Considering Matthew Shepard
MSU Singers and MSU Chorale
Music by Craig Hella Johnson
Heather J. Buchanan, Conductor; Steven W. Ryan, Pianist
Directed by Karen Driscoll
Film introduction by Steve McCarthy, David Sanders, and Laura Galarza.
Regional premiere performance; semi-staged production.
The musical fabric of this acclaimed new choral passion, Considering Matthew Shepard , comprises contrasting styles ranging from traditional choral music to Broadway musical, country and western, blues/jazz, pop, southern hymnody, and gospel. More than just a timely and poignant memorial for its namesake, it is a meditation on humankind’s predilection for cruelty towards those viewed as different and asks us to stand for love, forgiveness, understanding, and justice. Recognizing the beauty of our underlying oneness with each other, it affirms the redemptive power of love and gratitude.
Beatrice Crawford Memorial Concert: This concert is a free public performance supported by a generous grant from the Keating Crawford Foundation. It is presented at Montclair State University in memory of Beatrice Crawford, a Montclair musician who was the director of two choral groups, The Madrigals and The Choraliers. Free admission, but tickets are required.
Program
Credits
Programs in Peak Performances’ 2019-20 season are made possible in part by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.