-: My name is Jonathan Palant
and I'm an Associate Professor
and Director of Choral Activities
at the University of Texas at Dallas.
At the University, I direct two different choirs,
an auditioned choir
and a campus choir that's open to all students,
and then I also teach an advanced level
music appreciation class called Understanding Music,
where we get a little bit more into the nitty gritty
of music, as opposed to a survey.
I also have a community choir that is unique
because it all mission-driven.
It's a not faith-based group,
but it is a group that does social justice work.
We go on a lot of adventures, travel, performing at places
where you wouldn't usually find a choir.
Vietnam, going to an orphanage
for second generation children
of those who died from Agent Orange, for example.
We go in January to the border,
the southern border, of Texas to sing both in Ciudad Juárez
and in El Paso to try and unify through art.
And then I also have a group called the Dallas Street Choir,
which is a musical ensemble
comprised of those experiencing homelessness.
So my life is varied and I love it.
Choir is a special beast, for sure,
and at the center of that special beast is text
that, unlike a instrumental ensemble, we sing words
and we spend a lot of time trying to communicate
the meaning of the words,
be it the repertoire from the Renaissance
and understanding what that text was about
and how it was used in that period,
or now, where we sing songs, rally cries,
and music that was used in the Civil Rights.
It's all about understanding what the intent was
and how we can apply it to our daily living.
So my job as a choral conductor,
beyond making sure that things are in tune,
finding a phrase, teaching proper vocal technique,
what makes it so interesting is that we can really dive deep
into the message of what we're singing.
What's interesting is that it's very different,
whether it's a community adult choir
or a university choir and then the Dallas Street Choir
or a church choir.
Every one of those ensembles has a different mission
and reason for being there,
so that's really interesting for me.