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Jacob Ryan Smith is a composer and performer out of New York City, originally from Atlanta, GA. He graduated from The University of Michigan where he received his BFA in Musical Theater Performance & was the first ever graduate of the new Musical Theater Composition minor.
In composition, he is known for his prolific writing in a variety of different mediums, including Musical Theater, Ballet, Television, Film, and Pop Music. In 2020, he accomplished a yearlong project he entitled “The Song Smith,” where he wrote and produced a song every day for the entire year (resulting in 366 unique songs). He’s worked with an all-star list of Broadway veterans, including Ashley Park, Andrew Barth Feldman, Joe Serafini, Michael McElroy, and many more. His work has been highlighted by NPR, The Today Show, IHeartRadioBroadway, Out Magazine, and many other publications.
In performance, Jacob has been doing regional theater all around the country for years. He’s originated roles in multiple new workshops in New York City, and been a featured singer at multiple cabaret venues.
More than anything though, Jacob simply loves to create art in any fashion. He’s always game to collaborate and make something new out of nothing. He feels lucky every day to get to do this as a profession.
Jonathan Palant is Associate Dean of the Arts and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Texas at Dallas and is founder and conductor of both Credo, a 150-member community choir, and the Dallas Street Choir, a musical outlet for those affected by homelessness. In addition, Dr. Palant is Director of Music at Kessler Park United Methodist Church.
Dr. Palant currently serves as president emeritus of the National Alliance for Music In Vulnerable Communities, Repertoire and Standards Chair for the Southwest American Choral Directors Association (SWACDA), and sits on the board of directors of the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses. He has also served on the state board of the Michigan chapter of the American Choral Directors Association and Youth First Texas where he was founder and conductor of Dallas PUMP!, a choir serving at-risk youth.
In late 2017, the Dallas Morning News named Palant one of nine “Texan of the Year” finalists, and in 2016, Musical America named him one of their “Innovators of the Year” for establishing the Dallas Street Choir.
Both Palant’s book, Brothers, Sing On! Conducting the Tenor-Bass Choir, and The Jonathan Palant Choral Series are published by the Hal Leonard Corporation.
Dr. Palant holds degrees from Michigan State University, Temple University, and the University of Michigan.
Terence Odonkor (he/him), known affectionately to most as “T”, is an Orchestrator, Arranger, Copyist, Music Assistant and Music Supervisor based in New York City. Terence’s talents have quickly become sought after by many leading artists in the industry. Some notable credits include (but are not limited to) Some Like It Hot, the 75th Tony Awards, White Girl In Danger, Dear Evan Hansen, A Strange Loop, and Here We Are.
Passionate about new works, Terence currently sits on the creative team of a number of projects in development, working to bring new stories to the stage and screen.
Stephanie Leah Evans (she/her/hers), a.k.a. “SLE”, is a Score Coordinator/Music Assistant specializing in Piano/Vocal score upkeep and formatting, copy-editing, transcription, and team organization. Her versatility with numerous music programs, from Finale to Sibelius and from Logic Pro X to ProTools, readies her to assist and liaise for any Music Team! Previous credits include stage productions Sweeney Todd 2023 Revival (Broadway), Kiss My Aztec (Hartford Stage), The Visitor (The Public Theater), Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (The New Group), and The Wrong Man (MCC Theater). Stephanie also serves as an assistant to Alex Lacamoire, for whom she did Music Preparation and Score Coordination on the films In the Heights, VIVO, and Tick, Tick…Boom!
Additionally, Stephanie is a singer with an extensive background in opera, musical theater, choir, and a cappella. Throughout her education, she played roles such as Susanna in Le Nozze Di Figaro, Miss Todd in The Old Maid and the Thief, Hope Cladwell in Urinetown, and Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof. All the while, she performed choral pieces from Bach to Esenvalds, recorded albums of Jewish music, and studied the psychological implications of chromatic harmony in film scores. Summary is: Stephanie has always been a music nerd.
Currently, she’s working on her own writing — exploring her passions of social justice, mental health, Jewish identity, and romance through musical storytelling.
To be announced…
The Dallas Street Choir, a recognized 501(C)3 organization, was established in October 2014 and is conducted by its founder, Dr. Jonathan Palant. Its mission is to provide a musical outlet for those affected by homelessness. To date, over 2,000 individuals have attended at least one rehearsal and singers have collectively amassed more than 15,000 hours of cultural enrichment. The Dallas Street Choir has performed at the Winspear Opera House, the Moody Performance Hall, the George W. Bush Presidential Library, and at schools and places of worship throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth region. In 2017, the choir made history when it performed at New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall alongside classical music stars Frederica von Stade, Harolyn Blackwell, Jake Heggie, and Broadway composer Stephen Schwartz. In 2018, the Dallas Street Choir was invited to perform at the Texas Choral Directors statewide conference, and in March 2019, traveled to Kansas City to sing at the American Choral Directors Association National Convention. In February 2022, the Dallas Street Choir performed in Little Rock, Arkansas at the Southwest American Choral Directors Association Conference.
With more than 100 students enrolled, University of Texas at Dallas choirs offer inclusive musical opportunities that welcomes students from nearly every academic program on campus. The program hosts two distinct ensembles: the Chamber Singers, an auditioned choir spotlighting exceptional singers from diverse academic backgrounds, and the University Choir, welcoming students with any level of musical expertise. In a spirited and educational atmosphere, UTD students embrace a diverse repertoire, skillfully maneuvering through both accompanied and unaccompanied pieces with fervor and proficiency. Under the guidance of Dr. Jonathan Palant, the UT Dallas choirs have experienced rapid growth and have garnered acclaim both on campus and throughout North Texas.
Taking its name from the Latin word meaning ‘I believe,’ the Credo Community Choir is a 140-member non-auditioned, mixed chorus based in Dallas, Texas. Founded and conducted by Dr. Jonathan Palant, Credo’s mission is rooted not only in the power of music, but also in community, learning, equality, and in sharing one’s fortunes with others. Credo, now in its twelfth season, has performed throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and has undertaken concert tours to Argentina, Australia, Cambodia, Cuba, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Portugal, Morocco, Uruguay, Vietnam, and, in June 2016, made its Carnegie Hall debut.
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