Singing Beyond the Binary – an Identity-Affirming Voice Event

Immerse yourself in a weekend of musical empowerment and self-discovery at our gathering for trans and non-binary singers. Explore identity-affirming repertoire selections that celebrate the richness and diversity of gender expression. Engage in authentic musical storytelling workshops led by our talented trans and non-binary faculty, where your unique voice will be heard and honored. Come experience The Key of T interactive recital with Ari Agha (they/them) with pianist Mackenzie Lyn Marr (she/her), directed by Robert Farid Karimi – and work one-on-one with Ari Agha. Learn from internationally renowned scholar Dr. Naomi André. Culminate your experience with a sizzling final cabaret performance, where you’ll showcase your newfound skills and confidence on stage. Join us for a weekend of passion, creativity, and community as we amplify trans and non-binary voices in the world of music.

Your safety and comfort are our top priorities at this inclusive weekend for trans and non-binary high school singers. Rest assured as we provide gender-neutral restrooms in every building, self-identifying pronoun pins for all attendees, and expert guidance from our trans faculty members. Join us for a welcoming environment where you can be your authentic self, supported every step of the way as you develop as a singing artist.

Calling all educators dedicated to creating inclusive spaces for trans and non-binary voices! Join us for a transformative weekend of professional development tailored to your needs. Witness trans-affirming pedagogy in action and empower yourself to create truly affirming environments where all voices can thrive. Delve into trans terminology and gender neutral voice pedagogy.  Learn about the legal landscape for your students, refine your inclusive teaching and casting best practices, and participate in “Spill the Tea” sessions for collaborative problem-solving and brainstorming. Elevate your teaching and advocacy to new heights with us!

Please join us as a registered singer, professional development participant, or a community auditor. Spaces are limited, so please register soon!

HOUSING: Butler offers a few different on-campus housing options and is reserved on a first come, first served basis. Rooms range from a single twin room with a shared bathroom to an upgraded full or queen bed with a private bathroom. Prices range from $80 to $130 per night. Please visit this webpage to see all the on-campus options we have and make your reservations! If you’d prefer a hotel option, this page lists hotels in the Indianapolis-area that may offer a discount.

MEALS: The workshop will include several meals for attendees – some ordered in, some at the University dining hall. Attendees will be able to purchase meals at the dining hall or utilize a meal delivery service such as Door Dash or Uber Eats, when necessary.

• Friday, February 21
  • Arrival
  • 7:00 PM Wayne Wentzel Lecture with Dr. Naomi André
• Saturday, February 22
  • 10:00 AM A morning of masterclasses and singing!
  • Lunch
  • 1:00 – 4:30
    • Students: individual coaching sessions
    • Teachers: 2 professional development sessions
  • 5:00 PM Key of T performance with Ari Agha
  • 6:00 PM Dinner all together with Ari Agha
• Sunday, February 23
  • 8:30 AM Student breakfast / parent panel
  • 10:00 – Noon
    • Students: Rehearsal for Cabaret performance
    • Teachers: Spill the T/Solution Strategizing conversation
  • Lunch
  • 2:00 PM Cabaret performance
  • 4:00 PM Dismissal/End

Ari Agha (they/them) is a genderqueer singer, creator, researcher, and writer. A proud advocate of feminism, their work centers on the voice and connections between voice and identity. They seek to create space in what it means to be a (mis)gendered human with a range of multiple, simultaneous, and contextualized identities. They collaborate with artists and ensembles across disciplines to create performances that provoke questions rather than provide answers and invite spectators to participate rather than just observe. Their performances feature compositions by women, queer, and BIPOC composers.

Ari completed a Master of Music in Voice Performance Pedagogy at Arizona State University in 2024. They also have a Ph.D. in Sociology and over fifteen years of experience conducting applied social science research in government, non-profit, and academic settings. They are currently Development Officer at Partnerships for Trauma Recovery in Berkeley, California.

More info coming soon!

William Sauerland (he/they) is Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Studies for the School of Music at Purdue University – Fort Wayne, conducting the choral ensembles, teaching classes in music education, and supervising student teachers. He served as the Interim Coordinator of Vocal Studies and Interim Assistant Director to the School of Music during the 2022-2023 academic year. He was previously a Lecturer in Voice at San Francisco State University, and the Director of Choral and Vocal Studies at Chabot College in Hayward, CA, where he received an Educator of Excellence Award from the Chabot Black Scholars. Dr. Sauerland taught choral music at Lick-Wilmerding High School for six years, and served as Associate Music Director for the Grammy Award-winning Pacific Boychoir Academy. He also has 10 years of experience in directing community choruses, including the Oakland Gay Men’s Chorus and the Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco. Dr. Sauerland is an adjudicator and faculty member for Schmidt Vocal Arts.

Praised by the San Francisco Chronicle for his “limpid tone and astonishing eloquence,” Dr. Sauerland remains active as a professional countertenor. He is a member of the Indianapolis-based early music ensemble Echoing Air alongside renowned countertenor Steven Rickards. Sauerland’s recent solo appearances include the American Bach Soloists, Echoing Air, Festival Opera Company, Folger Consort, Handel Opera Project, Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, Oakland Symphony Orchestra, and Pacific Chorale. A former member of the Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer, Dr. Sauerland has sung throughout the world, and recorded multiple albums for Warner Classics.

As a researcher and scholar, Dr. Sauerland has presented at national and international conferences for the American Choral Directors Association (2015, 2023), Chorus America (2017, 2019), College Music Society (2018), International Society for Music Education (2022), Narrative Inquiry in Music Education (2022), National Association of Teachers of Singing (2022), Research in Music Education (2021), Royal Musical Association (2019), and Society for Music Teacher Education (2017). Dr. Sauerland’s research interests include social justice pedagogy in vocal music education, trans and genderqueer vocality, and student-centered teaching. His publications appear in the Choral Journal, Journal of Singing, Journal of Music Teacher Education, VOICEPrints (Journal of the New York Singing Teachers’ Association), and in two choral textbooks, Resonance (Pavane Publishing, 2021) and The Choral Conductor’s Companion (GIA Publications, 2020). His book Queering Vocal Pedagogy was published by Rowman & Littlefield in June 2022.

Dr. Sauerland received the Doctorate of Education in College Teaching of Music and Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. As a Marshall Scholarship recipient, he earned a Master of Music (MMus) and Post-Graduate Diploma (PGDip) in Advanced Vocal Performance from the Royal College of Music in London. Born in Indiana and raised on a small dairy farm in Ohio, he received a Bachelor of Music (B.M.) in Music Education and Vocal Performance from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Danielle Cozart Steele (she/they) enjoys a multifaceted career as a soprano, conductor, researcher, and clinician. Danielle’s research involves the integration of transgender singers into their preferred-gender ensemble, vocal pedagogy for transgender singers, and the hybrid care of the transgender voice with cooperative treatment plans between medical practitioners and voice professionals. Danielle majored in vocal performance at Butler University (bachelor’s) and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (master’s). She was awarded her master’s degree in music education at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City in 2024 and anticipates completing her doctorate in music education at TC in 2025. Danielle serves on the voice faculty at Butler University in Indianapolis and is the artistic director of Vox Veritatis in Cincinnati, a choir aimed at building an inclusive and beloved community, creating accessible music experiences for singers from all backgrounds, and singing truth to power. www.daniellemariesteele.com; www.voxveritatischoir.org

Laura Storm (she/her) is a devoted pedagogue and an active performer of stage, concert, and chamber repertoire. Opera and musical theater performances 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; Penelope Pennywise in Urinetown; Golde in Fiddler on the Roof; Desirée Armfeldt in A Little Night Music; and Nellie Forbush in South Pacific. Read full bio.

More info coming soon!

A native of Northport, NY, Dana Zenobi (she/her) is a versatile performer who embraces both standard repertoire and new music. An active recitalist, Dr. Zenobi earned national recognition as an interpreter of art song by women composers when she was awarded an Honorable Mention for Exceptional Repertoire by The American Prize (2016). She has appeared as concert soloist with ensembles including the Austin Civic Orchestra, the Valley Symphony Orchestra and Chorale, the Austin Chamber Ensemble, and line upon line percussion ensemble. She has also performed with Viola by Choice chamber music ensemble, and is featured on their 2010 debut recording, Florilegium. On the opera stage, she was deemed “the chief vocal pleasure” of Lyric Opera Cleveland’s The Pirates of Penzance, and named “a soprano to listen for” by the Cleveland Press. Read full bio.

Billy Scharfenberger (they/them) is an Indianapolis born-and-raised pianist, teacher, and coach. For nearly 20 years, their musicking has focused on pianistic collaboration, primarily with singers across many genres, as well as extensive work in theatrical music performance and direction. Their work is rooted in the belief that every person deserves to be able to show up as their whole self: centering inner (mindfulness, the body as instrument) and outer (intentionality, knowledge of craft) awareness; continuous re-commitment to anti-oppression and radical inclusion; and music as a social process of meaning making. Billy earned a BMA with focus in organ performance from DePauw University, and a master’s in music librarianship from IU Bloomington. They are currently on staff at the Butler University School of Music as a collaborative pianist and coach, working primarily with college voice majors, in addition to teaching private lessons in piano and voice through the Butler Community Arts School.