TRANS MUSIC TAKEOVER: CELEBRATE TRANS DAY OF VISIBILITY AT GUILDHALL

About

The Common Press and Guildhall School of Music & Drama are back with the annual Trans Music Takeover. Celebrate Trans Day of Visibility at Silk Street Theatre on Tuesday, 31st March, from 6 pm – 9 pm. The evening will be hosted by the wonderful Travis Alabanza. Celebrate the incredible talents of trans voices in music and the performing arts at the iconic Guildhall and be in a space where music nourishes the soul and transcends boundaries! FREE ENTRY - RSVP Special guest performances from The Mollusc Dimension - multidisciplinary artist London Trans Choir - singers Christopher Clarke - harpist and multidisciplinary artist Timon - DJ Chloe Filani - poet / speaker Sans Soucis - musician Kumari Suraj - songwriter / multidisciplinary artist Dress code: Queer finery Event Details Doors open at 5:45 pm Performances kick off at 6:15 pm The event ends at 9 pm Free cloakroom available. About Guildhall School of Music & Drama Guildhall School of Music & Drama, located in the City of London and founded in 1880, is one of the world’s leading conservatoires. The school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in classical music, jazz, drama, and production arts, and is ranked 4th in the world for Music and Performing Arts in the QS World University Rankings 2025. Travis Alabanza (Host) Travis Alabanza is an award-winning writer and performer. Their debut book None of the Above was a Waterstones Bestseller, won the Jhalak Prize Literary award, and was one of TIME Magazine's top 100 books of 2023. Their stage work has received numerous acclaim including Burgerz winning a total theatre award, Overflow shortlisted for the George Divine aware, and Sound of the Underground receiving Five Stars in The Guardian. Christopher Clarke (they/he) Christopher (they/them, he/him) is a Canadian harpist and multidisciplinary artist based in the UK. A graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama (MPerf, Distinction), their work spans classical, contemporary, and experimental music. Christopher has premiered new works across Canada and the UK, including Tuxedo: Diving Bell 2 by Hannah Kendall and commissions for flute and harp. They’ve performed with ensembles such as the Sinfonia Smith Square, Her Ensemble, Dorset Opera Festival, and Brixton Chamber Orchestra, and were featured in BBC Radio 3’s Total Immersion series on Kaija Saariaho. Christopher has been a featured soloist for organisations such as Counter Chamber and the Lichfield Arts Festival. In 2024, Christopher made their off-West End debut in Sam Shepard’s Savage/Love and Tongues, composing and performing the incidental score, and in 2025 were recognised by CBC Music as one of the year’s foremost emerging classical Canadian artists as part of the 30 Under 30 list. They currently hold a position on the Development Scheme with the London Musical Theatre Orchestra, and are a proud co-founder of the small room arts production group London Trans Choir London’s first Trans choir, founded in 2017, is designed to make use of unique voices and offer a safe and welcoming environment for all of us to be heard. Our repertoire heavily features trans composers and arrangers, including a number of commissions from within the choir. In addition to our twice-yearly Trans Talent Show performances, we have also performed at Brighton Trans Pride, Classical Pride, Wimbledon Pride, Walthamstow Pride, and can be heard on the soundtrack to the short film Voice Shift. Chloe Filani (she/her) Chloe Filani an artist, poet, and performer intersections of Blackness, womanhood and ancestral knowing. Her work pulses with power, vulnerability, and a language that refuses to be tamed. Using poetry and embodied dance performance, Chloe channels myth, memory, and personal cosmology into presence. She doesn't just perform-she conjures. Her body becomes archive, her voice becomes invocation, her words fracture silence and stitch new imaginaries. Her poetry has been published in Playing femme by 16nst gallery press, Boy brothers friend and Montez Press ‘Interjection Calendar, Also she has live recording of her poetry is on Anthems podcast and on radio NTS Live . She’s performed poetry at Late at Tate, ICA, Somerset House, Prim Black x Burberry collab, Blackgirl picnic, Writerz Scribez, Royal academy, 180 studios and Reference points. The Mollusc Dimension (he/him) The Mollusc Dimension is a diasporic Chinese, trans, non binary multidisciplinary artist. His colourful comic memoir "The Weird & Wonderful Surviveries of Squid Horse" was shortlisted by The Selfie Awards for non-fiction. He received an Arts Council England project grant for the book, and also for his music project "Asians Have Feelings Too". TMD is the pianist for London Trans Choir. His work appears or is forthcoming in Arcana Poetry Press, Butch Bait, Covert, Queer Out Here, Wasafiri and other places. See his comics on IG/FB @SquidHorseComics Sans Soucis (Ocean) - (they/them) The changes we've been going through as a society over the past 2 years (the palestine movement, the supreme courts' ruling on trans identities, the collective activations veered towards the dismantling of the empire), have informed the tone of this project. Exploring the sentiment of frustration and willingness to re-imagine with an honest, experimental and raw voice. - Sans Soucis The Italian force is a master at blending superb pop melodies with intriguing lyricism, daring to cross boundaries nobody else would go near.” – CLASH magazine. With an Ivor Novello for ‘Best Contemporary Song’ in 2025, for the title track of their critically acclaimed debut album, ‘Circumnavigating Georgia’. Sans Soucis returns with their followup EP ‘trans’. A vulnerable body of work highlighting the importance of embracing transitions, on a granular, personal level and as well as a societal one. Sans Soucis is also an advocate for marginalised voices, focusing their work on the intersection between people from the global majority and the lgbtqai+ community. As part of their mission, they're an ambassador for the Abram Wilson Foundation and a member of its artistic board, as well as an ambassador for the Featured Artist Coalition. In 2025, they were nominated for Trans In The City Awards community champion category, in addition to joining Power Up’s year 5 cohort, funded by PRS, a network of music professionals and creators who advocate against anti-black discrimination in the music industry, uplifting the voices within its community. DJ Timon (he/him) Timon is a London-based DJ whose sound blends Deep House, Soulful House, Afro House and Afro Tech. He ushers in the warm rhythms of South African, Chicago & global grooves. Also a host of Coffee Deep Sundays at 365 Sounds, Timon curates lush, soul-stirring journeys that balance rhythm and emotion, creating spaces for connection, reflection, and pure musical joy. He brings his ancestral roots in music. Call him eclectic. Supported by UK Black Pride Kumari Suraj (they/them) Kumari Suraj is a non-binary multidisciplinary artist, songwriter, and cultural architect whose work bridges dance, music, and performance. Widely recognised as a modern pioneer of Waacking, Kumari has spent over two decades shaping creative culture across underground dance communities and global entertainment - from queer club floors to major international stages. Blending movement, sound, and storytelling, Kumari’s music and performances draw on a life lived across intersecting cultures and communities. Their work centres expression, lineage, and embodiment, inviting audiences into spaces where creativity, identity, and freedom meet. Access and additional information A free cloakroom will be available for coats and large bags. Gender-neutral and wheelchair-accessible toilets will be available. Silk Street Theatre is wheelchair accessible. If you require additional support, please contact aisha@commonpress.co.uk or inform staff upon arrival. There will be photography and videography during the event, please inform a staff or photographer if you do not wish to be photographed. Location Silk Street Theatre is located in the main Guildhall School building on Silk Street. Address: Silk Street, Barbican, London, EC2Y 8DT Event Policy We have a zero-tolerance policy for any form of discrimination, harassment, or hate speech. This includes but is not limited to, transphobia, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, misogyny, ableism, and any other form of prejudice or bigotry. For general best practices, please: Do not assume anyone’s gender; always ask for and respect pronouns. Be mindful of language and behaviour to ensure a safe and welcoming space for all. Report any concerns to event staff immediately. We are committed to creating an inclusive and affirming environment where everyone can enjoy the event.