MISSION
The Dallas Street Choir offers a musical outlet for those affected by homelessness.
VISION
Through community engagement and public performance, the Dallas Street Choir seeks to improve the way society views those experiencing homelessness. Our model demonstrates that participation in a consistent, structured, safe, and creatively engaging environment better equips individuals experiencing homelessness to find a job, housing and improve their overall lifestyle. For our members, we aim to provide: practical musicianship training; an environment that promotes accountability; and a community that offers compassion and hope. For those with capacity to serve—volunteers, donors, community and corporate partners—we seek to engage you in the profound experience of empowering individuals to achieve what once seemed impossible through the seemingly simple act of singing.PROGRAMS
For every rehearsal or performance in which a singing member successfully participates, that member is entitled to receive their choice of a crisp $2 bill or an all-day Dallas Area Rapid Transportation (DART) voucher. While these do come at an expense for the organization, they are invaluable to the singer.
This class is offered to any member of the Dallas Street Choir wishing to improve their vocal technique and general musical aptitude. The class is offered weekly and is open to the first 5-6 singers who register. There is no pre-requisite and singers are welcome to attend regularly or when convenient.
Sheila Baker, the instructor, is a member of The Dallas Opera Chorus and teaches privately throughout the DFW area. She received her master’s degree in voice performance from LSU.
In November 2015, we launched the Frederica von Stade Honorary Scholarship for Continuing Education. This competitive scholarship, to be given semi-annually, assists Dallas Street Choir members achieve their personal education goals. Also launched in 2015 was the Dallas Street Choir Voice Academy—a program where select members received small-group voice instruction from a professional singer.
The Dallas Street Choir and researchers from the University of Texas at Arlington are collaborating on a unique study to assess the meaning of communal song in the lives of individuals who are homeless or formerly homeless. The Dallas Street Choir was founded by Dr. Jonathan Palant in 2014 and offers a musical outlet for those experiencing homelessness and severe disadvantage. Its secondary aim is to deconstruct stereotypes about homelessness and poverty. Nearly a quarter of the Choir’s membership lives on the street, and over 1,000 individuals have attended at least one rehearsal since the program began.
In this groundbreaking study, professors from the University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work and the Department of Music will seek to answer the following questions:
- What is the meaning of choir participation among members of the Dallas Street Choir?
- What is the essence of this participation for members of the Dallas Street Choir?
- What is the impact of choir participation on members’ ability to manage the stress of homelessness, mental health, physical health, and social inclusion?
- How does participation in the choir relate to mental health, physical health, and sense of social inclusion?
The researchers will be conducting surveys, as well as in-depth interviews with choir members to access first-hand accounts of their experiences in the choir. Data collection will begin March 1 and continue through early May, 2017. The Dallas Street Choir will use these results to support its efforts in grant getting, as well as to disseminate its innovative program nationwide.
Research Team:
Dr. Anne Nordberg, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work
Dr. Courtney Cronley, Assistant Professor,University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work
Dr. Jonathan Palant, founder/conductor, Dallas Street Choir
Erin Murphy, Graduate Student, University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work
Craig Keaton, Graduate Student, University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work
ABOUT
The Dallas Street Choir, a recognized 501(c)(3) organization, was founded by Dr. Jonathan Palant in October 2014. To date, nearly 2,000 individuals have attended at least one of our weekly rehearsals amassing more than 10,000 hours of cultural enrichment. In addition to presenting concerts at The Stewpot and the newly-built amphitheater adjacent to The Stewpot, the Dallas Street Choir has performed at the Winspear Opera House, the Dallas City Performance Hall, the George W. Bush Presidential Library, at both public and private schools, and at a variety of many venues throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The Dallas Street Choir has performed alongside opera stars Frederica von Stade and Joyce DiDonato, composer Jake Heggie, and, in November 2015, welcomed Mrs. Laura Bush and Mr. and Mrs. Ross Perot to our stage. In June 2017, the Dallas Street Choir performed at Carnegie Hall and The Washington National Cathedral. This history-making concert event became the subject of a NBC Today Show story that aired nationwide multiple timesThe Dallas Street Choir strives to offer an otherwise marginalized community of people a place to experience art, and specifically choral music. Our members come from all walks of life: 68% stay in shelters while 23% live on the streets; nearly half are in their forties and fifties; two-thirds have high school diplomas, and 64% are African American. The the tagline for the Dallas Street Choir is “Homeless, Not Voiceless.”
Rehearsals are held every Wednesday morning from 9:30-10:30 a.m. The hour-long rehearsal begins with a group warm-up sequence structured to provide vocal instruction, as well as an opportunity to focus one’s body, mind, and spirit. The remainder of the hour is spent learning and perfecting our performance repertoire. Singers are given word sheets and they learn melodies by rote. No sheet music is used. At the conclusion of the hour, singers are dismissed by row to receive a snack (usually a fruit bar or two and a bag of chips), as well as a public transportation voucher.