UT Dallas choirs are lifting their voices with other local choirs to shine a light on homelessness. NBC 5’s Noelle Walker reports they’re rehearsing for a performance next weekend of an original rock oratorio called ‘Shelter Me.’
Choir rehearsals at the University of Texas at Dallas are more than just stretching vocal boundaries. They're stretching emotional boundaries, preparing to perform a new original rock oratorio called 'Shelter Me', which shines a spotlight on homelessness.
"Because homelessness is a problem that affects us all. We may think it's an invisible problem that we don't want to see or we try to avoid, but it's everywhere," UT Dallas Director of Choirs and Associate Dean of the Arts Jonathan Palant said. "Every vignette is a real-life story and a real-life person that is currently singing in the Dallas Street Choir."
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WATCH HEREPalant is the director of the Dallas Street Choir. 'Shelter Me' tells their stories through their voices, singing in harmony with the Credo Community Choir and UT Dallas choirs.
"It's like, ok, these are the people who were singing about, and they're here singing with us, and it's just really nice and fulfilling," UTD sophomore Edidiong Corneo said. "It's a very nice experience because you get to know them as people."
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SIGN UP "Getting to meet them in person and hearing them sing with us just brought this piece to life," UTD sophomore Sarah Behringer said. "Because sometimes when you're in class, we can get really bogged down practicing, 'oh my gosh, did I get that one note right?'"
With 'Shelter Me', getting the heart of it right is just as important.
"So it teaches you to be kind no matter what you think beforehand about a homeless person," UTD junior Brenden Jarvis said. "It's really beautiful, and it makes you want to give them your best when you sing with them."
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Students said rehearsing alongside the Dallas Street Choir and putting faces with the stories they are singing has helped change their perspectives about what it means to be unhoused.
"There's someone there that matters and that has a story that they want to tell as well," Behringer said.
'Shelter Me' will be performed at the Eisemann Center for Performing Arts in Richardson on Saturday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 13, at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are 'pay what you wish' to make it accessible to all. For ticket information, visit the Eisemann Center website.
