Details at a Glance
Nearly three decades after Matthew Shepard’s death, his story still asks something of us.
It asks how we remember those whose lives were taken by hate. It asks how communities respond to violence. It asks whether grief can become something more than sorrow — whether it can become compassion, courage, and a renewed commitment to human dignity.
On Sunday, May 17, the choirs of All Souls Unitarian Church will explore those questions through music with a special concert featuring excerpts from Considering Matthew Shepard.
This powerful contemporary choral work reflects on the life and legacy of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old University of Wyoming student whose 1998 murder helped bring national attention to anti-LGBTQ+ violence and the need for expanded hate crime protections.
For many, the work is not only historical. It is personal.
“As a gay person, this is a very personal and powerful piece,” said Joan Bjornsgaard, All Souls member and singer in the Adult Choir. “We are hungry for representation. A piece like this speaks to gay people a bit differently because it’s about us — our history and our present.”
Under the direction of Music Director Dr. Randall Hooper, the Adult and Chamber Choirs will perform Considering Matthew Shepard. The concert will also include musical selections from All Souls’ Cherub, Children’s, and Youth Choirs, bringing voices from across generations into the evening.
That intergenerational presence matters. It reminds us that the work of compassion and belonging is not only about remembering the past, but about shaping the future we are singing into being.
The concert is free and open to the public.
