AIDEN K. FELTKAMP

Chase joy... it's worth it

- Nora A. Simone

An Internet search for "Aiden K. Feltkamp" (they/them) resulted in over 25,000 citations! Unlike many other interview subjects, there was a bounty of biographical information available and given Aiden's achievements, it's no surprise. You see, since age 5, when Aiden successfully demonstrated musical abilities and they earned an enviable professional résumé: curator, performer, author, speaker, advisor and more.

Of particular note, Aiden has just curated the first-ever volume of songs written for and/or by transgender and nonbinary people, Anthology of New Music: Trans & Nonbinary Voices (see https://newmusicshelf.com). This collection presents composers who highlight the multifaceted intersections unique to the lived experiences of transgender and nonbinary people. It stands as a declaration that despite the many historical attempts to isolate them, these communities will not be silenced.

Rather than restate highlights of Aiden's professional life, Transliving International (TLI) thought its readers would like to know more about this special person. Who is this gifted and talented trans person with no apparent boundaries? To help, Aiden shares personal information to inspire readers on their own path.

WHAT WAS YOUR EARLY LIFE?

I grew up in a privileged, white, upper-middle-class family environment in the USA. An enthusiastic participant in: academics; orchestra; choir; and musicals, I also read voraciously, especially science fiction and fantasy. On the dark side, my parents were obsessed with an evangelical Christian organization where we routinely invested more than 20 hours each week. Among other things, fundamentalism dictated our wardrobe, TV programming, and stressful opinions on gender and gender roles.