Workshops
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I offer music workshops for high schools and colleges, community organizations, non-profits, arts and social justice groups, religious groups, and more. My workshops weave together vocal exploration, participatory discussion, group songs and musical games to get participants using their voices consciously and joyfully and connecting deeply through song. Workshops can be tailored to fit a wide group of attendees, or geared specifically for LGBTQIA+ people. I draw on my 15 years of vocal training, including studying classical singing at Oberlin Conservatory and jazz vocal performance at Berklee College of Music. I am a certified teacher of Somatic Voicework - The LoVetri Method™, a functional, body-based method of teaching contemporary singing. I'm a former member of the Grammy award-winning San Francisco Symphony Chorus, the founder of the San Francisco Bay Area concert series Queer Country West Coast, and I perform my own original folk/country music nationally. I am also active in racial and economic justice movements as a songleader, facilitator, fundraiser, and community organizer. I draw inspiration from the many social justice movements that use music to build community and strengthen organizing for social change and collective liberation. The workshops I offer are always evolving, and all workshops are tailored to meet the needs of the group hosting them. I'm also happy to create new workshops. My workshops generally run about 90 minutes, but can be adapted to run anywhere from one to two hours. |
About Me Eli Conley is a singer-songwriter, social justice activist, and teaching artist who performs and teaches around the country. As a gay transgender man, Eli has a deep commitment to working within diverse communities to build collective power, creativity, and resilience. In addition to workshops, Eli also offers performances, groups classes for LGBTQIA+ people and allies, private voice lessons, and songwriting coaching online and in person in Sacramento, California. Please contact me for more information, rates, or to set up a time to talk.
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Testimonials
"This workshop was lovely! Eli is a superb teacher who created a beautiful ethos. I'm going to practice some of those techniques!" Heath Fogg Davis, Director of the Temple University Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies Program
"It was a true pleasure to have Eli as a guest teacher [in my Labor & Leadership class]. His teaching is fun, insightful and accessible to folks with a range of comfort levels with singing and experiences with movement work. The class was thoroughly impressed with the way that he wove together history and song, and helped us engage our subject matter in an embodied, heart-centered way." Meg McGuire, Hilda Mason Teaching Fellow, Starr King School for the Ministry
"This workshop was personally a highlight for me this summer. I felt supported, safe, and comfortable to explore and sing. I really enjoyed all the group activities and... the variety of songs. This was definitely an accessible and fun workshop." Workshop Participant
"I've been hearing about Eli's workshops for years and it was great to finally attend. He is an excellent teacher and facilitator. I appreciated the visuals, detail and analogies to explain how vocal cords work while we warmed up. The song selection felt good to sing, and the games were fun. Eli's pleasant and casual demeanor created safety and ease." Workshop Participant
"This workshop was lovely! Eli is a superb teacher who created a beautiful ethos. I'm going to practice some of those techniques!" Heath Fogg Davis, Director of the Temple University Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies Program
"It was a true pleasure to have Eli as a guest teacher [in my Labor & Leadership class]. His teaching is fun, insightful and accessible to folks with a range of comfort levels with singing and experiences with movement work. The class was thoroughly impressed with the way that he wove together history and song, and helped us engage our subject matter in an embodied, heart-centered way." Meg McGuire, Hilda Mason Teaching Fellow, Starr King School for the Ministry
"This workshop was personally a highlight for me this summer. I felt supported, safe, and comfortable to explore and sing. I really enjoyed all the group activities and... the variety of songs. This was definitely an accessible and fun workshop." Workshop Participant
"I've been hearing about Eli's workshops for years and it was great to finally attend. He is an excellent teacher and facilitator. I appreciated the visuals, detail and analogies to explain how vocal cords work while we warmed up. The song selection felt good to sing, and the games were fun. Eli's pleasant and casual demeanor created safety and ease." Workshop Participant
Past Workshop Hosts
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Oberlin College - Oberlin, OH
Swarthmore College - Swarthmore, PA Temple University - Philadelphia, PA San Francisco State University - San Francisco, CA Ithaca College - Ithaca, NY Starr King School for the Ministry - Berkeley, CA Humboldt State University - Arcata, CA Tending the Roots - Online Community The Renaissance City Chorus - Pittsburgh, PA Trans Voices Festival - St. Paul, MN |
The Glitter Box Theater - Pittsburgh, PA
Youth Service Project - Chicago, IL The 1005 Wellness Center - Durham, NC The Pacific Center - Berkeley, CA The Lou Sullivan Society - San Francisco, CA Trans Pride YOUniting Conference - Online The Media Babies Collective - Danville, VA Trans: THRIVE - San Francisco, CA Second Story Arts Collective - Sacramento, CA Hamlet Gramm's Drag Troupe - San Francisco, CA |
Sample Workshop Descriptions
Singing is for Everyone
Your voice is the one instrument you have with you at all times. But how does it work? What can you do to find more freedom and power as you sing? Come to this workshop prepared to experiment with your voice and find out! We will use breathing and vocal exercises to explore the different parts of our voices and use our bodies as instruments. We'll play musical games and do some singing together as a group, and there will also be time to ask those burning questions you have about singing. Beginners are very welcome!
Getting to Know Your Voice: A Queer-Centered Singing Workshop
Your voice is your own unique instrument. Voices (like genders) come in an amazing array of shapes and sizes, and there is no one else who sounds just like you! Yet you may have been told you’re “supposed to” sound a certain way based on your gender, size, race, religion, class, or other identities you hold. Come to this workshop prepared to experiment and play with your voice. We will use breathing and vocal exercises to express ourselves with our whole bodies, explore the vast array of sounds we can make, and break out of vocal boxes we’ve been told we “should” fit in. Along the way we’ll play musical games, sing songs by queer and trans artists, and feel our collective power, strength, and beauty through singing together. This session will center queer and transgender folks, and all are welcome to join us.
Your voice is your own unique instrument. Voices (like genders) come in an amazing array of shapes and sizes, and there is no one else who sounds just like you! Yet you may have been told you’re “supposed to” sound a certain way based on your gender, size, race, religion, class, or other identities you hold. Come to this workshop prepared to experiment and play with your voice. We will use breathing and vocal exercises to express ourselves with our whole bodies, explore the vast array of sounds we can make, and break out of vocal boxes we’ve been told we “should” fit in. Along the way we’ll play musical games, sing songs by queer and trans artists, and feel our collective power, strength, and beauty through singing together. This session will center queer and transgender folks, and all are welcome to join us.
Instant Queer Choir: For First Timers, Chorus Kids, and Everyone in Between
All too often, queer and transgender folks find spaces focused on singing lacking relevance to our lives, awareness of our needs, and commitment to collective liberation. I believe that it is a powerful act for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) people and allies to listen deeply to each other as singers and raise our voices together in song. Come explore your voice in a fun group setting by singing rounds, learning songs in simple two and three-part harmony, and playing group vocal improvisation games. Beginners to experienced singers are welcome. Come ready to experiment with your voice and enjoy yourself!
Note: This workshop can be designed as a safe space specifically for LGBTQIA+ people, or it can be open to straight cisgender allies, depending on the needs of your group.
Songs of Social Justice
Raising our voices together in song can be a powerful act of resistance. Whether it's at a meeting or a march, a direct action or a jail cell, when we sing with others, we feel more deeply rooted in ourselves and connected to each other, opening up space for us to move in deeper alignment. In this workshop, Eli introduces participants to songs that lift us up and help us recognize our inter-connectedness and capacity for collective action. Songs are drawn from the Labor Movement, Black Liberation Movements including the Civil Rights Movement and the Movement for Black Lives, Jewish traditions, and struggles for Queer and Transgender Liberation.
Unlock the Song Inside: Beginning Songwriting
Everyone has a song inside of them. What does yours sound like? Join this workshop to unlock your creativity and let your songs out! No musical training or instrument required. We’ll begin with a fun writing exercise to get your creative juices flowing. Then we'll listen to some songs by transgender and non-binary artists to explore the way that melody and lyrics come together to create a song, and learn strategies to strengthen each of these aspects of our songwriting. We’ll close with another writing exercise based on what we learned. You’ll leave with all the tools you need to write a song that takes listeners on an emotional and musical journey!
Sing From Your Heart: For Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming Singers
Your voice is your own unique instrument. Voices (like genders) come in an amazing array of shapes and sizes, and there is no one else who sounds just like you! Yet voice is a highly gendered thing in our binary society, especially when it comes to singing. Transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people all too often find spaces focused on singing lacking relevance to their lives, awareness of their needs, and a commitment to collective liberation. In this workshop your gender, body, and boundaries will be honored and respected. We will share about ways we do and don't feel connected to our voices. Then we'll use breathing and vocal exercises to understand our bodies as instruments and access our whole vocal range from top to bottom. To close we'll sing a song together as a group. Come prepared to have fun and experiment with your voice!
Note: This workshop can be as a safe space specifically for transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people, or it can be open to cisgender allies, depending on the needs of your group.
Your voice is your own unique instrument. Voices (like genders) come in an amazing array of shapes and sizes, and there is no one else who sounds just like you! Yet voice is a highly gendered thing in our binary society, especially when it comes to singing. Transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people all too often find spaces focused on singing lacking relevance to their lives, awareness of their needs, and a commitment to collective liberation. In this workshop your gender, body, and boundaries will be honored and respected. We will share about ways we do and don't feel connected to our voices. Then we'll use breathing and vocal exercises to understand our bodies as instruments and access our whole vocal range from top to bottom. To close we'll sing a song together as a group. Come prepared to have fun and experiment with your voice!
Note: This workshop can be as a safe space specifically for transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people, or it can be open to cisgender allies, depending on the needs of your group.
Sing From Your Heart: For Trans Masculine Singers
Does taking testosterone mean you have to lose your singing voice? Is singing high just for women and femmes? Is it too late to learn how to sing? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding No! Though there are some challenges that are unique to the experience of trans masculine singers, singing can be a rewarding experience for people of all genders, and Eli Conley wants to get you singing well! In this "master class" style workshop, Eli will give short voice lessons to trans masculine singers in front of the group and share about his own vocal journey. He will demonstrate a functional approach to working with the voice, using vocal exercises to isolate and strengthen a singer’s head (high) and chest (low) registers, blend the two registers into a coordinated mix in the middle of the voice, and promote vocal health, ease and freedom. Attention will be given to the particular situation of singers who take testosterone, as well as singers who are not on hormones.
Note: This workshop can be as a safe space specifically for transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people, or it can be open to cisgender allies, depending on the needs of your group.
Does taking testosterone mean you have to lose your singing voice? Is singing high just for women and femmes? Is it too late to learn how to sing? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding No! Though there are some challenges that are unique to the experience of trans masculine singers, singing can be a rewarding experience for people of all genders, and Eli Conley wants to get you singing well! In this "master class" style workshop, Eli will give short voice lessons to trans masculine singers in front of the group and share about his own vocal journey. He will demonstrate a functional approach to working with the voice, using vocal exercises to isolate and strengthen a singer’s head (high) and chest (low) registers, blend the two registers into a coordinated mix in the middle of the voice, and promote vocal health, ease and freedom. Attention will be given to the particular situation of singers who take testosterone, as well as singers who are not on hormones.
Note: This workshop can be as a safe space specifically for transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people, or it can be open to cisgender allies, depending on the needs of your group.
Body Love Creative Writing Workshop
With Eli Conley & Talia Cooper
Words, rhythm, and rhyme can have a powerful impact on our subconscious. That's why body liberation coach Talia Cooper and teaching artist Eli Conley are teaming up to offer this workshop: so you get more agency over how you feel about your body. Together we will counteract the negative messages we’ve received about our bodies with new information and community support. Then we’ll write a slew of songs, poems, and letters, and leave with our personal body love anthems!
This workshop is for all bodies: all sizes, genders, races, ages, abilities, and sexualities. Wherever you are at with your creativity and feelings about your body, you are welcome here.
This workshop is for anyone who:
- wants to start or deepen their body acceptance journey
- would like to write a love song, poem, or letter for their body
- enjoys being creative in community
Open to folks who’ve never written a line, lifelong writers, and everyone in between.
With Eli Conley & Talia Cooper
Words, rhythm, and rhyme can have a powerful impact on our subconscious. That's why body liberation coach Talia Cooper and teaching artist Eli Conley are teaming up to offer this workshop: so you get more agency over how you feel about your body. Together we will counteract the negative messages we’ve received about our bodies with new information and community support. Then we’ll write a slew of songs, poems, and letters, and leave with our personal body love anthems!
This workshop is for all bodies: all sizes, genders, races, ages, abilities, and sexualities. Wherever you are at with your creativity and feelings about your body, you are welcome here.
This workshop is for anyone who:
- wants to start or deepen their body acceptance journey
- would like to write a love song, poem, or letter for their body
- enjoys being creative in community
Open to folks who’ve never written a line, lifelong writers, and everyone in between.
Collaborative Songwriting: A Two-Session Workshop
With Eli Conley & Talia Cooper
Join singer-songwriters and frequent collaborators Eli Conley & Talia Cooper to learn how to co-write a song with someone else. You can sign up with a buddy or be paired up with a partner. At the first session we’ll share our approach to collaborative songwriting and co-write a song in real time right in front of you! Then we’ll give you some accessible strategies and guiding steps and turn you loose with a partner to try it out together. You’ll be asked to set up a time to get together again sometime in the next two weeks to continue writing your song. At the second session each pair will have a chance to share their co-written song, and together we’ll explore your questions, challenges that came up, and ways to build and maintain creative partnerships going forward.
It is encouraged (but not required) that participants have written at least one song prior to signing up.
This workshop will happen in real time only, and will not be recorded.
Bonus: Check out some of Eli & Talia’s co-written songs: Breathe Deep, We Will Show Up, and I Believe in Us (Bernie Sanders Song).
With Eli Conley & Talia Cooper
Join singer-songwriters and frequent collaborators Eli Conley & Talia Cooper to learn how to co-write a song with someone else. You can sign up with a buddy or be paired up with a partner. At the first session we’ll share our approach to collaborative songwriting and co-write a song in real time right in front of you! Then we’ll give you some accessible strategies and guiding steps and turn you loose with a partner to try it out together. You’ll be asked to set up a time to get together again sometime in the next two weeks to continue writing your song. At the second session each pair will have a chance to share their co-written song, and together we’ll explore your questions, challenges that came up, and ways to build and maintain creative partnerships going forward.
It is encouraged (but not required) that participants have written at least one song prior to signing up.
This workshop will happen in real time only, and will not be recorded.
Bonus: Check out some of Eli & Talia’s co-written songs: Breathe Deep, We Will Show Up, and I Believe in Us (Bernie Sanders Song).