Start Your Own Choir

Having used the above incentive chart for the first three months after launching the Dallas Street Choir program, we learned that keeping up with the various incentives was more complicated than it was worth. Imagine: rehearsal #4 has 10 new members, 8 second timers, 2 third timers, and 5 who have attended all four rehearsals. There had to be a way to be equitable while still enticing singers to attend on a regular basis.

Here’s the system we use today:

At the conclusion of all weekly rehearsals and following all singing appearances, those who complete the event successfully are given a crisp $2 bill. Please know that we recognize $2 is not a fair wage for singers’ time, but Dallas Street Choir members value the acknowledgement this small amount represents. There have been times when singers received more than $2 when funds allowed.

Things I’ve learned along the way:

1. Create word sheets using 14 point font – double spaced. Most singers will want to use these, but a few may have seen sheet music before and prefer to try their hands at that.
2. The Dallas street community is very spiritual and singing about God is welcomed by our members. In San Francisco, however, this topic was taboo to some degree and singers preferred not to sing sacred music. Know your audience and program for them and not you!
3. Be as kinesthetic as you can in your teaching. Singers want to move and stay active. Attention spans are often short and movement helps to keep focus.
4. With regard to movement, some singers can’t move as easily as others. Be considerate and aware.
5. Learn and use first names as often as possible in the rehearsal. Like you and me, everyone wants to be acknowledged. Knowing names is the first step – and a big one at that.
6. Do not be afraid to shake hands, high five, tap one’s shoulder, or fist bump. I would, however, caution against hugging or any other form of entering a singer’s personal space. Affection is something many people struggle to accept, and therefore it is best not to cross the line. There are always exceptions once you get to know your singers and they get to know you.
7. Do not expect all your singers to have good hygiene. In my time working with the Dallas street community, I’ve encountered those with open wounds, bruises, bloody bandages, severe body odor, incontinence issues, missing teeth, singers in wheelchairs, and various levels of mental illness. Treat everyone equally regardless of what you encounter and be patient and understanding. Also, “What happened?” is not a necessary question and will not influence your music-making in any way.
8. Mental illness can be common amongst those living on the street, as is addiction. Do your homework and know what is appropriate and what is not appropriate to say to your singers. Contacting licenced social service providers in your area is always a good way to begin.
9. I do not have singers touch each other at all, e.g. massages, etc. Referring to number 7, personal space is important.
10. Even devoted singers sometimes have attendance issues. For example, we had one singer who didn’t miss for 12 weeks straight, but then one day disappeared. Perhaps she got a job, or maybe she moved; perhaps she was arrested, or maybe something or someone in the Dallas Street Choir triggered a negative response and she decided to quit without telling anyone. Whether it be mental illness, social instability, a lack of professionalism, or just plain flakiness, I find that the most predictable thing about attendance is that there is nothing predictable about it.
11. It will take a very long time to earn the trust of your singers. Love them and they will [eventually] love you back.
12. Only make promises you can and will keep. My singers remember EVERYTHING I say and hold me accountable. For example, if I say, “You’ll get a prize for singing it correctly” then I had better have a prize ready. If I say we’ll start a new piece next week, I had better have a new piece next week. Keeping the promises you make will go a long way to number 11, earning the trust of your members.
13. Stay focused on the job you set forth for yourself and the choir. Singers will likely approach you requesting help with things unrelated to choir. For example, I’ve been asked to give private voice lessons. I’ve also been asked to facilitate recording contracts, provide gas money, mediate housing disputes, and even set up a date between two singers! For the record, I agreed to none of these requests.
14. Do not be afraid to ask for help! Case managers, social workers, shelter attendants, and those who have directed Street Choirs before are great resources. Chart new territory, but there is no need to do it alone.

Dallas Street Choir Repertoire:

• Bethany Women of Praise, Washington D.C., USA
• Choir of High Hopes, Hobart, Australia
• Choir of Hope and Inspiration, Melbourne, Australia
• Choir of Formerly Homeless Veterans, Portland OR, USA
• Choir With No Name, London, UK
• Dallas Street Choir, TX, USA
• Der Strassenchor, Berlin, Germany
• Harmony, Hope and Healing, Chicago, IL, USA
• Montreal Homeless Choir, Canada
• New Directions Choir, Los Angeles, CA, USA
• Norfolk Street Choir
• Reclaimers Street Orchestra, Brisbane, Australia
• Rocky Road Choir, Healesville, Australia
• School of Hard Knocks, Melbourne, Australia
• San Diego Street Choir
• Singers of the Street, San Francisco, CA, USA
• Spirit of the Streets Choir, Perth, Australia
• Streetwise Opera, London, UK
• Sydney Street Choir, Australia
• The Homeless Choir, Detroit, MI, USA
• The Homeless Gospel Choir, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
• The Transformers, Brisbane, Australia
• Urban Voices Project
• Voices of Love Choir, Charlotte, NC, USA
• Voices Rise: A Baltimore (MD) Choir of Hope and