The North Carolina State University Department of Performing Arts and Technology will present Considering Matthew Shepard, performed by the State Choral Artists and State Chorale.

Inspired by the 1998 murder of a young gay man in Wyoming, Craig Hella Johnson composed Considering Matthew Shepard, a modern fusion oratorio. Since its premiere in 2016, the composition has been performed worldwide, spreading the music's message of compassion and understanding. This work 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 Shepard's 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.

This concert is free and open to the public. We recommend reserving your ticket online in advance as seating capacity is limited.