Trans & Non-Binary Students
Melanie Stapleton
This class will help participants get a better understanding for how to work with transgender, non-binary, and gender expansive ensemble members.
Participants will walk away with more “tools in the toolbox” and feel much more comfortable navigating situations that commonly arise in the choral rehearsal with their non-cisgender members.
Meet Your Professor
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Ms. Melanie Stapleton is a native of Plano, Texas and has been active in choral music throughout her life.  She holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Louisiana State University, where she minored in English, and a Master of Music Education degree from the University of North Texas. Stapleton is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Studies with a specialization in Music Education at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. The majority of Ms. Stapleton’s teaching career has been spent as a secondary choral director in the Houston, Texas area.
She is a highly sought-after clinician and presenter having presented clinics, research, and professional development sessions across the country including, 2021 National ACDA, TMEA, AzMEA, TCDA, IMES, QMUE4, and many more.
She is the founder of Blurring the Binary, one of the leading resources for K-12 music educators detailing how to teach transgender, non-binary, and gender expansive music students, a co-founder of (Trans)position, a professional organization for transgender music educators, and serves as an admin for the Facebook group, “I’m a Choir Director”.
She is a strong believer in the power of the choral ensemble to create a musical family where all are respected and offered unconditional love. When not teaching, she can be found spending time with her Golden Retriever, Queso, playing video games, or jamming to the latest choral hits.