MICHIGAN TECH MUSIC SERIES EVENT

On the evening of Tuesday, October 6, 1998 Matthew Shepard, a gay college student at the University of Wyoming was kidnapped, beaten, tied to a fence and left to die on the high plains.  The work Considering Matthew Shepard, with music by Craig Hella Johnson and texts by Michael Dennis Browne, Lesléa Newman, and Craig Hella Johnson fuses many different musical styles--classical, country, blues, gospel--all rooted in a western choral style to create "a tent vast enough to welcome the broadest of audiences...Considering Matthew Shepard lovingly invites performers and audiences to risk opening up to a story in which we must weigh our own culpability and redemption, to see ourselves in the lives of the protagonists and the perpetrators, and, perhaps most importantly to recognize the presence of the divine in everyone." (Daniel Bara, Director of Choral Activities, The University of Georgia)

CONTENT GUIDANCE | This is a musical depiction of the life of Matthew Shepard (1976-1998) and the true events surrounding the circumstances of his murder, which led to the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, signed into federal law in 2009. This work includes references to homophobia, strong language, violence, and death.

Things to know

EST. RUN TIME | TBD
SEATING| General Admission
PUBLIC TICKETS| Pay As You're Able ($15 Full Fee)
MICHIGAN TECH STUDENT RUSH | Reserve online or walk-up

Plan your visit with information about parking, accessibility, Pay As You're Able ticketing, and more. 

Contact the Rozsa Box Office with any questions about this event via phone at 906-487-1906, or by email at rozsa@mtu.edu. View current Box Office Hours. 

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About the the Performers

Michigan Tech Concert Choir

Led by Jared Anderson, the Michigan Tech Concert Choir is a select ensemble of students and community singers studying and performing choral literature ranging from Gregorian Chant to Renaissance motets, masses, and madrigals to fascinating new works by living composers.

 

conScience: Michigan Tech Chamber Singers

conScience: Michigan Tech Chamber Singers, led by Jared Anderson is a select, student-only chamber choir of 24 voices. Pronounced, “conscience,” the small ensemble performs varied styles and time periods (from antiquity to the present) in formal and informal performance settings. The choir performs locally and also tours regionally.

Thanks to Our Sponsors

This event is made possible by the Visual and Performing Arts Department, and its Circle of Supporters.

About the Michigan Tech Music Series

The Michigan Tech Music Series unites students, faculty, and community members for a vibrant season of live music in the Keweenaw. Enjoy the commanding Keweenaw Symphony and experience Michigan Tech Jazz as it transforms the Rozsa and McArdle Theatre into Orchestra, stirring Michigan Tech Choirs, and inventive New Music events. Feel the dynamic energy of the Superior Wind Symphony, Campus Concert Band, and iconic Huskies Pep Band, intimate jazz clubs.

Part of the the annual Rozsa Season, the Michigan Tech Art, Music, and Theatre Series are presented by the Visual and Performing Arts Department. Through these series, students and faculty create art that connects us to the world. With majors in audio production and technology, sound design, theatre and entertainment technology, and nine minors, the department fosters creativity, self-motivation, and the development of practical and artistic skills. Everyone is welcome, and there's something for everyone.