Performances will honor Shepard’s life and legacy through music, reflection and community.
LEWISBURG, Pa. — Bucknell University’s Voice Lab and University Choir will present Considering Matthew Shepard — a three-part fusion oratorio by composer Craig Hella Johnson — on Friday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 8, at 2:30 p.m., in the Weis Center for the Performing Arts.
The free, public performances will highlight the story of Matthew Shepard, an American student at the University of Wyoming who was beaten, tortured and left to die near Laramie on Oct. 6, 1998. Johnson’s work pays tribute to Shepard’s life while exploring themes of love, compassion and resilience.
In addition to the two performances, Bucknell will host a weeklong series of events celebrating LGBTQ+ voices through music, poetry, film and activism. The programs will explore how the arts can build empathy and awareness while amplifying the ongoing fight for equality and inclusion.
“Professor Caleb Hopkins, director of choirs, knew this piece well,” says Emily Martin, the Ellen P. Williams Associate Professor in Music and director of the Bucknell Voice Lab. “It’s pretty moving and an important piece, and he came to me and suggested it. I thought we could dedicate an entire week to education and discussion on this important topic. It was important for us to think, first, about the murder of Matthew Shepard and how that affected our world then, and how it affects our world now.”
Before the 7:30 p.m. performance on Friday, a virtual conversation with Dennis and Judy Shepard, Matthew’s parents and co-founders of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, will take place at 6 p.m. via Zoom. Their foundation’s mission — to replace hate with understanding, compassion and acceptance — aligns with the message at the heart of Johnson’s composition.
Johnson, founder and artistic director of the Grammy Award-winning choral ensemble Conspirare, created Considering Matthew Shepard as his first concert-length work. The oratorio integrates a variety of musical styles — from classical and gospel to country and jazz — woven together through texts by Hildegard of Bingen, Lesléa Newman, Michael Dennis Browne and Rumi. Passages from Matthew’s personal journals, writings from his parents and contemporary news reports appear throughout the piece, creating a layered and deeply human narrative.
“The oratorio primarily focuses on the words and subject matter,” Martin explains. “There will be at least 80 people in the production — 50 chorus members and soloists out of the chorus. The selection traces the subject of Matthew Shepard and his murder, and the Westboro Baptist protest. It’s not just about the murder. It’s really about how we can take this horrible event and move forward with this knowledge and use it to support people in a way that builds community.”
The Bucknell Voice Lab offers students training in vocal performance across various genres, including opera, musical theatre, jazz and contemporary music, providing numerous opportunities for performance and collaboration. The Bucknell University Choir brings together students from all academic backgrounds to perform choral music from a diverse repertoire spanning seven centuries.
Through these performances and the events surrounding them, Bucknell seeks to celebrate Matthew Shepard’s enduring legacy and inspire dialogue about equality, empathy and community care. Considering Matthew Shepard amplifies the Shepards’ message — to embrace the dignity and equality of all people — and reminds audiences of the power of art to promote understanding and change.
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CONTACTS: Emily Martin, 570-577-1924, e.martin@bucknell.edu; Mike Ferlazzo, 570-577-3212, 570-238-6266 (c), mike.ferlazzo@bucknell.edu