North Texas Teacher Takes Part In Largest Virtual Choir Ever Assembled
DESOTO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Jamal Walker, a choir teacher at DeSoto East Middle school, made history by performing in the largest virtual choir ever assembled.
He was one of over 17,000 voices, representing 129 countries in the largest virtual choir ever.
The choir, simply known as Whitacre's Virtual Choir, is conducted by Grammy-award winning composer Eric Whitacre. Walker has been in every single one of Whitacre's virtual choirs. He said the first one he did was on a whim.
"I was like 'he wants people to sing?' and so I said 'sure I'll do it let's try it out and see what happens!" Walker said.
The first virtual choir performance only had about 100 singer. He said it's been quite a journey getting to grow with each virtual concert.
"Going from 100 to 17,000. It's pretty amazing to see that growth," Walker said.
Though, he said this performance was more special than the rest. Each voice is singing a newly-penned COVID-19 inspired song titled, "Sing Gently."
"The symbolism is just… We are all being broken apart, and everybody's doing their part to, so that we can heal and one day come back together," he said.
But as a music teacher himself, Walker said one thing he's learned is that there's nothing like actually coming together.
"Nothing can beat, being in the room with the people that you're making music with, but it's definitely a supplement to help us make it through these, these trying times right now," he said.
He says he hopes to use the experience to enlighten his students and show them that even though they are separate there is still hope for them to sing.
"If I can try to figure out a way to get this to work for my students and if they can see that I've done it, and we can all do this together maybe that'll give them a little bit of encouragement," he said.
