10/17/2023
Cleveland Chamber Choir’s 2023/24 season opens with Craig Hella Johnson’s modern oratorio, Considering Matthew Shepard, on October 21 & 22. This poignant composition masterfully intertwines passages from Shepard’s personal journal, interviews with his parents, and texts from renowned figures such as Rumi and Hildegard of Bingen in a panoply of musical styles. As noted by The Washington Post, the oratorio’s evocative portrayal, “demonstrates music’s unparalleled power to encompass, transform, and transcend tragedy.” The Choir will be joined by Lakewood Symphonic Mixed Choir for these performances, under the direction of Rayna Brooks.
“Matthew Shepard’s story touched so many of us, and remains shockingly timely even as we approach the 25th anniversary of his death,” said Gregory Ristow, the Choir’s newly named Artistic Director. “Johnson’s remarkable telling of it invites us all to a place of compassion and understanding, that is only heightened by his remarkable music.”
Considering Matthew Shepard will be performed twice: Saturday, October 21, 2023, at 7:00 pm at Avon Lake UCC, 32801 Electric Blvd. in Avon Lake; and Sunday, October 22, 2023, at 4:00 pm at Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Ave. in Cleveland. Ample free parking is available at both locations.
We encourage you to make ticket reservations in advance at to ensure a seat. Free-will donations accepted. A portion of donations collected will be directed to QYou, a program supporting q***r youth through the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland . A pre-concert talk will be presented by Charles Edward McGuire, PhD, from Oberlin College & Conservatory, 45 minutes before each performance. This concert is presented with generous grants from The Cleveland Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, and Local 4 Music Fund.
Considering Matthew Shepard could not be presented without the significant support of Avon Lake United Church of Christ and Music & Art at Trinity Cathedral Cleveland. “Trinity Cathedral is honored to host the Cleveland Chamber Choir’s performance of Considering Matthew Shepard,” stated Cathedral Music Director and Organist Todd Wilson. “The subject matter aligns strongly with Trinity’s own sense of mission, and we feel that hosting this program is an essential part of our outreach to the wider Cleveland community.” The concerts promise to be a moving tribute to Matthew Shepard’s legacy while fostering hope and compassion for q***r youth facing increased adversity today.
More information about the Cleveland Chamber Choir, its singers, leadership and concerts may be found at clevelandchamberchoir.org. Ticket reservations can be found here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8BX2L7Ml5Ygn796gnldgkn7BwiQfLyExPVZmwZkzehLYqIw/viewform
