Press Release: Imagine A World – Music For Humanity Dallas Street Choir And Credo Embark On Historic East Coast Tour With Frederica Von Stade, Jake Heggie, & Stephen Schwartz

Dallas – The Dallas Street Choir joins Credo Community Choir with conductor Dr. Jonathan Palant on an historic 8-day East Coast tour with performances in Carnegie Hall and the Washington National Cathedral. The two choirs will perform at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage on Wednesday, June 14, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. According to Carnegie Hall archivist, Gino Francesconi, never in its 126-year history has a musical ensemble comprised solely of those experiencing homelessness appeared at Carnegie Hall.

Guest soloists for this performance include longtime Dallas Street Choir friend and collaborator, world-renowned mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, soprano Harolyn Blackwell, composer and pianist Jake Heggie, and composer of Broadway hit musicals Wicked, Godspell, and Pippin, Stephen Schwartz.

To commemorate the occasion, Ms. von Stade, with the combined choirs, will premiere Jake Heggie’s new setting of “Spinning Song” by nineteenth-century American composer, Hub Miller. Heggie, who has dedicated this work to the Dallas Street Choir, will accompany from the piano. Legendary Broadway composer, Stephen Schwartz will perform music from Wicked. Rounding out the evening will be music of hope and inspiration mixed with personal stories of strength and courage.

The Dallas Street Choir is proud to work with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute to support New York City’s homeless community in this endeavor by welcoming to the stage the choir from Valley Lodge, a New York City transitional shelter and one of 24 buildings owned and operated by The West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, Inc. In addition, 300 tickets to this concert have also been donated to the New York City Department of Homeless Services so that New York’s homeless community can attend free of charge. Valley Lodge and the NYC Department of Homeless Services have been valued partners to Carnegie Hall through WMI’s Musical Connections program.

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On June 15, 2017 at 7:30 p.m., the Dallas Street Choir and Credo combine for an evening of sacred music at the Washington National Cathedral (3101 Wisconsin Avenue NW). Concert repertoire will include music by Rachmaninoff, Wilberg, Gjeilo, and Hagenberg. World-renowned mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade joins this performance singing music by Handel, Poulenc, and Schubert. This concert is free and open to the public.

Dr. Jonathan Palant, founder and director of both Credo and the Dallas Street Choir, says, Credo performed with the Dallas Street Choir when they made their debut early in 2015, and we are thrilled to once again to share the stage with them this June, and in such grand fashion! Members of the Dallas Street Choir who desired to travel completed an extensive application process. The 22 singers who will join the nearly 85 from Credo are a shining example of the choir’s mantra, “Homeless, Not Voiceless.””

About the Dallas Street Choir
The Dallas Street Choir, a recognized 501(c)(3) organization, was established in October 2014.
To date, over 1,100 individuals have attended at least one of our weekly rehearsals amassing more than 8,000 hours of cultural enrichment. In addition to presenting concerts at The Stewpot and Encore Park, the newly-built amphitheater adjacent to The Stewpot, the Dallas Street Choir has performed at the Winspear Opera House, the Dallas City Performance Hall, the George W. Bush Presidential Library, both public and at private schools throughout Dallas. Members have performed alongside opera stars Frederica von Stade and Joyce DiDonato, composer Jake Heggie, and, in November 2015, welcomed Mrs. Laura Bush, along with Mr. and Mrs. Ross Perot to our stage.

About Credo
Taking its name from the Latin word meaning ‘I believe,’ Credo is a 100-singer mixed chorus located 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 those less fortunate. Credo, now in its fifth season, has performed throughout Dallas and has undertaken concert tours to Australia, Cuba, Iceland, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland.

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