Local News

Dallas Street Choir Travels to NYC to Perform at Carnegie Hall

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Everyone in the Dallas Street Choir has a story that includes hardships and homelessness. According to NBC DFW, the majority of the choir members live in a shelter, while about a quarter live on the street. But through their difficulties, they’re able to channel creative energy into the Dallas Street Choir, a group that meets every Wednesday morning to sing.

Dallas Street Choir founder Jonathan Palant told CBS DFW, “What we do, is we give a platform to the otherwise unseen, most marginalized members of our community. They may have addiction and mental illness; but, they are still people and we need to see each other, for who we are, not just our afflictions.”

Now, the choir is taking on an ambitious 8-day tour, including a performance on June 14th at New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall alongside Dallas’s community choir, Credo. Though the street choir usually has around 90 rehearsal attendees, members had to go through an application process to make it onto the touring group, revealing their individual stories and ambitions. Some of the singers have never been on a plane nor left Texas. “It’s mind blowing. We’re homeless. Meaning, we don’t have a roof. but, we do have a voice. We can think. We can participate,” Michael Brown told CBS DFW.

Families from shelters in NYC will be bused in to see the inspiring show along with ticket-buyers.