"Considering Matthew Shepard:" Performance and Discussion

On Saturday, April 5, the University of Guelph Choirs, in collaboration with the College of Arts and the School of Fine Art and Music, will present “Considering Matthew Shepard,” an oratorio by Craig Hella Johnson, at Harcourt Memorial United Church in Guelph. The performance, featuring U of G Choirs, Alumni soloists Lesley Bouza, soprano, and Jordan Scholl, bass, and the Guelph Chamber Players orchestra, will follow a pre-concert discussion at 7:45 p.m. that invites audience members to engage with the work's themes of justice, compassion and remembrance. 

The concert pays tribute to Matthew Shepard, a young gay man whose 1998 murder in Laramie, Wyoming, became a turning point in the fight for LGBTQ2IA+ rights. Shepard, a university student, was brutally attacked and left for dead in a crime that galvanized global awareness of violence against LGBTQ2IA+ individuals. His parents, Judy and Dennis Shepard, turned their grief into advocacy, playing a pivotal role in the passage of hate crime legislation in the United States.

More than 25 years later, Shepard's story remains profoundly relevant. According to Statistics Canada data cited by Egale Canada, hate crimes targeting sexual orientation increased by 69% between 2023 and 2024. Against this backdrop, “Considering Matthew Shepard” offers a space for reflection and solidarity with the LGBTQ2IA+ community. 

“Considering Matthew Shepard” is a three-part oratorio that blends classical, jazz and folk influences with spoken text, drawing from poetry, news reports and personal writings by Matthew Shepard and his family. Originally premiered in 2016 by Conspirare, a Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble, the work has been performed worldwide, spreading its message of empathy and understanding.

In addition to the musical performance, audience members will be invited to contribute to a community mural honouring survivors and victims of violence targeting sexual orientation. This initiative builds on the choir's semester-long exploration of allyship and collective healing. 

Register for the event online.