AJ Gauger (they/them) is a light lyric soprano from New Richmond, Ohio. They received their Bachelor’s degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and are currently based in Montreal, QC to complete their Master’s degree from the Schulich School of Music at McGill University. Highlights from their operatic repertoire are Female Chorus from Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, Jennie from Weill’s Down in the Valley, Rosmene from Handel’s Imeneo, Winnie from Hertzmann’s Winnie the Pooh the Opera, and Oberto from Handel’s Alcina. AJ is passionate about using opera as a tool for gender expression and exploration, and is interested in the integration of classical music as a healing experience for transgender singers. They were a member of the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus as a Shari Bierman fellow, performing a wide variety of music from film concerts to The Sacred Veil, conducted by Eric Whitacre, to Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. Beyond their performances in North America, they have also sung in Austria and Italy, fostering a deep appreciation and respect for the cross-cultural connective power of music. AJ has worked in stage management, set/costume design, event planning, and music mentorship as a resident assistant in a dorm for musicians. They hope that their work will help make some corners of operatic culture more inclusive and progressive by using art as an asset of social change. Outside of music, AJ spends most of their time working at a daycare for dogs, rollerskating with two left feet, and making crafts with their girlfriend.