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Charlotte Symphony Orchestra partners with Roof Above for a concert that gives voice to homelessness
By Elvis Menayese
May 13, 2026 at 10:35 AM EDT
The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and Roof Above are teaming up this weekend for a performance designed to shed light on homelessness and housing insecurity.
About a dozen people, including Roof Above volunteers and individuals who have experienced homelessness, rehearsed on a recent evening inside First Baptist Church-West in northwest Charlotte. Among them was Harrison Ervin, 70, who has been homeless. He says those living outside need specific support.
“They need food, empathy, not sympathy,” Ervin said. “I want to be a part of building crossroads and pathways where we can locate individuals and reach out to them and give them a helping hand.”
The performance, titled "Emergency Shelter Intake Form", was originally created by composer Gabriel Kahane. It aims to give community members an insight into what it feels like to live without stable housing.
Frank Impelluso, vice president of artistic planning for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, said the goal is to move audiences beyond the concert hall.
“We really want our audiences that come to see the performance to spark conversation about how they can help,” he said.
Eleanor Hatcher is the creative communications manager at Roof Above.
“It’s important to us that anyone singing in this choir is doing so because they want to, because it feels like a really positive experience for them,” Hatcher said. “If it helps the community better understand homelessness or see it in a new way, that’s a positive outcome.”
Performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Knight Theater.
About a dozen people, including Roof Above volunteers and individuals who have experienced homelessness, rehearsed on a recent evening inside First Baptist Church-West in northwest Charlotte. Among them was Harrison Ervin, 70, who has been homeless. He says those living outside need specific support.
“They need food, empathy, not sympathy,” Ervin said. “I want to be a part of building crossroads and pathways where we can locate individuals and reach out to them and give them a helping hand.”
The performance, titled "Emergency Shelter Intake Form", was originally created by composer Gabriel Kahane. It aims to give community members an insight into what it feels like to live without stable housing.
Frank Impelluso, vice president of artistic planning for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, said the goal is to move audiences beyond the concert hall.
“We really want our audiences that come to see the performance to spark conversation about how they can help,” he said.
Eleanor Hatcher is the creative communications manager at Roof Above.
“It’s important to us that anyone singing in this choir is doing so because they want to, because it feels like a really positive experience for them,” Hatcher said. “If it helps the community better understand homelessness or see it in a new way, that’s a positive outcome.”
Performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Knight Theater.