Pronouns

My pronouns in professional settings are she/they.

Gender has been a complicated and evolving part of my life. “She” is not simply a pronoun I have used; it reflects a deeply rooted understanding of myself as female that has shaped much of my life and remains an important part of who I am. At this point in my life, however, my relationship with gender expression—and with how I am perceived by others—has become more complex. I also use “they,” not as a rejection of my female identity, but as a way of allowing room for that complexity while I move through a period of change and continue to understand what feels most authentic to me. I share my pronouns here simply so that conductors, singers, presenters, and collaborators know how to refer to me.

If you happen to hear my wife or other members of my family use he/him pronouns for me, please don’t interpret that as a lack of support. Those pronouns are part of a longstanding family agreement made early in my transition, when our children were very young. My wife has supported and respected my gender identity throughout our life together, and this is simply part of the language of our family.

When I’m collaborating with an ensemble, my primary focus is always the music and the experience we are creating together. If you use a different pronoun by mistake, there is no need for a lengthy apology—simply correct yourself and move on.

And when gender identity is genuinely relevant to a workshop, commission, or conversation, I’m comfortable speaking openly about my own experience.