NonBinaryBaritone

First lesson fully funded and next lesson started!

We did it everyone! The first fully donated lesson has been FULLY FUNDED and surpassed onto the NEXT LESSON!! Thank you for everyone’s support so far and this has been accepted by the first person on donated lesson list!

Raising for the 2nd donated lesson for next person on that list! Please let me know if you would like to be added to the list for new or returning students and we can continue supporting each other!

Thank you again for everyone’s generous support and kindness, please also know I have been beaming at the way we have made this possible and that together we have made a glimmer of joy.

Happy Trans Day of Visibility to my trans and nonbinary siblings!

While I would like to say so much more about the things that are important to me I am getting stunted by the word limit here! I will post a link soon to where I’ll write more. However for now here is a quote from it:

“I am proud to be an openly neurodivergent, trans, q***r opera singer and love that I can continue to perform with an incredible mix of lovely, talented people! I look forward to getting the opportunity to meet other companies that are willing to be a truly diverse, creative force for good!

I am here and am not planning on going anywhere. I will sing, teach, coach and continue to do whatever I can to make the future a more inclusive and creative space for as long as I can.

I may have been the first openly nonbinary baritone, to my knowledge; however, I know (for a fact!) I’m not the last!

I have some beautiful reviews to share from last year, some exciting things for the summer AND a VERY special announcement when I am given the go-ahead from some important people!

Until next time,
Mica Liberta-Smith
The Nonbinary Baritone 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🥰 “

With the new year now settled in, I am pleased to say that I still have some availability to see new vocal students and give coaching to instrumentalists. My website has been updated to include a price chart, and I would love to hear from anyone who is interested in singing lessons or performance coaching from me! It is a huge joy of mine to guide people on their vocal journey, and my students have been growing both as people and in their voices.

All are welcome! I enjoy being able to support and nurture individuals from diverse backgrounds and can provide a safe learning space for emerging singers and artists who are neurodiverse. For an example of coaching non-singers, please find above a quote offered to me by one of my students! I look forward to embarking on this journey with old and new faces this year. 💜

Today is Trans day of Remembrance. As I prepare for our performances of La Bohème I reflect back on my words from last year:

“Today is a day for us to collectively mourn loss of lives within the trans community. Honouring those we’ve lost too soon. There has been a rise in anti-trans feeling in the media and in politics. This has led both to an increase in hate crimes and also to worsening community mental health.”

Things have not changed and in some ways they have got worse.

I wrote “With that reminder, absolutely do take the time to remember those who are gone but please show love and compassion to those of us who are still here. It may not seem like much, but it can be scary to be out and visible in a world where acceptance isn’t a given. Having safe people to turn to when things are hard can make all the difference.”

This has not changed.

“I am able to be out and thriving as a non-binary baritone because of trans activists and artists who came before me and because of the wonderful community of support I have around me. I am so proud to be able to give hope to others that it is possible to find success while being their truest selves. I hope that one day the world won’t make anyone feel it isn’t safe to come out, but I know we aren’t there yet.”

This has not changed either; I have been privileged enough to find and work with more safe and accepting companies over the past year. I do however worry for the future of this and other art forms given the impact of funding cuts.

“Remembering the dead also means fighting for the rights of the living. We need to work towards a world where days like this aren’t needed. Educate those around you and challenge bigotry when you see it.
Protest with us when our rights and safety are threatened. Trans lives matter, please help us to live them to the fullest.” 🏳️‍⚧️

The reason operas like La Bohème are, and will always continue to be, so poignant is that they tell stories of found family, the love and loss between friends and the support and community we can build together.

Thank you for your continued support and thank you for continuing with me on this journey. 🏳️‍⚧️