As the spectrum of gender identities expands, choral conductor-teachers will interact withan increasing number of transgender/genderqueer/gender non-conforming/etc. Be knowledgeable about transgender singing voices. There are pros and cons of choosing arbitrary choir names, some examples of these types of choir names look odd and could be a name for anything out of context meaning people may not realise what your choir is about. Its hard for transgender people to know whether a womens or mens chorus will welcome them. At CSULB, he leads the University Choir, teaches courses in music education, interfaces with the College of Education, and mentors graduate students in music education. Directors who have limited experience with transgender singers may feel unsure of their ability to support us. Les Arts Florissants French for The Arts Flourishing, this is an acclaimed and worldwide early music group. Fun Fact: A quidditch player named Aidan appears in one of the books of the hugely popular Harry Potter series. Amari 2. Lily: Fitting in, not identifying with the gender of the tenor section, just getting to know new kids and being accepted. Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Voice part assignments should be handled with tact and awareness that voice can be a source of dysphoria for trans singers. This practice will also benefit the many cis women who sing tenor. Lily: I have made new friends in choir that I would not have had. Sian Jones and Amy Seyers are appointed to Bath Abbey choir - after nearly 150 years of the Abbey only allowing women singers to fill in for men. 9. Required fields are marked *. A common theme in the performing world is for the performing group (s) to appear uniform or consistent so as to demonstrate unity in the ensemble, whether it be a band, choir, orchestra, or some other musical group. Avoid using gendered language in rehearsal and performance. Here are the best unisex baby names and gender-neutral names, suitable for both boys and girls in 2023. Naming your baby is a special part of welcoming a new member to your family, and choosing the perfect moniker might take some time. Getting ready for little Jayden or sweet Finleys big arrival? Fun Fact: The USS Greer was a United States Navy destroyer warship. Here is a list of 75 of our favorite nonbinary names. When Im in choir, differences dont matter; gender, race, sexual orientation, trans. Fun Fact: If you add an apostrophe between the J and a and you get Jaime which is French for I like or I love.. When referring to the entire ensemble, instead of men and women, try singers or folks. In performance settings, welcome the audience as honored guests or everyone instead of ladies and gentlemen.. Fun Fact: The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in the western part of the United States. If youre still searching for the perfect name to give your baby, have you considered gender-neutral names? If you still need some inspiration, weve added more names below, for more than 150 unisex baby name options! A gender-neutral name is unisex, meaning you can give it to a baby girl or a boy. Look no further, as we have compiled a list of 100 gender neutral baby names and their meanings. In a new setting, ask singers their preferred pronoun. Choral teachers should refer to sections, not genders, says Palkki in his 2017 Choral Journal article Inclusivity in Action: Transgender Students in the Choral Classroom, because not everyone who sings soprano or alto is a woman, and not everyone who sings tenor or bass is a man. Some may also choose to reclaim a middle name as a first name if it feels like more of a fit with their identity. Whats really important, says Jane Ramseyer Miller, artistic director of One Voice Mixed Chorus in St. Paul, Minnesota, and artistic director-in-residence for GALA Choruses, is if you call it a womens chorus, then it needs to be open to all women. Nonbinary people may rule out these ensembles to avoid being labeled a man or woman by virtue of singing in the chorus. Please consult our Resource List for Welcoming Transgender Singers companion, compiled by Ari Agha. Fun Fact: Diamonds were mined from the Kelsey Lake Diamond Mine in Colorado from 1996 until 2001. People want to do right by other people, says Steele. Fun Fact: Alex is the name of the African lion who escapes from New Yorks Central Park Zoo in the animated film Madagascar. 1) and use section names instead of gendered language (see No. Its also important that you check to see if your chosen choir name is already taken. I agonized over whether I could go through with it, but ultimately decided to order the dress. But you cant tell by looking whether someone is transgender, and trans singers do not sing exclusively in LGBTQ+ groups. We also offer a bespoke service to personalise your robes with a name to remember. A gender-neutral name, or unisex name, is a given name that is not gender-specific. These types of choir names are those which evoke or suggest a characteristic of your choir. Fun Fact: Dakota is the name of a Native American tribe, a language, and two states in the US: North and South Dakota. Fun Fact: Sloan is the name of a rock band from Canada. Include a statement that the chorus is open and affirming to transgender people in organization documentation, and adopt a gender-neutral language statement. A final choir performance, celebrating your achievement at a graduation and even completing the first steps to becoming a legal professional. And traditional choral practices that divide singers into gendered categoriesreferring to sopranos and altos as ladies and tenors and basses as men or requiring gender-specific clothingcan heighten these feelings of discomfort. Fun Fact: Disney Pixars film Inside Out takes place inside the head of Riley Anderson. You also may believe your chorus is already welcoming, but without realizing it or intending to cause harm, you may employ practices and language that exclude and hurt transgender singers. Jamie: I never plan to stop singing to the best of my ability, and I want to make the best of the rest of my years in high school in choir and to make a change in the choir program; to let trans kids know it is possible to sing no matter what. 3. Fun Fact: Blakes 7 was the name of a British sci-fi TV show that ran from 1978 to 1981. While that is an important aspect that is addressed by these recommendations, the musical training and experience conductors already have provide a strong foundation to do that work. Fun Fact: Raggedy Andy is a doll and book character. For many of us, choruses arewhere we come together to make music and feel like were part of a welcomingcommunity. Landry 9. Fun Fact: A bailey is part of a castle. Make audition materials trans friendly. Our list of 75 nonbinary names can help you get started! Other names are used for any gender and/or are experiencing trends toward gender neutrality. Simply put, if you dont know, ask! In the audition setting ask new and returning singers their preferred pronoun or include this question on your audition form for each student to fill out. Up 11 Down Voicestra Up 9 Down Musical Divas [3] Up 7 Down Decibelles Up 5 Down Whats particularly hard, says Joshua Palkki of the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University, Long Beach, is breaking with tradition: Theres so much tradition in choral music, andso many things that just have been done without question, because its the way things have always been done. Choruses must deal with our history of naming and separating by gender, says Seattle Pro Musica artistic director Karen Thomas. Remember, your choirs name must embody your choirs spirit. Consider the implications of gendered language in chorus names, 5. Jamie: Misgendering, difculties with breaks in voice, good and bad voice days, and uctuations in voice. Fun Fact: Peyton Place is the name of a novel, a film, and a soap opera. I want to t in with all others, male and female, regardless of what section I sing in. Why do they wear them? 7), S/A music will require rearrangement. Spread the loveDo you want to give your child a gender-neutral name, meaning that you can give it to a boy or girl? : Im afraid of losing my range and my voice becoming scratchy and hard to sing with and losing my vibrato/voice quality that Ive worked very hard for. Fun Fact: In the Indian culture, there's a similar name, Kiran, which means ray of light. They have fully and patiently supported me in trying to expand my understanding and maintain a choir home for each and every singer in our program. Excluding gendered words from chorus names allows continued use of S/A or T/B repertoire. Based on this conversation, a personalized voice part plan can be devised. In the UK, unisex names like Dylan, Frankie, Harley, Teddy, Riley, Harper, Robin all feature in the top 100 popular names compiled by the Office for National Statistics. At MSU, he studied conducting with Dr. Sandra Snow, Dr. Jonathan Reed, and Dr. David Rayl, and received a university-wide award for his work on LGBTQ inclusion in choral music education. (2017). Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. There are plenty of pretty male and female names that can be used as gender-neutral options. Creating choirs that welcome transgender singers. French for The Arts Flourishing, this is an acclaimed and worldwide early music group. We face extensive discrimination and high rates of violence. Gender neutral names are extremely fashionable right now - but that can pose a problem to parents looking for a cool but uncommon unisex baby name.. Jamie is an alto by vocal range and currently sings in and is President of the Womens Choir. Lily: Nothing. We know that uncommon and unusual unisex names can be very appealing, so weve continued our list below. This method is a favourite among barbershop quartets and a capella groups, fanciful choir names are made of invented words or phrases put together that could have no inherent meaning other than the one assigned to them by the choir. Fun Fact: Hayden Fox was the main character on TV show Coach. He is known as "The King of Rock and Roll.". Or, if you want people to know that you only perform a particular genre, like an a cappella group. Fun Fact: In the Bible, Jesse is the father of King David. Cool Gender-Neutral Baby Names. Meanings, origins, popularity, and variations for 100 gender-neutral names. You can draw on the power of metaphor and analogy to create positive associations about your choir in the minds of your audience. Fun Fact: Parker Brothers game and toy company is best known for board games such as Monopoly and Clue. What do you most want [your director] to know or consider? Learning more and more about the industry throughout his time working for the company, and so following much research, Dominic is able to offer help, guidance and provide information in specific areas of the Graduation and Legal sectors. Step one: TALK TO THEM. For many singers he has known and interviewed, musicwas not aplace of refuge, it was not a safe space because of how gendered their choralexperience was.. Amber sang in the Varsity Womens Choir with Lily last year. My singing voice is very important to me, and just be-cause I am an alto (mezzo-soprano range) doesnt change the fact that it is my voice, and therefore is a boys voice. Your name is often the first taste people get of your choirs purpose and personality. These two students have been abundantly patient, understanding, and gracious as we work through these years together. [If] you want people to sing well, let them choose their outfit. If your ensemble has two options (tuxedo and dress), let singers choose which to wear. I was always an alto. It was bought by Hasbro in 1991. Be aware of how top dysphoria and chest binding can affect breathing. A few that may be particularly helpful: All singers should feel safe in our choirsregardless of gender identity. Fun Fact: Journey is an American rock band who sings the very popular songs Dont Stop Believin and Open Arms.. Are you looking for a nonbinary name for either yourself or your child? Its important to see how both singers and non-singers alike react. Fun Fact: Queen Latifahs real name is Dana Owens. 11). How does the name of the choir impact the sense of belonging of the singer when they do not identify with the majority? Make audition materials trans friendly. 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