Live gig 2:30pm Sunday March 16 2025, 9B Studios in New Norfolk -tickets here at Humanitix
If you want to grab a stream, recording, open rehearsal, or other reward (naming rights, folks, js), or if you want to contribute extra on top of the ticket price (there is no obligation to do so – thanks to the incredible generosity of donors to this point, if I fill the venue, I meet my goal!) Go to the Pozible Campaign
If you don’t want anything except to help the thing happen – you can make a tax deductible, reward-free donation to help defray concert on-costs by going to the ACF campaign here
More details on repertoire, personnel, rationale etc below 😁
What’s happening?
At 2:30pm on Sunday March 16 2025, at the wonderful 9B Studios in New Norfolk, you get your last opportunity to see me performing publicly as a soprano soloist.
Already sold? Great! You can support this project by buying a ticket here, claiming a reward (streamed version of the concert, hi-fi recording, etc) here; or if you just want to contribute funds to help me embark on the next, more integral, less dysphoric bit of my life (more on this below), you can help defray the event’s on-costs with a tax deductible donation via the Australian Cultural fund, which is here.
As well as being my Soprano Solo Swansong, the concert will also be the last opportunity to hear some of my creative work in its current setting – and, in the case of the revamped Birdsong cycle, it will be the first and last time it is heard for soprano and Sequenza ensemble complete with violone – yes, I will indeed be singing and playing simultaneously!
With the wonderful gentlemen of Sequenza Ensemble, I’ll be part of the world premiere live performance of Maria Grenfell’s new piece, Disappearing. It’s a glorious, atmospheric account of the disappearance of Lake Pedder, with words by Danielle Wood.
We’ll also be doing a few hits and memories from the soprano repertoire, and what Swansong would be complete without Dido’s Lament?
Why is it happening?
My actual identity, rather than the mask I’ve worn for most of my life, boils down to: musician; neurospicy; agender (pronounced: ayyyy; gender 🤦(facepalm optional)). To build a sustainable future as the first of these, I need to own both the latter; and that means change. A more lengthy and explanatory version of this story is available on the Pozible crowdfunder page associated with this event, if you want to get into the detail 🙂
Where do you come in?
You can help me raise funds for (a)gender affirming surgery, by supporting my soprano sendoff concert / fundraising campaign! And in return, my lovely, ridiculously mad-skillz-ful colleagues and I will show you a really good time, either in person, online, or (for those with really abstruse tastes) in the form of actual, tangible CD-shaped merch.
The gig is going to be a total hoot. I’ve dragooned a fleet of extraordinary musicians – my beloved Sequenza ensemble, the inestimable Amanda Hodder on piano, and virtuosic string players also known for their regular appearances in Van Diemen’s Band.
For those who can come to the live event, there’ll also be drinks and snacks at interval, and a chance to chat to the artists about All The Things.
The net money raised (after project costs) will be used to fund breast reduction surgery (still boobs, just smaller). I’m also going to be donating a tithe of the first $8000 raised to the Working It Out Gender Affirmation Fund. All funds raised over and above my surgery costs will also be donated to the fund – so, even if the fundraising goals have already been reached, grab a reward / make a donation and get amongst it – your contribution will go toward allowing GNC Tasmanians to live their truth, affirming their mental health and facilitating not just surviving, but thriving.
If you would like to grab a concert ticket, go here. For recordings (downloadable or CD), livestream (or catchup viewing) link, open rehearsal or naming rights(!) – grab a reward here.
If you want to help the concert to happen and you don’t need a reward, you can make a tax deductible donation through my Australian Cultural Fund campaign here. The funds raised will help defray the event’s on-costs.
I am incredibly grateful to:
My musical co-conspirators: Sequenza Ensemble, Amanda Hodder and Van Diemen’s Band string players Katie Yap, Rachel Meyers and Natalya Bing for volunteering their time and madskillz – Katie gets a further special mention for being my second project management brain, an absolutely unmissable boon. Thanks also to VDB’s own Jennifer Kerr for help with front of house, and to Julia Fredersdorff for allowing us to use – ok let’s face it, in places, low-key misappropriate – extracts from the Song of the Birds music video (which I was honoured to play a part in back in 2021), to round out our possibly slightly ridiculous (you be the judge!) campaign videos.
Michael Gissing of Digital City Studios, for volunteering his time, equipment, and outrageous breadth and depth of expertise for documenting the project
9B Studios New Norfolk for incredibly generous venue support
The Australian Cultural Fund, for allowing me to fundraise for part of my rather unusual project through their platform.
My family and friends, for years of staunch support through some pretty tough moments.
______________
I look forward to seeing you at the event 😀 if you have questions, feel free to contact me.