The Queerist

Taught by Eli Conley

Tuesdays 7 – 9 pm
September 14th – November 2nd

First Congregational Church of Oakland
Choir Room
2501 Harrison St
Oakland, CA 94612
Near 19th St BART

The choir room and bathrooms are wheelchair accessible.

Sliding scale $240 - $120 for the 8 week session.

To register, contact: voiceandglitter@gmail.com.

If you are interested but cost is tricky, please contact Eli at voiceandglitter@gmail.com to inquire about a partial scholarship.

Course description:

This is a supportive community singing class intended for self-identified transgender, queer, bisexual, two-spirit, gay, genderqueer, lesbian, and/or gender non-conforming* people who want to develop their singing voices in a fun group setting.

This class draws on Eli Conley’s training in classical, jazz and musical theater singing techniques, as well as his personal experience as a performing folk, country, and choral singer. Beginners to experienced singers are welcome -- you do not need to know how to read music. The class is open to any style of music you want to bring and learn to sing.

The class incorporates learning how to use your body as an instrument for group and solo singing, with an emphasis on finding your natural voice. You can expect to work on developing breath control, listening to other singers, solo song performance, singing in tune and developing confidence throughout your voice’s whole range.

The class will culminate in an optional informal recital on November 2nd. Glitter will also be optional but highly encouraged!

*This space is created intentionally for LGBTQ communities because LGBTQ folks all too often find singing spaces lacking relevance to our lives and awareness of our needs. If you have any questions about whether the class is right for you, please don't hesitate to contact Eli at voiceandglitter@gmail.com

Student Testimonials

“So fun and goofy and more challenging than I expected. Eli is astoundingly quick to respond to people’s feelings, questions, and vocal happenings.”

“Eli’s strengths lie in his positive attitude, sense of humor, clarity in explanation, and… immense talent in the realm of singing.”

“This class was much more than I expected. I learned a lot and enjoyed the positive environment of the class. The learning, fun and friendship exceeded my expectations.”

“Singing with other queers is really fun and a surprisingly powerful way to build community.”

“Eli is awesome. I would love to take this class again!”

Teacher Bio:

Eli Conley is a white gay transgender man who grew up singing in the renowned Greater Richmond Children’s Choir in central Virginia. He has trained in jazz vocal performance at Berklee College of Music in Boston and classical singing at Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio. Eli currently sings tenor with the International Orange Chorale, and performs as an indie folk singer/songwriter – hear a sample at myspace.com/eliconley . He is a past member of the Grammy award-winning San Francisco Symphony Chorus. Eli has a special interest in working with transgender students. He teaches private voice lessons from his home in Berkeley -- call 510-559-0301 or e-mail SingWithEli@gmail.com for more info.