This session features singers from the Dallas Street Choir, UT Dallas, and the Credo Community Choir, led by conductor Jonathan Palant with composer Jacob Ryan Smith. Together, we will explore how the transformative power of communal singing fosters connection for our unhoused neighbors. (Re)discover how music cultivates empathy, understanding, and drives social change. Hear selections from “Shelter Me: An Original Rock Oratorio” commissioned by the Dallas Street Choir that chronicles one man’s journey through homelessness. Rooted in real-life experiences, “Shelter Me” offers hope and resilience amid adversity, highlighting the strength found in community and the healing power of music.
Shelter Me: Sharing Stories of Our Unhoused Neighbors Through Music
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Jonathan Palant
Dallas Street Choir, Credo Community Choir, UT Dallas
Jonathan Palant is Associate Dean of the Arts and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Texas at Dallas and is founder of both the Credo Community Choir and the Dallas Street Choir. Palant serves as president emeritus of the National Alliance for Music in Vulnerable Communities, SWACDA R&S chair of community choirs, and sits on the board of directors of the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses. In 2017, the Dallas Morning News named Palant one of nine “Texan of the Year” finalists, and in 2016, Musical America named him an “Innovator of the Year” for establishing the Dallas Street Choir.
Dallas Street Choir, Credo Community Choir, UT Dallas Choirs
This insight session presentation promises to be uniquely diverse and
impactful. Featuring singers from three distinct choral ensembles within our
city, together they bring a rich history of community engagement and social
advocacy through music. One of the choirs participating serves our
unhoused neighbors, another of the ensembles champions outreach and
justice, and the third, a student choir, has established formal ties with both
volunteer ensembles. Both non-student choirs have served our city for
more than ten years, respectively, educating about socioeconomic
challenges, housing, equality, and justice. Though not a part of every
concert, the student choir has also tackled difficult topics and prides itself
on its own diversity and desire to grow community on and off campus.
All three choral programs participating in this session have a history of
using repertoire and performance to better themselves and our city. By
showcasing the three choir’s collaborative efforts, we aim to inspire others
to collaborate, innovate, commission, and transcend boundaries through
the power of music and shared purpose.
