Local Residents to Perform This Week at Carnegie Hall

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? For a group of local residents, the answer is: You sing with United Voices of Detroit. 

The choral ensemble, along with six other groups from around the country, will perform Feb. 19 with the New England Symphonic Ensemble, under the direction of award-winning composer and arranger Jacqueline Hairston.

Retired Detroit Renaissance teacher Nina Scott said she formed the group almost three years ago. "I was a public school choir director for 39 years, and when I got ready to retire, I kinda felt like I wanted to start something of my own," she said. Many of her former students are United Voices members. 

Scott said she met Hairston years ago, and "when she was invited to put together a choir (for the concert), she said she immediately thought of us." The group also landed one of two solo spots on the program, through a competitive audition. 

Farmington Hills resident Julie Devine said she's excited about making her first trip to Carnegie Hall. Three years ago, she was looking for an opportunity to sing with a group, something she hadn't done since college. Farmington Hills Youth Choir director Brian Christian steered her to Scott, his former choir director.

"I still remember it, I was in my car when he called," Devine said. "He gave me an address in Detroit, and I showed up that evening. Now, they're all my dearest friends."

People drive from as far away as Flint to sing with the 50-voice choir, she said, adding Scott "has had a huge impact on people's lives."

Rochester resident Tim Humphrey, a retired teacher, met Scott when she was looking for a place for the choir to rehearse. Humphrey is musical director at Bushnell Congregational Church in Detroit, which is now United Voices of Detroit's headquarters.

Humphrey said he accompanied the group, but it wasn't long before "members of the choir asked why I wasn't in the choir." 

"It's a very warm group of people to be with," he said. "It's almost like a family. People are concerned with each other."

"It is like family," Scott affirmed. "If someone has a need, they can come to the group. We pray for each other all the time." 

That concern took a more worldly form for the Carnegie Hall trip. Scott said members borrowed about $6,000 to ensure that college students who were short on cash could have the experience.

Anyone who would like to help fund the trip may contact Scott, nina_scott@att.net or 313-863-4091, or the choir's business manager Andrea Pruitt, andrea.pruitt@unitedvoicesofdetroit.org

To learn more, visit unitedvoicesofdetroit.org.