Credo Choir director Dr. Jonathan Palant, left, and America Sings 250
special guest performer Darien Sanders
RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer
Rich@DallasVoice.com
This July marks the semiquincentennial of the United States — or, in simpler terms, the country’s 250th anniversary. And among the varied celebrations expected this year will be the Credo Community Choir of Dallas’ performance of Broadway tunes, traditional folk songs, spirituals and contemporary choral works in its America Sings 250 concert.
The concert, set for Saturday, May 9, at Moody Performance Hall, is considered a reflection of the American experience, representing hope, struggle, resilience and promise.
The concert — and the celebration — come at a unique time in our history, as much of the country struggles against the current administration. Marginalized communities face increased discrimination through legislation and blatant prejudice. Arts organizations suffer from government defunding.
So how does an arts organization celebrate America at this time and place?
“This concert is about more than music,” Credo director Dr. Jonathan Palant stated. “It is about who we are, where we have been and who we are striving to become.
“These songs tell our story.”
And just telling the story is, in itself, an act of resilience.
“For me, the answer lives inside ‘Make Them Hear You,’” Credo member Ian Sanders said.
“That message hits with particular force right now.”
He and other queer members of Credo spoke about their experience in preparing for a concert that might come with mixed feelings.
“Queer people know what it means to love a country that hasn’t always loved you back,”
Sanders said. “We know what it means to build community in the margins, to create beauty in the face of hostility and to hold onto hope when the law or culture turns against you.
“So when we celebrate, we’re not celebrating perfection,” he continued. “We’re celebrating survival, presence and the right to shape the next chapter. It’s a celebration rooted in truth, resilience, and insistence on belonging.”
Sanders’ words also speak to the show’s centerpiece, the Texas premiere of “Redeem the Dream” by American composer Brandon A. Boyd.
A multi-movement work, the piece interweaves the text of the Declaration of Independence with Langston Hughes’ Let America Be America Again. The piece invites the audience to reflect on the ideals of the nation as well as the work that remains to be done.
“There’s so much music that has been such a treat to sing, but ‘Redeem the Dream’ is definitely far and away the most singular piece on the program,” singer Emily Bedell said. “It is such a powerful anchor to that dream of America. It is the story of who we are and where we have been but always with eyes forward to ‘the land that never has been yet and yet must be.’”
America Sings 250 will also feature guest artist Darian Sanders, who played Simba in the national touring company of The Lion King. He received high acclaim for his role in Credo’s world premiere last season of Shelter Me, so his return is expected to be a concert highlight.
Under Palant’s direction, the Credo Community Choir has brought its more than 170 singers from across different communities into performances that are both artistically compelling and socially meaningful.
Anya Bhandari, a first-year student, has been able to balance a busy schedule of work and classes with her extracurricular activities, including Dallas Formula Racing, the UTD Undergraduate Law Review and Credo, thanks to Palant.
“He has always been flexible with my schedule and has allowed me to keep choir in my life in a way that still works with everything else I am pursuing,” Bhandari said.
“That means so much to me because choir has been part of my life since I was in second grade, and I am beyond grateful that I have been able to continue that experience into my college years,” she continued. “Credo has given me a way to stay connected to the passion and heart I feel through music. and I am very grateful for that.”
For her own queer connection, Bhandari said, “This show has reminded me that music can hold complexity in a way words sometimes cannot. As a bisexual American, I do not think I should have to choose between honesty and patriotism. My patriotism comes from believing that this country can still become more honest, more accepting and more whole.”
Bedell reflected on the power of music in these times which can act as a reminder of what the country stands for beyond today’s headlines.
“I have most been reminded that America — as a place, as an idea, as a dream — does not belong to any one person or group or ideology,” she said. “This program has connected me to a feeling of patriotism that had been pushed to the side in favor of a more jaded perspective, but it really is a special thing to live here and be American.
“I hope that anyone attending our concert is able to feel a deep love for the dream of America from this music, and that that dream is worth the work it takes day by day to make it a reality,” she concluded. n
For tickets, visit CredoChoir.org.