Tona Brown

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Tona Brown
Tona Brown singing.jpg
Brown in 2016
Background information
Birth nameTona Brown
Origin Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
GenresClassical
Occupation(s)Singer, violinist
Instrument(s)Vocals, violin
Years active1994–present
Website tonabrown.com

Tona Brown is an American violinist and mezzo-soprano who performs internationally and is the first transgender woman to perform at Carnegie Hall. [1] She was the first African American transgender woman to perform for an American president.

Contents

Early life and education

Brown had challenges with her gender identity growing up and referred to herself as an "androgynous" child (partly male and partly female in the appearance of indeterminate sex). She started playing violin at the age of 10, attended the Governor's School for the Arts, an art high school program for gifted and talented students. Brown was formally educated at the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music studying violin performance with minors in viola, piano, and voice.

Career

She was selected to perform in a national tour with the "Tranny Road Show", [2] a multi-media tour group of transgender artists that toured from Florida to Canada in April 2006. Brown was chosen by the White House to sing the National Anthem for former President Barack Obama at the 2014 LGBTQ Leadership Gala Dinner at the Sheraton in New York City, making her the first transgender artist to be given this honor. [3] Brown was also selected to be a performer for the 2011 Out Music Awards. [4] On June 25, 2014, Brown performed at the Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall. [5] In 2015, Brown appeared in For Which We Stand , a full-length documentary film highlighting LGBTQ and straight artists. [6] Brown recorded an opera movie for Shenandoah University's 2021 production of Suor Angelica playing the role of La Zia Principessa. Brown performed in a lead transgender role as Hannah After in the opera As One by Laura Kaminsky with the Lowell Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Orlando Cela in the fall of 2021. Brown was also asked to do a masterclass on Transgender Voices by the Virginia National Association of Teachers of singing and teaches private lessons to students with her company Aida Studios. [7]

Influences

Brown is an advocate for transgender issues and the arts and participates in speaking engagements primarily on the east coast. She also focuses on trans issues in her online TV series, Conversations with Tona Brown. Her words of advice for transgender youth are to "not allow others to make you believe that you are not worthy of achieving what dreams you have. I can't tell you how many people had no problems telling me that I would not succeed being 'out' as a transgender artist." [8]

Discography

References

  1. ↑ Frank, Priscilla (May 23, 2014). "Meet the First African American Transgender Performer to Take the Stage at Carnegie Hall". Huffington Post. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  2. ↑ Kowalska, Monika (March 22, 2014). "The Heroines of My Life: Interview with Tona Brown". The Heroines of My Life. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Tranny Roadshow 2006". April 3, 2006. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Tona Brown, Biography". www.classicalplace.com. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  5. ↑ Morpeth, Catherine (May 29, 2014). "Violinist Tona Brown to make history as first black transgender woman to perform at Carnegie Hall". 429 magazine. Archived from the original on June 26, 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  6. ↑ "The LGBTQ Academy of Recording Arts Announces Upcoming Documentary". www.metroweekly.com. April 22, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
  7. ↑ "About". Tona Brown. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  8. ↑ Parkins, Cameron (February 17, 2021). "Tona Brown". Stand with Trans. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
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