Music for Humanity Concert – Considering Matthew Shepard

Tickets are $20 for adults, free for ages 18 and under and students with ID.

On October 6, 1998, University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was kidnapped, beaten, and left to die, in what became an infamous act of brutality, and one of America’s most notorious anti-gay hate crimes. Shepard’s murder ultimately led to the creation of the Matthew Shepard Foundation and provided a catalyst for legislation that expanded the definition of a hate crime to include sexual orientation. Composer Craig Hella Johnson had a profoundly personal reaction to both the murder and its resonance. The Shepard family and Foundation engaged with Johnson in the creation of the work, and allowed the use of fragments from Shepard’s personal diary.

This Music for Humanity Concert features the AHCC Sanctuary Choir under the direction of Jack Pott. The oratorio, written in 2016, weaves together a vast range of musical styles to reflect the universality of this story. Considering Matthew Shepard is a Grammy-nominated three-part oratorio that is an evocative and compassionate musical response to the murder of Matthew Shepard.

Music for Humanity Concerts join the music and outreach ministries of Asylum Hill Congregational Church. All proceeds from ticket sales for this concert will be donated to Qplus dedicated to uplifting and empowering Queer youth.