About Ari Agha
Ari Agha (Ph.D., they/them) is a genderqueer singer, creator, researcher, and writer. A proud advocate of feminism, their work centers on the voice and connections between voice and identity. They seek to create space in what it means to be a (mis)gendered human with a range of multiple, simultaneous, and contextualized identities. They collaborate with artists and ensembles across disciplines to create performances that provoke questions rather than provide answers and invite spectators to participate rather than just observe. Their performances feature compositions by women, queer, and BIPOC composers.
Ari has studied voice with Dr. Laura Hynes (University of Calgary), Anna Hasek Bell, and currently studies with Dr. Stephanie Weiss (Arizona State University). Their choral experience includes singing with Dr. Jo-Michael Schiebe and the University Choral (University of Miami), Dr. Anthony Leach and Essence of Joy (Penn State), and Dr. Timothy Shantz and Spiritus Chamber Choir (Calgary). Ari expects to complete a Master of Music in Voice Performance Pedagogy at Arizona State University in 2024. They have a Ph.D. in Sociology and over fifteen years of experience conducting applied social science research in government, non-profit, and academic settings. They are currently Grants Officer at Partnerships for Trauma Recovery in Berkeley, California.
Special Thanks
Ari is deeply grateful to Dr. Laura Hynes, their original collaborator on Key of T, for partnering with Ari to create the initial iteration of this work, and setting the stage for what Key of T could become. Ari is also thankful to the additional members of the creative team for the initial iteration of the performance – Bruce Barton (University of Calgary) and Lizz Windnagel.