Considering Matthew Sherpherd

On Sunday, I attended a beautifully moving presentation of Considering Matthew Shepherd by the Holland Chorale and the Chancel Choir of Park Church at the Holland Armory, in recognition of the 25th anniversary year of Shepherd's death.  

As the Matthew Shepherd Foundation's web site explains, "Approaching the eve of the 20th anniversary of Matt’s murder, composer Craig Hella Johnson responded with his first concert-length work, Considering Matthew Shepard. This three-part fusion oratorio speaks with a fresh and bold voice, incorporating a variety of musical styles seamlessly woven into a unified whole. Johnson sets a wide range of poetic and soulful texts by poets including Hildegard of Bingen, Lesléa Newman, Michael Dennis Browne, and Rumi. Passages from Matt’s personal journal, interviews and writings from his parents Judy and Dennis Shepard, newspaper reports, and additional texts by Johnson and Browne are poignantly appointed throughout the work."