Composer Craig Hella Johnson leads the USC Thornton Chamber Singers in his oratorio, Considering Matthew Shepard, the story of a young man who was beaten, tied to a fence, and left to die because he was gay. 

The 1998 murder of Wyoming college student Matthew Shepard brought international attention to hate-crimes perpetrated against the LGBTQ community. Shepard’s life and legacy are remembered in Considering Matthew Shepard, the new passion/oratorio by Craig Hella Johnson, one of today’s most influential choral composers. This exquisite and moving chamber work, performed by the USC Thornton Chamber Singers, soloists, and instrumentalists, reminds us that we must embrace differences and disrupt violence. The performance will be followed by a discussion with the composer and representatives of the USC Office of Religious Life and the LGBTQ community.

Presented by USC Visions and Voices: The Arts and Humanities Initiative.