voice-event/

Butler University Faculty and Staff
Butler University Faculty and Staff

  • Danielle Cozart Steele enjoys a multifaceted career as a soprano, conductor, researcher, and clinician. She serves on the voice faculty at Butler University, is the Artistic Director of Vox Veritatis Choir Cincinnati, and is the interim director of the Cincinnati MLK Chorale. Danielle formerly served on the music faculty at IU East in Richmond, IN, where she directed the IU East Richmond Chorale, taught conducting and private voice. In 2020, she served the World House Choir as their assistant director alongside Dr. Catherine Roma. Recently the Interim Director of Choral Activities at Earlham College, where she began her transgender vocal pedagogy research. In 2017, Danielle was an interim conductor with MUSE, Cincinnati’s Women’s Chorus.   She places priority on featuring women’s and minoritized voices in her classroom and music programming. Ms. Cozart Steele maintains an active solo vocal career, appearing in recital and with symphony orchestras throughout the Midwest.
  • Dana Zenobi is a nationally-recognized interpreter of Art Song by women and voice pedagogy scholar. Her 2022 album and score anthologyJoys Abiding: Duets by Historical Women Composers (Navona Records/Classical Vocal Reprints) with Oliver Worthington and Chuck Dillard was warmly received.  Performance credits include Austin Opera, Lyric Opera Cleveland, and Opera in the Heights, as well as accolades from The American Prize. Currently Associate Professor at Butler University, Dr. Zenobi teaches voice, pedagogy, diction,and vocal literature courses, and directs the Butler University Vocal Competition.  Recipient of the 2020 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Voice Pedagogy Award, Dr. Zenobi has presented at NATS, International Music By Women Festival, Voice Foundation, Voice Study Centre, Pan American Vocology Association (PAVA), and Bel Canto Boot Camp.  She earned degrees from The University of Texas at Austin and Duke University. www.danazenobisoprano.com
  • Danielle Wright (They/Xe), a visionary in the opera world, founded Opera MODO, a pioneering organization based in Detroit for the past 10 years, recognizing the need for a platform that nurtured emerging artists outside of institutional structures. With MODO, Danielle has led a revolution in opera performance, presenting captivating renditions of both classic and contemporary works since its establishment in 2011. An accomplished singer, Danielle has graced stages across the United States, London, and Berlin, exemplifying their commitment to maintaining an active stage career. Not content to simply perform, Danielle has championed the importance of artist-led initiatives by forging meaningful partnerships with prestigious institutions such as the Detroit Institute of the Arts and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Danielle Wright continues to shape the landscape of opera through their innovative approach to performance and dedication to supporting emerging artists in the industry. Although Opera MODO is no longer operational due to safety concerns for trans individuals in the opera medium, Danielle now channels their expertise and passion into their drag king persona, Juicci Björling.
  • Soprano Laura Storm is a devoted pedagogue and an active performer of stage, concert, and chamber repertoire. Opera and musical theater highlights include the title role in Puccini’s Suor Angelica at the Amalfi Coast Music Festival in Salerno, Italy; Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus; Alice Ford in Falstaff; The Governess in The Turn of the Screw; Desirée Armfeldt in A Little Night Music; and Nellie Forbush in South Pacific. Dr. Storm is experienced in teaching both classical and CCM styles and draws on her experiences with Alexander Technique, Body Mapping, and Yoga to help students develop kinesthetic awareness and become efficient, expressive singers.