Film – City Voices

Category : Film

Editorial: Fighting Homelessness

 Nov 12, 2019  admin  1 Comment  film  Film

NOTE: This editorial was previously published in The Virginian-Pilot on December 30, 2018. I LOVE LILY. For a few days earlier this month, this sweet “Sesame Street” puppet turned our gaze to a problem hidden in plain sight in this country: family homelessness. Despite a booming economy, homelessness in the United States continues to persist and grow. After 20 years of disinvestment by the federal government in our affordable housing infrastruct...

Q & A with Director Kendrick Hopkins Jr.

 Oct 12, 2019  Belinda Elliott  3 Comments  film  Film

As production on City Voices wrapped up, we sat down with the film's director Kendrick Hopkins Jr. to ask him about the documentary. How did the film come about? Being that the Goode grant/documentary is a yearly project, I always try to keep my eyes open for interesting art related stories that have a connection to Hampton Roads. Funny thing about the Norfolk Street Choir is that I first learned about it after Bryson Mortensen, who was a key figure in our...

How Nadine Found Her Voice

 Oct 9, 2019  Belinda Elliott  0 Comment  Film

Nadine F. has a beautiful voice, but she hasn’t always realized it. A native of Africa, she grew up doubting that she could sing because whenever she did, a family member stopped her. “I really thought I was bad at singing,” she said. As a teenager, she was a good dancer and decided she wanted to become a singer as well to be like pop stars that she had seen. She asked her father to send her to an academy in Africa where she could study the arts, bu...

Johnnie D: Don’t Give Up

 Oct 7, 2019  Belinda Elliott  0 Comment  Film

Johnnie D. has been with the Norfolk Street Choir since its very beginning. He has watched it grow from a small group of members into a family that enjoys coming together to rehearse and then sharing their message with others. As a singer/songrwriter himself, he said he was honored when the choir chose to perform one of his original songs titled ‘Don't give up.’ He wrote the song in 1996 after competing in the Special Olympics. “In 1999 it was...

Big Mike: Giving Back

 Oct 6, 2019  Belinda Elliott  0 Comment  Film

“The Norfolk Street Choir is one of the jewels in my life that I look forward to every Friday,” explains Mike R., a member who has been with the choir since its inception. “I look forward to giving back to the community and putting smiles on people’s faces.” He grew up enjoying music, but said he didn’t realize that he could sing. “I remember when I was a teenager I used to listen to a lot of country singers and rock and roll,”...

Jurrell: Hard Work and Determination

 Oct 6, 2019  Belinda Elliott  0 Comment  Film

Jurrell joined the Norfolk Street Choir in its second year. He said he has always had a love for music. “I started when I was young, I guess back in 1980,” he explained. “I was in the choir with my grandmother, and she kept saying, ‘You know, Jurrell, you've got a beautiful voice. Just keep working at it.’” He said he has really appreciated Bob’s teaching. Jurrell teaches martial arts as a hobby and said he’s learned new teachi...

City Voices: Homelessness to Hopefulness

 Oct 1, 2019  Belinda Elliott  0 Comment  Film

It’s the beginning of rehearsal and all the singers have found their places, ready to get started. “Imagine people sitting here who need to receive what you have to say,” the director tells them. “All of you singing in this group have earned it. You’ve got the credentials to say, 'Keep going.’” Robert Shoup, Chorus Master & Conductor of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, addresses the musicians just as he has many times before throughout ...

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