CONSIDERING

MATTHEW SHEPARD
A STAGED ORATORIO
CRAIG HELLA JOHNSON, COMPOSER
TEXTS BY MICHAEL DENNIS BROWNE
LESLÉA NEWMAN
CRAIG HELLA JOHNSON SATURDAY, MAR 18 | 7:30 PM
PROGRAM NOTES BY JOSHUA SHANK NORTHSHORE CONCERT HALL
AT INGLEMOOR

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 Choral Arts Northwest presents:

CONSIDERING MATTHEW SHEPARD

A STAGED ORATORIO BY CRAIG HELLA JOHNSON
This production is presented without an intermission and lasts one hour and 45 minutes.
We ask you to fully experience the live sharing of this story by turning off all mobile devices or placing them
on “do not disturb.” Please refrain from taking photos and videos due to copyright and performer permission.

This production includes references to violence, hate crimes, and murder.

OVERVIEW

PROLOGUE RECITATION VI
Cattle, Horses, Sky, and Grass The Fence (one week later)
Ordinary Boy RECITATION VII
We Tell Each Other Stories Stars
RECITATION VIII
PASSION In Need of Breath
RECITATION I Gently Rest (Deer Lullaby)
The Fence (before)
RECITATION IX
RECITATION II Deer Song
The Fence (that night)
RECITATION X
RECITATION III The Fence (after)/The Wind
A Protestor Pilgrimage
Keep It Away from Me (The Wound of Love)
RECITATION IV EPILOGUE
Fire of the Ancient Heart Meet Me Here
Thank You
RECITATION V
All of Us
Stray Birds
Cattle, Horses, Sky, and Grass (Reprise)
We Are All Sons
I Am Like You / We Are All Sons
The Innocence
 PROGRAM NOTES
By Joshua Shank

On October 6, 1998, Reggie Fluty, a police officer responding to a tip, came across a limp figure tied to a fence
in a field on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. The college student who had phoned in the tip had initially
assumed that it was a felled scarecrow but, sadly, it was not. It was the body of Matthew Shepard, a gay 21-year-
old student at the University of Wyoming. He had been kidnapped by two men he had met at a local bar that
night who had then driven him to the field, robbed him, tied him to a split-rail fence, beat him savagely, and left
him for dead. He died of his injuries six days later. The media coverage of his death and the trial of his murderers
ignited a national debate about hate crimes and, specifically, how LGBTQ+ people were (and often still are)
treated in the United States.
The work you’re about to hear, American composer Craig Hella Johnson’s Considering Matthew
Shepard, is a version of this story, and it masterfully communicates Matthew Shepard’s life, death, and legacy.
So, beyond the information about the events above, those details won’t be discussed here because the work
does that already; its proverbial heart right there on its sleeve. However, it’s impossible to tell the story of this
piece without talking about the historical genre its modern story has been overlaid on: the Passion. It’s how the
piece achieves its purpose.

The History
The narrative of a Passion traditionally follows the arrest, torture, and death of Jesus Christ as it’s told in the New
Testament. The popularity of musical events centered on the telling of this story stems from the fact that it allows
the faithful to witness the event of the Crucifixion, experience some sort of aesthetic or personal catharsis, and
leave somehow changed. Whether it’s Johann Sebastian Bach’s genre-defining St. Matthew Passion of 1727 or
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1970 musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, these performances present the recreation of an
ancient event in the audience members’ physical space in order to remind them of the most important aspect
of the Christian religion: God sacrificed His only begotten son in order to absolve the human race of their past,
present, and future sins. Because of the narrative of the story, the audience member is implicitly reminded that
this sacrifice was made due to the sins of humanity as a whole—and therefore their own moral failings—so, in a
sense, they have had some small part in the horrific violence visited on the character of Jesus.
Although the genre changes incrementally with the fashions of its time, a Passion contained a few central
elements. There was a Suffering Figure (Jesus) surrounded and acted on by secondary characters who
participate in the narrative (Peter, Judas, Pontius Pilate, etc.). Then, because Passions are almost never
performed with theatrical trappings such as costumes, lighting, sets, or movement of any kind, a narrator
character was invented—often called the Evangelist—who exists outside the narrative and simply describes the
action of the story to the audience.
The Passion remained unchanged for centuries until 1966 when Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki wrote his
Passion of Our Lord According to St. Luke. While the traditional Christ narrative was still intact, Penderecki took
pains to point out that he reached for the archetype of the Passion, “in order to express not only the sufferings
and death of Christ, but also the cruelty of our own century, the martyrdom of Auschwitz.”
This explicit association of Christ with subject matter outside the Bible spurred Penderecki’s colleagues to
view the Passion genre as more than just a vehicle for Christian evangelizing but, rather, a vessel to hold other
narratives. So, while Jesus had been the Suffering Figure in hundreds of works in the genre spanning over six
centuries, composers after Penderecki began writing Passions focusing on the likes of Martin Luther King Jr., Hans
Christian Andersen’s “Little Match Girl,” Buddha, the planet earth itself as it struggles with the ravages of man-
made climate change, and a 21-year-old man brutally murdered because of his sexuality.
The beauty of Considering Matthew Shepard—and the reason it has resonated with so many audiences since
its 2015 premiere—is the sensitive way the composer leads his listeners to the fence in the American West where
the crime took place, pleads with them to “see what was done to this child” and then look inward—together—as
they walk away. Johnson does this through his mastery of musical collage and, over the course of the work’s
nearly two-hour run time, genres and musical tropes form a proverbial quilt which warms the listener as
they move through the painful story. We hear music reminiscent of Gregorian chant, organ preludes, gospel
music, spoken word poetry, spirituals, country and western music, and even the distinctive tintinnabuli style
of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt; the composer also directly quotes the music of Bach and twentieth-century
English composer Benjamin Britten. All of these influences combine and are laid over a Passion narrative with the
Suffering Figure of Matthew Shepard as its focus.
The Aftermath
Like the story of many marginalized peoples, the history of the LGBTQ+ community in the United States is marred
with martyrs and shared sadnesses, and Matthew Shepard’s murder in 1998–as well as the public’s reaction to it–
remains a powerful cultural breach. However, while that event was horrific and traumatizing for that community,
it’s also important to note that gay stories aren’t always about sorrow. Despite the historical subjugation and
the communal pain they’ve endured over the years, LGBTQ+ folks can live joyful lives—this writer included—with
spouses, families, workplaces, and communities that love and support them. So, in this way, another one of the
tragedies inherent in Considering Matthew Shepard is, among many other things, about a profoundly stolen
opportunity.
That being said, progress has been made since 1998. In 2009, President Obama signed a stronger hate crime
law named for both Matthew Shepard and a Black man named James Byrd Jr. who was chained to a truck and
dragged to death in Jasper, Texas the same year as Matt’s murder. The “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy which stole the
dignity of LGBTQ+ people serving in the U.S. military was lifted in 2011, and the Supreme Court legalized nationwide
marriage equality with their landmark decision in the Obergefell v. Hodges case in 2015. That success was further
enshrined in a federal law passed with bipartisan efforts in Congress before it was signed by President Biden in
December 2022. All of these things were made possible as broader acceptance grew in the years after Matt’s
death and in some cases because of it. In 1998, many Americans didn’t know—or at least they thought they didn’t
know—someone like him.
After their son’s killers were found guilty, Dennis and Judy Shepard fiercely advocated that the two men responsible
not receive the death penalty and, through a deal they brokered themselves, Matt’s murderers were instead
each given two life sentences. The Shepard family went on to create a foundation in their son’s name which runs
education, outreach, and advocacy programs on anti-hate and the importance of human dignity (especially on
issues relating to queer youth). In 2018, they donated Matt’s belongings to the Smithsonian. According to Judy, “For
20 years, we have tried to share the meaning of our son’s life, as well as his dreams for a kinder, more accepting
and loving world. While we always have our family memories, it is deeply comforting to know the Smithsonian will
preserve his story and meaning for future generations.”
On October 26, 2018—nearly 20 years to the day he passed away—Matt’s ashes were interred in the crypt at
the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.; the Shepard family had held onto his remains due to
concerns that any gravesite might be vandalized. Their son now rests alongside, among others, former U.S.
President Woodrow Wilson, senators, former Secretaries of State and the Treasury, and the legendary disability
rights activist, Helen Keller, and her teacher, Anne Sullivan. His burial is marked with a plaque that reads simply:
Matt, rest gently in this place. You are home safe now. Peace be with you and all who visit here.
During the ceremony, composer Craig Hella Johnson conducted excerpts of his piece, Considering Matthew
Shepard, for the nearly 4,000 people in attendance.

The Broader Implications

Matt’s death serves as a significant event to more than just the people involved in his story and, in Considering
Matthew Shepard, the libretto touches upon the idea that his martyrdom represents something larger and more
universal. Like all Passions, the entire point is to witness the suffering and be reminded that someone–anyone–has
to make sure something like this never happens again.
The work, however, also poses several questions. Could we have a bit of Matt’s killers in us? In our weakest
moments, are we in some small part like them? Do we define someone by the worst thing they’ve ever done? What
happens when we actively look away from people who are different from us? The episode in the piece in which
a virulently homophobic Christian pastor shows up to protest Matt’s funeral also asks us to examine what we
do when we witness evil. Do we work to stop it? Or do we simply attempt to avoid acknowledging it because it’s
someone else’s problem?
More broadly, what do we do when we witness more quotidian tragedies like large-scale homelessness or the
use of the state to oppress and intimidate marginalized people? If we witness something inhumane or unjust and
don’t actively work to prevent it from happening again, does that make us complicit in some way? One of the
dangers of the Passion genre is that, having had the moving experience at the performance, a listener may leave
the space potentially feeling they’ve sufficiently “done the work” and subsequently return to their regular life in
which they casually read about legislation targeting transgender citizens or book bans without giving it a second
thought or fail to speak up when they hear a homophobic or racial slur hurled at someone.
One question the work doesn’t ask centers around why it was Matthew Shepard’s murder that caught the 1998
version of the American public’s attention in a way that had previously escaped them. “He could have been
anybody’s son” was a phrase often used to describe him after the story of his death became prominent in the
national media, but that suggests something about why it was his murder that finally got Americans to pay
attention to the horrible violence routinely visited upon queer people in our society. What about him was more
palatable than the scores of victims of similar crimes the public hadn’t yet identified with? The brutality of his
murder—especially the image of the scarecrow and its similarity to a crucified body—was part of it, as well as
how his parents refused to grieve privately; they insisted through the depth of their grief that their loss was
our loss. But the answer to why the American public was finally able to muster outrage over the beating and
death of a gay man is simultaneously unsurprising and deeply discomforting. To put it plainly—and in no way to
minimize the suffering Matt’s family and friends endured—he was white and middle class.
Too frequently human nature leads us to categorize people as “other” and thereby distance ourselves from their
pain and our culpability inherent in the willful ignorance of it. In a world where we feel safe because homophobic
violence could only happen to others, Matthew Shepard’s murder blurred the distinction between “us” and
“them.” It was difficult to think of him as “them” because he looked the same as the Americans whose culture
dominated the discourse in the country: a general public who, by and large, had never been directly affected by
violence against marginalized people.
But revelations like this—the ones about ourselves that are often painful to hear—are the central point of a
Passion. These works make us witness the pain and suffering of someone else knowing full well it could have
been prevented if someone had done something different; and it’s implied that that “someone” may have been
you. This is one of the reasons the genre has flourished for over 600 years: because it insists that we do better.
To borrow some phrases that open Considering Matthew Shepard, it’s one of the reasons we continue to tell these
stories. So we remember where and whom we came from, who we are. It’s because sometimes there’s a story
that’s painful to remember, one that breaks the heart of us all. And still we must tell that story, so we can listen…
and confess what we’ve forgotten. Then maybe this story of a gay college student—just a child, really—can echo
like a thunderclap across something larger than it would have ever during his short time on Earth. Grief turned
into honorable action, pain to purpose; death into life.
Rest in power, Matt.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Joshua Shank is a composer and musicologist based in the Boston area. His master’s thesis, “A Plainspoken
Tragedy: The Construction of Two Simultaneous Tourist Gazes in the Passion Genre” uses Considering
Matthew Shepard as a way to investigate how audiences have interacted with passions over the centuries.
Find out more at www.joshuashank.com.
PROLOGUE
All.
Yoodle—ooh, yoodle-ooh-hoo, so sings a lone cowboy,
Who with the wild roses wants you to be free.
Cattle, Horses, Sky and Grass
Cattle, horses, sky and grass
These are the things that sway and pass
Before our eyes and through our dreams
Through shiny, sparkly, golden gleams
Within our psyche that find and know
The value of this special glow
That only gleams for those who bleed
Their soul and heart and utter need
Into the mighty, throbbing Earth
From which springs life and death and birth.
I’m alive! I’m alive, I’m alive, golden. I’m alive,
I’m alive, I’m alive . . .
These cattle, horses, grass, and sky
Dance and dance and never die
They circle through the realms of air
And ground and empty spaces where
A human being can join the song
Can circle, too, and not go wrong
Amidst the natural, pulsing forces
Of sky and grass and cows and horses.
I’m alive, I’m alive, I’m alive . . .
This chant of life cannot be heard
It must be felt, there is no word
To sing that could express the true
Significance of how we wind
Through all these hoops of Earth and mind
Through horses, cattle, sky and grass
And all these things that sway and pass.
Ordinary Boy
Let’s talk about Matt —
Ordinary boy, ordinary boy, ordinary boy . . .
Born in December in Casper, Wyoming
Ordinary boy
to a father, Dennis
and a mother, Judy
Ordinary boy, ordinary boy
Then came a younger brother, Logan
Ordinary boy
His name was Matthew Wayne Shepard. And one
day his name came to be known around the world.
But as his mother said:
Judy Shepard: You knew him as Matthew. To us he was Matt.
He went camping, he went fishing, even hunting for a moose
He read plays and he read stories and especially Dr. Seuss
He wrote poems with illustrations for the neighbors
on the street
And he left them in each mailbox till he learned it was illegal
He made friends and he wore braces and his frame was
rather small
He sang songs his father taught him
Frere Jacques . . .
Row Row Row Your Boat . . .
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star . . .
Judy: He was my son, my first-born, and more. He was my
friend, my confidant, my constant reminder of how good life
can be—and . . . how hurtful.^
How good life can be, how good life can be
Judy: Matt’s laugh, his wonderful hugs, his stories . . .
Matt writes about himself in a notebook:
I am funny, sometimes forgetful and messy and lazy. I am
not a lazy person though. I am giving and understanding.
And formal and polite. I am sensitive. I am honest. I am
sincere. And I am not a pest.
I am not a pest, I am not a pest . . .
I am my own person. I am warm.
I want my life to be happy and I want to be clearer about
things. I want to feel good.
I love Wyoming . . .
I love Wyoming very much . . .
I love theatre
I love good friends
I love succeeding
I love pasta
I love jogging
I love walking and feeling good
I love Europe and driving and music and helping and smiling
and Charlie and Jeopardy
I love movies and eating and positive people and pasta and
driving and walking and jogging and kissing and learning
and airports and music and smiling and hugging and being
myself
I love theatre! I love theatre!
And I love to be on stage!+ The Fence (before)
Such an ordinary boy living ordinary days Out and alone
In an ordinary life so worth living on the endless empty prairie
He felt ordinary yearning and ordinary fears
With an ordinary hope for belonging the moon bathes me
the stars bless me
He felt ordinary yearning and ordinary fears
With an ordinary hope for belonging the sun warms me
(Born to live this ordinary life) the wind soothes me
Just an ordinary boy living ordinary days with still still still
extraordinary kindness I wonder
extraordinary laughter extraordinary shining
extraordinary light and joy will I always be out here
Joy and light. exposed and alone?

I love, I love, I love . . . will I ever know why

Ordinary boy, ordinary boy I was put (here) on this earth?
will somebody someday
We Tell Each Other Stories will anyone remember me
after I’m gone?
We tell each other stories so that we will remember
Try and find the meaning in the living of our days Still, still, still . . . I wonder.
Always telling stories, wanting to remember
Where and whom we came from
RECITATION II
Who we are
Tuesday night. Matthew attended a meeting of
Sometimes there’s a story that’s painful to remember the University of Wyoming’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual
One that breaks the heart of us all Transgender Association, then joined others for coffee
Still we tell the story at the College Inn. Around 10:30, he went to the Fireside
We’re listening and confessing Bar, where he later met Aaron McKinney and Russell
What we have forgotten Henderson. Near midnight, they drove him to a remote
In the story of us all area, tied him to a buck and rail fence, beat him horribly
and left him to die in the cold of night.
We tell each other stories so that we will remember
Trying to find the meaning . . .
I am open to hear this story about a boy, an ordinary boy The Fence (that night)
Who never had expected his life would be this story, Most noble evergreen with your roots in the sun:
(could be any boy) you shine in the cloudless sky of a sphere no earthly
I am open to hear a story eminence can grasp,
You blush like the dawn,
Open, listen. you burn like a flame of the sun.^
All.
I held him all night long
He was heavy as a broken heart
Tears fell from his unblinking eyes
PASSION He was dead weight yet he kept breathing

RECITATION I He was heavy as a broken heart

Laramie, southeastern Wyoming, between the His own heart wouldn’t stop beating
Snowy Range and the Laramie Range. Tuesday, The cold wind wouldn’t stop blowing
October 6, 1998. His face streaked with moonlight and blood
I tightened my grip and held on
The cold wind wouldn’t stop blowing crucify, crucify . . . the light
We were out on the prairie alone
I tightened my grip and held on crucify the light . . .
I saw what was done to this child
We were out on the prairie alone Keep It Away From Me (The Wound of Love)
Their truck was the last thing he saw don’t wanna look on this
I saw what was done to this child never get near
I cradled him just like a mother flames too raw for me
Most noble evergreen, most noble evergreen, grief too deep
your roots in the sun . . . keep it away from me
stay out of my heart
Their truck was the last thing he saw stay out of my hope
Tears fell from his unblinking eyes some son, somebody’s pain
I cradled him just like a mother some child gone
I held him all night long child never mine
born to this trouble
Most noble evergreen . . . don’t wanna be born to this world
world where sometimes yes
world where mostly no
RECITATION III the wound of love^
The next morning, Matthew was found by a cyclist, a smoke round my throat
fellow student, who at first thought he was a scarecrow. rain down my soul
After several days in a coma and on life support, no heaven lies
Matthew Shepard died on Monday, October 12, at 12:53 keep them gone
a.m. At the funeral, which took place on Friday, October keep them never
16, at St Mark’s Episcopal Church in Casper, Fred Phelps grief too deep, flames too raw
and the Westboro Baptist Church protested outside. keep them away from me
stay out of my heart
A Protestor stay out of my hope
don’t try
God Hates Fags, Matt in Hell
any old story on me
— Text from signs held by anti-gay protestors at Matthew
no wing no song
Shepard’s funeral and the trials of his murderers
no cry no comfort ye
kreuzige, kreuzige! (translation: crucify, crucify) no wound ever mine
close up the gates of night
A boy who takes a boy to bed? the wound of love
Where I come from that’s not polite keep this all away from me
He asked for it, you got that right the wound of love
The fires of Hell burn hot and red you take away
The only good fag is a fag that’s dead the wounds of the world
A man and a woman, the Good Lord said keep it away from me
As sure as Eve took that first bite
The fires of Hell burn hot and red
RECITATION IV
kreuzige, kreuzige! National media began to broadcast the story. As the
Beneath the Hunter’s Moon he bled
news began to spread, many people across the country
That must have been a pretty sight
gathered together in candlelight vigils, moved to
The fires of Hell burn hot and red
(silently) speak for life over death, love over hate, light
over darkness.
C’mon, kids, it’s time for bed
Say your prayers, kiss Dad good night
A boy who takes a boy to bed?
The fires of Hell burn hot and red
Fire of the Ancient Heart dreaming of healing
past all our pain
Cantor:
“What have you done? Hark, thy brother’s blood Fire: living in me
cries to me from the ground.” ^ Fire: purify
Fire: now hold me
Choir: Fire: seize my heart
Called by this candle
Led to the flame (enter the flame, enter the flame
Called to remember shatter my heart, shatter my heart
Enter the flame called to enter, burn a hundred veils)
Cantor: Called by this flame
all our flames now Fire of my heart:
swaying and free Break down all walls
all our hearts now Open all doors
moving as one Only this Love
every living spirit
“Eyes of flesh, eyes of fire”~
turned toward peace
all our tender Lumina, lumina, lumina
hopes awake Open us,
All!
Choir:
(In each moment the fire rages, it will burn away a hundred veils.)
Called by this candle
Led to the flame
Called to remember
Enter the flame RECITATION V
Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson were arrested
Fire: howl shortly after the attack and charged with murder,
Fire: broken kidnapping, and aggravated robbery. The first of two
Fire: burst trials began on October 26, 1999; both were convicted
Fire: rage of the murder and sentenced to two consecutive life
Fire: swell sentences.
Fire: shatter
Fire: wail We Are All Sons
Fire
Stray birds of summer come to my window to sing and
We all betray the ancient heart fly away.
Ev’ry one of us, all of us And yellow leaves of autumn which have no songs flutter
His heart, my heart, your heart, one heart and fall there with a sigh.
“In each moment the fire rages, it will burn away a Once we dreamt that we were strangers.
hundred veils.”# We wake up to find that we were dear to each other.^
Burning Breaking Grasping Raging
we are all sons of fathers and mothers
how do we keep these we are all sons
flames in our hands?
how do we guard these we are all rivers
fears in our hearts? the roar of waters, we are all sons
how long to hold these
griefs in our songs? I Am Like You
remembering anger I am like you
weave it with hope
Aaron
remembering exile
braid it with praise and Russell
longing past horror
longing past dread
When I think of you (and honestly I don’t like to think The Innocence
about you)
but sometimes I do, When I think of all the times the world was ours for
I am so horrified, and just so angry and confused (and dreaming,
scared) When I think of all the times the earth seemed like
that you could do things to another boy—they were so our home-
cruel and Every heart alive with its own longing,
so undeserved, so dark and hard and full of (I don’t Every future we could ever hope to hold.
know) All the times our laughter rang in summer,
Late one night I had a glimpse All the times the rivers sang our tune-
of something I recognized, just a tiny glimpse— Was there already sadness in the sunlight?
I don’t even like to say this out loud, Some stormy story waiting to be told?
it isn’t even all that true— Where O where has the innocence gone?
but I wondered for a moment, Where O where has it gone?
am I like you? (in any way) Rains rolling down wash away my memory;
(I pray the answer is no) Where O where has it gone?
Am I like you? When I think of all the joys, the wonders we remember
I bet you once had hopes and dreams, too. All the treasures we believed we’d never ever lose.
Some things we love get lost along the way, Too many days gone by without their meaning,
That’s just like me­—get lost along the way— Too many darkened hours without their peace.
I am like you, I get confused and I’m afraid
and I’ve been reckless, I’ve been restless, bored, Where O where has the innocence gone?
unthinking, listless, intoxicated, Where O where has it gone?
I’ve come unhinged, Vows we once swore, now it’s just this letting go,
and made mistakes Where O where has it gone?
and hurt people very much.
Sometimes I feel (in springtime, in early afternoon)
RECITATION VI
the sunshine warm on my face;
In the days and weeks after Matthew’s death, many
you feel this too (don’t you?),
people came to the fence to pay homage and pray
the sunshine warm on your face.
and grieve.
I am like you
(this troubles me) The Fence (one week later)
I am like you
I have seen people come out here with a pocketknife and
(just needed to say this)
take a piece of the fence, like a relic, like an icon.
Some things we love get lost along the way. – Rev. Stephen M. Johnson, Unitarian minister
we are all sons of fathers and mothers I keep still
we are all sons I stand firm
I hold my ground
sometimes no home for us here on the earth while they lay down
no place to lay our heads
we are all sons of fathers and mothers flowers and photos
prayers and poems
if you could know for one moment crystals and candles
how it is to live in our bodies sticks and stones
within the world
they come in herds
if you could know they stand and stare
you ask too much of us they sit and sigh
you ask too little they crouch and cry
some of them touch me
in unexpected ways
without asking permission In Need of Breath
and then move on
Matt:
but I don’t mind My heart
being a shrine Is an unset jewel
is better than being Upon the tender night
the scene of the crime
Yearning for its dear old friend
The Moon.
RECITATION VII When the Nameless One debuts again
Matthew’s father made his statement to the court on Ten thousand facets of my being unfurl wings
November 5, 1999. And reveal such a radiance inside

STARS I enter a realm divine —

I too begin to sweetly cast light,
By the end of the beating, his body was just trying to survive. Like a lamp,
You left him out there by himself, but he wasn’t alone. There I cast light
were his lifelong friends with him—friends that he had grown Through the streets of this
up with. You’re probably wondering who these friends were. World.
First, he had the beautiful night sky with the same stars and
moon that we used to look at through a telescope. Then, My heart is an unset jewel
he had the daylight and the sun to shine on him one more Upon existence
time—one more cool, wonderful autumn day in Wyoming. Waiting for the Friend’s touch.
His last day alive in Wyoming. His last day alive in the state Tonight
that he always proudly called home. And through it all he was
breathing in for the last time the smell of Wyoming sagebrush Tonight
and the scent of pine trees from the snowy range. He heard the My heart is an unset ruby
wind—the ever-present Wyoming wind—for the last time. He Offered bowed and weeping to the Sky.
had one more friend with him. One he grew to know through I am dying in these cold hours
his time in Sunday school and as an acolyte at St. Mark’s in For the resplendent glance of God.
Casper as well as through his visits to St. Matthew’s in Laramie. My heart
I feel better knowing he wasn’t alone. Is an unset jewel
Upon the tender night
Stars
across My heart is an unset ruby
scattered Offered bowed and weeping to the Sky.
the
sky
Gently Rest (Deer Lullaby)
in
blinking Gently rest now, you the child of angels
dismay Spirit shining, resting in creation
unable Universe is holding you so deeply
being Gently rest now, you the child of angels
to help Deer beside you, hear your brother breathing
light With you always in your starry shelter
years Dreaming in the holy home of wonder
away Universe is holding you so deeply
Light of every sun you felt around you
Blessing bringing our own hearts of longing
Spirit sleeping in the arms of ages
RECITATION VIII Gently rest now, you the child of angels
Matthew was left tied to the fence for almost eighteen
Universe now dreaming you so deeply
hours.
Spirit shining, home within creation
Dreaming in eternal light of wonder adored
Gently rest now, you the child of angels abhorred
Spirit sleeping in the arms of angels
Gently rest . . . despised
idolized
splintered
RECITATION IX scarred
Sheriff’s Deputy, Reggie Fluty, the first to report to the
scene, told Judy Shepard that as she ran to the fence she weathered
saw a large doe lying near Matt—as if the deer had been worn
keeping him company all through the night. broken down
broken up
Deer Song
ripped apart
Deer: ripped away
A mist is over the mountain,
The stars in their meadows upon the air, gone
Your people are waiting below them, but not forgotten
And you know there’s a gathering there. The North Wind
All night I lay there beside you, carried his father’s laugh
I cradled your pain in my care, The South Wind
We move through creation together, carried his mother’s song
And we know there’s a welcoming there. The East Wind
Welcome, welcome, sounds the song, carried his brother’s cheer
Calling, calling clear; The West Wind
Always with us, evergreen heart, carried his lover’s moan
Where can we be but there? The Winds of the World
wove together a prayer
Matthew: to carry that hurt boy home
I’ll find all the love I have longed for,
The home that’s been calling my heart so long prayed upon
So soon I’ll be cleansed in those waters, frowned upon
My fevers forever be gone; revered
Where else on earth but these waters? feared
No more, no more to be torn;
My own ones, my dearest, are waiting — North Wind, South Wind, East Wind, West Wind
And I’ll weep to be where I belong.
(Splintered, scarred, weathered, worn, broken down, gone)
Welcome, welcome, sounds the song,
Winds of the World: carry him home.
Calling, calling clear;
Always with me, evergreen heart,
Where can I be but here?
Pilgrimage
The land was sold and a new fence now stands about fifty
RECITATION X yards away. People still come to pay
The fence has been torn down. their respects. – Jim Osborn, friend of Matthew Shepard

The Fence (after)/The Wind I walk to the fence with beauty before me
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want
prayed upon
frowned upon I walk to the fence with beauty behind me
Yit’gadal v’yit’ kadash (may his great name grow)
revered
feared I walk to the fence with beauty above me
Om Mani Padme Ham (Om! the jewel in the lotus, hum!)
I walk to the fence with beauty below me
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit
I reach the fence surrounded by beauty
wail of wind, cry of hawk
I leave the fence surrounded by beauty
sigh of sagebrush, hush of stone
(Beauty above me, beauty below me
By beauty surrounded)
Still, still, still, I wonder....
wail of wind, cry of hawk
Still, still, still, I wonder. . .
wail of wind, cry of hawk
Still still still
EPILOGUE
Meet Me Here
Meet me here
Won’t you meet me here
Where the old fence ends and the horizon begins
There’s a balm in the silence
Like an understanding air
Where the old fence ends and the horizon begins
We’ve been walking through the darkness
On this long, hard climb
Carried ancestral sorrow
For too long a time
Will you lay down your burden
Lay it down, come with me
It will never be forgotten
Held in love, so tenderly
Meet me here
Won’t you meet me here
Where the old fence ends and the horizon begins
There’s a joy in the singing
Like an understanding air
Where the fence ends and the horizon begins.
Then we’ll come to the mountain
We’ll go bounding to see
That great circle of dancing
And we’ll dance endlessly
And we’ll dance with the all the children
Who’ve been lost along the way
We will welcome each other
Coming home, this glorious day
We are home in the mountain
And we’ll gently understand
That we’ve been friends forever
That we’ve never been alone
We’ll sing on through any darkness
And our Song will be our sight
We can learn to offer praise again
Coming home to the light . . .
Thanks
Choir: Thank you
Thank you, thank you
Hohou, hohou (Arahapo—thank you)
Yontonwe (Huron—thank you)
signs of You everywhere, signs in the darkness
signs in the fires
signs of You in the hurt streets
signs in the tents, the tunnels
signs of You in the tiniest beating heart
thank you our cry to be sung
even in this rain
out of the mouths of visions torn open
out of abandoned tongues
out of the mouths of children lost in the furnaces
out of the bloody lullabies
out of the beaks of buried eagles
the forests wrapped in rags
wires of lightning loose and writhing
out of skies as stained as the seas
we cry our song to be sung
even in this rain
sit with her now, old earth
hear her stories
all we have already been given
all we have yet to do
on watch
keeping our hands in the wounds
even in this rain
how might we ever say to You
we have ceased to dream
never forgetting
remembering how every breathing remembers
to build the world
our cry to be sung
nobody
no one
 turned away
nobody
no one
unworthy
nobody
no one
ashamed
yes each silence
yes each radiance
yes each shadow
yes each praise
mind into heart, mind into heart
each dream walks on
even in this rain
thank you
Hohou, Yontonwe . . .
Thank you
All Of Us
What could be the song?
Where begin again?
Who could meet us there?
Where might we begin?
From the shadows climb,
Rise to sing again;
Where could be the joy?
How do we begin?
Never our despair,
Never the least of us,
Never turn away,
Never hide our face;
Ordinary boy,
Only all of us,
Free us from our fear,
Only all of us.
What could be the song?
Where begin again?
Who could meet us there?
Where might we begin?
From the shadows climb,
Rise to sing again;
Where could be the joy?
How do we begin?
Never our despair,
Never the least of us,
Never turn away,
Never hide your face;
Ordinary boy,
Only all of us,
Free us from our fear.
Only in the Love,
Love that lifts us up,
Clear from out the heart
From the mountain’s side,
Come creation come,
Strong as any stream;
How can we let go? How can we forgive?
How can we be dream?
Out of heaven, rain,
Rain to wash us free;
Rivers flowing on,
Ever to the sea;
Bind up every wound,
Every cause to grieve;
Always to forgive,
Only to believe.
[Chorale:]
Most noble Light, Creation’s face,
How should we live but joined in you,
Remain within your saving grace
Through all we say and do
And know we are the Love that moves
The sun and all the stars?+
O Love that dwells, O Love that burns
In every human heart.
(Only in the Love, Love that lifts us up!)
This evergreen, this heart, this soul,
Now moves us to remake our world,
Reminds us how we are to be
Your people born to dream;
How old this joy, how strong this call,
To sing your radiant care
With every voice, in cloudless hope
Of our belonging here.
Only in the Love . . .
Only all of us . . .
(Heaven: Wash me . . .)
All of us, only all of us.
What could be the song?
Where do we begin?
Only in the Love, Love that lifts us up.
All Of Us
All.
Reprise: This Chant of Life (Cattle, Horses, Sky
and Grass)
(This chant of life cannot be heard
It must be felt, there is no word
To sing that could express the true
Significance of how we wind
Through all these hoops of Earth and mind
Through horses, cattle, sky and grass
And all these things that sway and pass.)
Yoodle—ooh, yoodle-ooh-hoo, so sings a lone
cowboy,
Who with the wild roses wants you to be free.
_________________________________________________________________
Considering Matthew Shepard
Text authors and publication credits.
All music composed by Craig Hella Johnson © 2016.
1. Cattle, Horses, Sky and Grass Compilation with additional
text © Craig Hella Johnson / Please Come to Wyoming by
John D. Nesbitt © by John D. Nesbitt. Used by kind permission.
/ Cattle, Horses, Sky and Grass by Sue Wallis © by Estate of
Sue Wallis. Used by kind permission. Quoting Prelude in C
Major Book 1, Well-Tempered Clavier by J. S. Bach
2. Ordinary Boy © Craig Hella Johnson / From The Meaning of
Matthew, by Judy Shepard p. 206. / + I Love Poem by Matt
Shepard © by Judy Shepard. Used by kind permission.
3. We Tell Each Other Stories We Tell Each Other Stories © Craig
Hella Johnson
5. The Fence (before)* Lesléa Newman
7. The Fence (that night) Material reproduced from Hildegard
of Bingen from Symphonia: A Critical Edition of the “Symphonia
Armonie Celestium Revelationum” (Symphony of the Harmony
of Celestial Revelations), Second Edition, translated by
Barbara Newman. © 1988, 1998 by Cornell University. Used
by permission of the translator, Barbara Newman, and
publisher, Cornell University Press. / The Fence (that night)*
Lesléa Newman
8. A Protestor* Lesléa Newman / Additional italicized text by
Craig Hella Johnson
10. Keep it Away From Me (The Wound of Love) by Michael
Dennis Browne and Craig Hella Johnson © 2015 by Michael
Dennis Browne and Craig Hella Johnson. Used by kind
permission. / Gabriela Mistral
12. Fire of the Ancient Heart by Michael Dennis Browne and
Craig Hella Johnson © 2015 by Michael Dennis Browne and
Craig Hella Johnson. Used by kind permission. / ^Genesis
4:10 / #Rumi / ~William Blake. With thanks to Tom Burritt –
percussion consultation and special arrangement
14. Stray Birds Stray Birds by Rabindranath Tagore
15. We Are All Sons (part 1) by Michael Dennis Browne © 2015 by
Michael Dennis Browne. Used by kind permission.
16. I Am Like You/We Are All Sons (part 2) © Craig Hella Johnson
17. The Innocence by Michael Dennis Browne and Craig Hella
Johnson © 2015 by Michael Dennis Browne and Craig Hella
Johnson. Used by kind permission.
19. The Fence (one week later)* Lesléa Newman
21. Stars* Lesléa Newman / Dennis Shepard Statement to the
Court
22. In Need of Breath Hafiz lyrics from “In Need of the Breath”
from the Penguin (New York) publication The Gift: Poems by
Hafiz by Daniel Ladinsky. Copyright © 1999 Daniel Ladinsky
and used with his permission.
23. Deer Song by Michael Dennis Browne and Craig Hella Johnson
© 2015 by Michael Dennis Browne and Craig Hella Johnson.
Used by kind permission.
24. The Fence (after)/The Wind* Lesléa Newman
25. Pilgrimage* Lesléa Newman
26. Meet Me Here © Craig Hella Johnson
27. Thank You “Thanks” from THE RAIN IN THE TREES by W.
S. Merwin. Copyright © 1988 by W. S. Merwin, used by
permission of The Wylie Agency LLC. Used by permission
of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. Used
by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of the Knopf
Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random
House LLC. All rights reserved.
28. All of Us by Michael Dennis Browne and Craig Hella Johnson
© 2015 by Michael Dennis Browne and Craig Hella Johnson.
Used by kind permission. / + from Divine Comedy, from the
Paradiso by Dante, adapted by Michael Dennis Browne.
29. Cattle, Horses, Sky and Grass (reprise) Cattle, Horses, Sky
and Grass by Sue Wallis © by Estate of Sue Wallis. Used by
kind permission. / Please Come to Wyoming by John D. Nesbitt
© by John D. Nesbitt. Used by kind permission.
Recitations I-X compiled from news reports and crafted by Craig
Hella Johnson and Michael Dennis Browne.
*All works authored by Lesléa Newman are from OCTOBER
MOURNING: A SONG FOR MATTHEW SHEPARD. Copyright © 2012
by Lesléa Newman. Reproduced by permission of the publisher,
Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA. Selections used by permission
of Curtis Brown, Ltd. Copyright © 2012. All Rights Reserved.
“Introduction” from OCTOBER MOURNING: A SONG FOR MATTHEW SHEPARD by Lesléa Newman
On Tuesday, October 6, 1998, at approximately 11:45 p.m., twenty-one-year-old Matthew Shepard, a gay college student
attending the University of Wyoming, was kidnapped from a bar by twenty-one-year old Aaron McKinney and twenty-one-year-old
Russell Henderson. Pretending to be gay, the two men lured Matthew Shepard into their truck, drove him to the outskirts of Laramie,
robbed him, beat him with a pistol, tied him to a buck-rail fence, and left him to die. The next day, at about 6:00 p.m.­—eighteen hours
after the attack—he was discovered and taken to a hospital. He never regained consciousness and died five days later, on Monday,
October 12, with his family by his side.
One of the last things Matthew Shepard did that Tuesday night was attend a meeting of the University of Wyoming’s Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Association. The group was putting final touches on plans for Gay Awareness Week, scheduled
to begin the following Sunday, October 11, coinciding with a National Coming Out Day. Planned campus activities included a film
showing, an open poetry reading, and a keynote speaker.
That keynote speaker was me.
I never forgot what happened in Laramie, and around the tenth anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death, I found myself
thinking more and more about him. And so I began writing a series of poems, striving to create a work of art that explores the events
surrounding Matthew Shepard’s murder in order to gain a better understanding of their impact on myself and the world.
What really happened at the fence that night? Only three people know the answer to that question. Two of them are
imprisoned, convicted murderers whose stories often contradict each other (for example, in separate interviews both McKinney and
Henderson have claimed that he alone tied Matthew Shepard to the fence). The other person who knows what really happened that
night is dead. We will never know his side of the story.
This book is my side of the story.
While the poems in this book are inspired by actual events, they do not in any way represent the statements, thoughts, feelings, opinions, or
attitudes of any actual person. The statements, thoughts, feelings, opinions, and attitudes conveyed belong to me. All monologues contained
within the poems are figments of my imagination; no actual person spoke any of the words contained within the body of any poem. Those
words are mine and mine alone. When the words of an actual person are used as a short epigraph for a poem, the source of that quote is cited
at the back of the book in a section entitled “Notes,” which contains citations and suggestions for further reading about the crime. The poems,
which are meant to be read in sequential order as one whole work, are a work of poetic invention and imagination: a historical novel in verse.
The poems are not an objective reporting of Matthew Shepard’s murder and its aftermath; rather they are my own personal interpretation of
them.

There is a bench on the campus of the University of Wyoming dedicated to Matthew Shepard, inscribed with the
words He continues to make a difference. My hope is that readers of October Mourning: A Song for Matthew
Shepard will be inspired to make a difference and honor his legacy by erasing hate and replacing it with
compassion, understanding, and love.

Candlewick.com

OCTOBER MOURNING: A SONG FOR MATTHEW SHEPARD. Copyright © 2012 by Lesléa Newman. Reproduced
by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

Considering Matthew Shepard was developed with the support of Conspirare. Please visit conpsirare.org to learn more about this
project and learn more about the many individuals and organizations who support this work.
Conspirare, The Matthew Shepard Foundation, and KLRU-TV, Austin PBS are partnering to ensure that Considering Matthew
Shepard reaches as many people as possible on the stage and screen. The Matthew Shepard Foundation has provided ongoing
support in outreach and project development. Conspirare and KLRU-TV, Austin PBS are co-producing a Considering Matthew Shepard
television special commemorating the 20th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s passing. KLRU profiled Craig Hella Johnson’s creative
process in their documentary series Arts in Context (available at artsincontext.org). The film will be accompanied by outreach and
engagement programs.
 IN GRATITUDE
We are thankful for all of the people who have enriched our journey with this performance:

CHORAL ARTS BALLARD HIGH SCHOOL Elliot Jakupcak

Cody Lavin
NORTHWEST CONCERT CHOIR Griffin Martin
SOPRANO SOPRANO Alden Payne
Miriam Anderson *16,26 Autumn Bailey
Mia Falcone *32 Sydney Goldsmith Courtney Rowley, Director
Hayley Gaarde *30 Magnolia Hall Serena Chin, Ballard Choir Accompanist
Julie Landes *26 Abby Hunt, Ballard High School Principal
Anna Hoffman
Kelsey Fatland, Ballard Performing Arts Booster
Julie Marcelia Corinne Iacobucci
Club President
Christine Oshiki *2,19,21 Eleanor McLaughlin Jaimee Papineau, Ballard Performing Arts Booster
Annie Stanger *3 Sabrina Myers Club Choir Rep
Sophie Nash
ALTO
Izzy Rampersad
Kate Abbott
Hilary Eldridge *10
Josephine Rough PUGET SOUNDWORKS
Maddie Singer
Anna Frisch *26 SOPRANO
Charlie Van Kley
Kari Frost Maria Lamarca Anderson
Katherine Wenrick
Erin Greenfield *16 Kimberly Cincilla
Clara West
Aly Henniger *32 Madeline Goodwin
Taylor Iverson *21,32 ALTO Robin Hansen
Anna Karnick Nina Ando Lori Hirayama
Sara Litchfield *2 Ani Bennigson Kathie Hummel-Berry
Linden Fatland Amy Kastelin
TENOR
Kai Hutchins Chelsea Quinn
Ryan Batcheller
Madeleine Koenig Shannon Riddle
Joe Cline *16
Miriam Mathan Gretchen Savage
Theo Floor *21
Casey Middleton Stephanie Smith
Nick Fritschler
Ella Papineau Jessica Sowa
Will Gardner *23
Aria Seavecki
Nicholas Gorne *2 ALTO
Amelia Wignall
Fred McIlroy Jessica Andrew
Adalyn Woods
Joseph MIkkelson *1,33 Deb Crespin
Wren Wooten
Carolyn Fort
BASS
TENOR Di King
Kevin Allen-Schmid *12, 21
Gabe Bouvatte Aileen O’Leary
David Barnes
Dillon Carney Kacey Ordonez
Justin Birchell *7
Rhone Del Bianco Nancy Rotecki
Bill Burcham
Aiden Depaula Ashmita Sarma
Joseph Fitzgerald *16
Ezra Hage Laura Skiles-Bundy
Dave Frost
Ari Lillibridge Anita Stanmour
Jonah Heinen *2
Milo Palmer Cassidy Summer
Ryan Hyde *5
James Servey Andrea Turner
Philip Tschopp
Roini Wadhwani
Dustin Willetts *17, 21 BASS Christina Wilson
Q Adamson
* = denotes extended solo Jonathan Boram-Collas TENOR
in movement number. Yannay Cohen Haddas Mieke Brouwer
Maximo Glassman Vanessa Carr
Eli Graham Diana Gard
Simon Hess Alyssa Ingersoll
Nils Hoerlein Laura Mansfield
Lydia Miner Reed Wada Kaelee Alicia Bolme,
Amelie Petit Chris Price Artistic Director
David Romanelli Daniel Peterson Haven Wilvich, Executive Director
Karen Yarnell Dominic Vu Mikey Prince, Assistant Director
Tim Dong Chris Moore, Elliott McMurray,
BASS Kit Bissonette, Landon Shimek,
Jeremy Bowen BASS Michael Woodward, Nixon
Sasha Duttchoudhury Blake Carr VanJustice, Lotus: Board Members
Yael Jacobs Tepin Lopez
Arden Taylor Oliver Price
Emmett Tomkinson Alden Schreiber
Jeremy Orona WOODINVILLE HIGH
Miriam Anderson, Artistic Director Elijah Nassar SCHOOL CONCERT
Kate Huisentruit, Executive Director Carson Walker VOICES
Jina Jansson, Director of Operations Andrew Kwon
Vanessa Grose, Founder Brady Brown SOPRANO
Christina Wilson, Board President Bennett Wallace Samantha Bachler
Carol Logan, Board Vice President Sophie Bagley
and Treasurer Ryan Hyde, Director Emilee Bierlink
Dena Hughes, Board Secretary Derrick Richardson, Principal Isabella Chen
Lanita Hill, Drew Thomas, Kurt Cohrs- Eliza Dean
Assistant Principals Lucca Gleason-Geise
Anishka Gupta
SAMMAMISH HIGH Khon Nhan, Sonia Uribe, and the
Sydney Hannant
SHS Custodial Staff
SCHOOL CHAMBER CHOIR Mary Davis, Band Director Savannah Hooper
SOPRANO Mackenzie Martin
Abbey Ruthruff Maddie Olson
River Potts
Gwyneth Cagle STANCE – SEATTLE TRANS Sabrina Vargas
Jasmin Eng AND NONBINARY CHORAL
Sophie England Fatou Wadda
Kira Maeda ENSEMBLE Ava Wahl
Chisako Maeda Alyssa Wirt
SOPRANO
Annie Williamson Lee Bressel ALTO
Gabrielle Phelps Star Dorminey Ashley Ashford
Braelyn Fox Basil Freeling Helen Alvarado-Fiallo
Aoi Sasaki Leni Markins Hailey Doucette
ALTO Melia Erickson
ALTO Alexandra Farmer
Elisa Munson Kaelee Bolme
Ella Brown Kira Gillespie
Taylor Hays Nora Hayden
Emi Bender Adaleigh Martin
Danica Hanson Mya Hariri
Ella Flavius TENOR Sadie Herring
Audrey Simonnet Rosemary De Luca Jane Ironmonger
Vivian Miyakawa Myra DeMeré Juliana Kirby
Lucy Faulk Dani Leath Megan Kramer
Lola Rosenwald Re Nocturne Amel Lockett
Chloe Kwan j “fluffy” shagam Lauren Parker
Lydia Mushkatina Elayne Wylie Lucia Suter
Margot DeBruin Kurtis Taranta
BASS Derek Wilkson
Tiana Rivas
Sean Bolton Liana Wood
TENOR Andrew Chapel
Samuel Nagel Wing Mui TENOR
Joey Nazaal Mitchie Vega Michael Ahlstrom
Aaron Hilke Katie Vitale Torsten Dahlke
Olive Duffy RECITERS
Simon Smith
Isaac Mitchell Recitation I - Bill Burcham
Beck Norland Recitation II - Kaelee Bolme (March 18)/Christina Wilson (March 19)
Dhruv Ojha Recitation III - Rosemary De Luca (March 18)/Maria Lamarca Anderson
BASS (March 19)
Kyle Bishop Recitation IV - Andrew Chapel (March 18)/Anna Karnick (March 19)
Anthony Byers
Recitation V - Nicholas Gorne (March 18)/Emmett Tomkinson (March 19)
Mario D’Ambrosio
Jordan Fraley Recitation VI - Mitchie Vega (March 18)/Sasha Duttchoudhury (March 19)
Cody Goodner Recitation VII - Sara Litchfield
Bruce Nunez Cavaco
Recitation VII - Julie Marcella
Cade Stephens
Grayson Wallace Recitation IX - Nick Fritschler (March 18)/Gretchen Savage (March 19)
Recitation X - Kaelee Bolme (March 18)/Christina Wilson (March 19)
Joseph Mikkelson, Director
Michael Tolley, Interim Superintendent
Charlie Fix, District Music Coordinator
Kurt Criscione, Principal PRODUCTION
Madeline Mason, Richard Brown, Ron Taylor:
Mikaela Rink, Video Production
Assistant Principals
Ryan Hyde, Sammamish High School Venue Coordinator
Dustin Willetts, Props
Aly Henniger, Props
Sara Litchfield, Props
Serena Chin and Joseph Fitzgerald, Stand Lights

VENUE STAFF
Edmonds Center for the Performing Arts
Echo Johnson, Production Manager
Sarah Mixson, Director of Rentals & Hosting
Gracelynn Shibayama, Rental Events & Logistics Coordinator
Jenny Engstrom, Stage Manager
Aaron Dillon, Lighting Designer
Joey Mircea, Lead Technician: Sound & Broadcast Engineer
Sam Schippers, Stagehand
Jared Smith, Intern
Northshore Concert Hall at Inglemoor
Marc King, Theater Manager
Northshore Lighting and Technical crew

INSTRUMENTALISTS
Koryn Orcutt, clarinet
Justin S. Davis, guitar
Andrew Angell, percussion
Tom Dziekonksi, violin
Alicia Rinehart, viola
Virginia Dziekonksi, cello
Kelsey Mines, bass
Serena Chin, piano
 ABOUT OUR PERFORMERS
Choral Arts Northwest
Choral Arts Northwest has garnered national recognition and critical acclaim for exquisite performances and for creative,
diverse programming. Made up of volunteer singers drawn almost exclusively from the Puget Sound region, CANW
combines a deep sense of community with a passion for artistic excellence. While performing diverse repertoire from
Renaissance polyphony through 20th-century masterworks, CANW retains an abiding commitment to new music and has
commissioned and premiered new choral compositions annually since 2007. Our Composer-In-Residence and Finding Your
Voice programs have produced important collaborations with composers such as Shawn Kirchner, John Muehleisen, Hyo-
won Woo, Eric Barnum, Jake Runestad, Melinda Bargreen, Dale Trumbore, Jessica French, and John David Earnest.
After the pandemic subsided, and prior to embarking on a new concert season in October 2022 with our new Artistic
Director, Timothy Westerhaus, Choral Arts NW presented a sold-out concert in December 2021 with Artistic Director
Emeritus Robert Bode as a farewell to Robert for his wonderful 15-year tenure with Choral Arts NW. Under Dr. Westerhaus,
Choral Arts NW returned to performance with SONGS OF FREEDOM: Music of Ukraine in October 2022, a benefit concert
for Ukrainian refugee relief services at Rescue. org, featuring artistic collaborator Valentyn Lysenko, master of the
Ukrainian bandura. As a result of this concert, CANW contributed over $3,000 to Washington State Ukrainian relief
services at the International Rescue Committee (IRC.org).
The remainder of our 2022-23 season reflects a renewed focus on highlighting social issues and creating meaningful
collaborations. In December 2022, we presented Northwest Solstice, a wintertide program highlighting cultural traditions
surrounding the solstice, the beginning of the Festival of Lights, and Las Posadas, with music from Mexico, Argentina, and
Venezuela. After presenting CONSIDERING MATTHEW SHEPARD, in May 2023, Choral Arts NW partners with South Korean
composer Hyo-Won Woo and Lynnwood’s Morning Star Korean Dance Troupe in a cross-cultural celebration of Choral
Music of Korea.
Earlier in 2022, CANW embarked on a collaboration with Christ Our Hope Church in downtown Seattle to present a free
concert preview in their space, open to the public, but with the express purpose of providing a musical offering to the 240
formerly homeless residents housed above the church.

Ballard High School Concert Choir

The Ballard High School Choirs have gained regional and national acclaim for their dynamic and inspired performances
and innovative programs. Performance highlights include the 2023 and 2016 Choir of America Festival for Top Choirs
at Carnegie Hall, singing of the National Anthem at the 2016 State of the State address at the invitation of the governor,
a featured performance at the 2013 NW American Choral Directors Association conference, and a yearly collaboration
with the band and orchestra programs to perform large scale choral/orchestral works such as Handel’s Messiah, Orff’s
Carmina Burana, and Mozart’s Requiem. Ballard choir students consistently perform at the Washington State Solo and
Ensemble Contest and have earned top-three finishes on numerous occasions. The Ballard Choirs continuously strive to
be an inclusive, equitable and supportive program that cultivates community and creates empathetic musical experiences
for its student members.
Courtney Rowley is in her sixteenth year as Director of Choirs at Ballard High School, where she directs the Concert Choir,
Advanced Chorale, Treble Choir, Vocal Jazz, Chamber Choir, Tenor Bass Ensemble, vocal directs the annual musical theatre
production and teaches AP Music Theory. Originally from Michigan, she earned a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance
and Choral Music Education from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Michigan
State University. Under her direction, the Ballard choirs have grown from 36 students to over 100 members strong and
have consistently received Superior ratings at both regional and national choral festivals. Ms. Rowley was honored by
the 5th Avenue 2012 Musical Theatre Awards with nominations for Best Musical Direction and Best Chorus in the state of
Washington and is a past recipient of the Ballard High School Outstanding Educator Award (2010), the Washington State
ACDA Outstanding Emerging Choral Director Award (2014), and the Elliott Bay Music Educators Association Outstanding
Music Educator of the Year (2017).
Puget SoundWorks
Puget Soundworks is an all-gender, LGBTQIA+ centered community chorus serving the Puget Sound region. We are here to
make the world a kinder, more inclusive place, one song at a time.
Artistic Director Miriam Anderson is passionate about using choral music to build community and connection, and
as a form of outreach, integrating her backgrounds in music and peace studies. Outside of Puget Soundworks, Miriam
currently directs the Seattle Labor Chorus, and the Piccolini and Entrata ensembles of Seattle Girls Choir. She is also
the Chorus Manager and a singing member of Choral Arts Northwest. Miriam frequently gigs in the Seattle area as a
percussionist, vocalist, and conductor.

Sammamish High School Concert Choir

It is the mission of the Sammamish High School Choir program to instill pride, camaraderie, and empathy in its students.
This is accomplished by developing musical independence, exposing students to music from various cultures/time
periods, and creating collaboration/performance opportunities for students through concerts, tours, festivals, retreats,
and exchanges with other choir programs. It is the hope that all students leave the choir program having become
better musicians as well as human beings, creating lifelong bonds and feeling proud of their community and musical
accomplishments.
Ryan Hyde is in his 3rd year as Choir Director at Sammamish High School in Bellevue, WA, and his 11th year as a Choir
Director after working at Monroe High School in Monroe, WA, for 8 years. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music
Education from the University of Washington, Seattle, and his Master’s Degree from Central Washington University. Ryan is
in demand as a clinician, adjudicator, and arranger in the Seattle area, and enjoys performing with Choral Arts Northwest
as well as Last Call, a vocal jazz ensemble comprised of music teachers and former members of college vocal jazz
ensembles from the PNW.

STANCE – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble

Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble (STANCE) is Seattle’s first choir by and for Transgender and Nonbinary
people. Founded in 2022 by Executive Director Haven Wilvich, its mission is to provide a vocal space free of gendered
expectations, by and for Transgender and Nonbinary singers, to explore and express themselves through music. In the
world of choral music, gender-nonconforming singers are met with unique challenges, as so many choral institutions
run by cisgender people will assume that all sopranos and altos are women and all tenors and basses are men, thereby
excluding those whose voices and gender identities do not fit those strictures. By providing this space specifically for Trans
and Nonbinary singers to explore their own unique voices, STANCE provides a more comfortable environment free from
the anxiety of this potential misgendering and exclusivity.
Kaelee Alicia Bolme (she/her) is a Seattle-area music director, singer, pianist, composer, actor, and playwright. She is the
founding Artistic Director and conductor of Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble (STANCE). She has a Bachelor
of Arts in Music Studies from University of New Orleans, where she studied piano, conducting, voice, and composition.
In addition to her work with STANCE, some of Kaelee’s local career highlights include singing with Seattle Pro Musica,
directing music at First Christian Church of Kent, music directing productions of Little Women and Into the Woods at
Rosebud CTC, working as a professional piano accompanist for several school choirs and musicals in the greater Seattle
area, co-writing the original musical Starshine, and teaching workshops for the Fifth Avenue Theatre.

Woodinville High School Concert Voices

Woodinville High School’s Concert Voices is a 9th-12th grade non-auditioned SATB choral ensemble performing a variety of
choral repertoire. The largest vocal group at Woodinville High School, the group has frequent performances and travels
throughout the region for festivals and other musical opportunities.
Joseph Mikkelson is the choir director at Woodinville High School, where he has taught Concert Voices, Bel Canto, and
Advanced Mixed. He studied music education as an undergraduate at Oregon State University, where he also earned
his Master’s of Arts in Teaching. Mr. Mikkelson is passionate about fostering a lifelong love of music and developing
empathetic, supportive, and hard-working individuals through ensemble-based vocal music.
 Tim Westerhaus, Artistic Director
Timothy is passionate about transforming humankind through choral music that fosters
empathy, builds inclusive community, and deepens understanding through diverse
programming and collaborations. He joined the Northern Arizona University School of Music
faculty in 2021 as Director of Choral Studies, conducting Shrine of the Ages Choir and University
Singers and directing the graduate choral conducting program. In Fall 2022, he began serving
as Artistic Director of Choral Arts Northwest in Seattle and Master Chorale of Flagstaff. From
2010 to 2021, he served as Director of Choirs and Vocal Studies at Gonzaga University in
Spokane, Washington. He has served as President of the Northwestern Region of the American
Choral Directors Association and on the boards of the Washington Music Educators Association
and the National Collegiate Choral Organization. In 2021, he received Washington ACDA’s
TIMOTHY Leadership and Service Award. Dr. Westerhaus has conducted choirs in Europe, Colombia,
WESTERHAUS Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Korea, and ensembles under his leadership have performed
at regional ACDA and NAfME conferences. As a tenor, he sings professionally in the Oregon
Bach Festival Chorus, and he also performs as a solo and collaborative pianist. Dr. Westerhaus
received his music degrees from the University of Saint Thomas and Boston University.

Serena Chin, Collaborating Accompanist

Serena is an active accompanist, vocal coach and chamber musician in the Seattle area and
has been the Choral Arts Northwest accompanist since 2014. She has accompanied choirs
from numerous organizations, including the American Boychoir and Interlochen Arts Camp as
well as national, regional and state honor choirs for ACDA, NAfME, and OAKE. Along with her
position with CANW, Serena serves as staff accompanist for the University of Washington and
for the Ballard High School Choral program. Serena received her Bachelor of Music in piano from
Wheaton College and Master of Music in coaching and accompanying from Westminster Choir
College.

SERENA CHIN
 Matthew Shepard (December 1, 1976 – October 12, 1998)

LGBTQIA+ HATE CRIME INTERSECTIONALITIES

Today we also remember and honor the stories of the following LGBTQIA+ community who were murdered around the
same date as Matthew Shepard (October 12, 1998), but who received little or no news coverage, many of whom are people
of color, women, or non-binary. We acknowledge that advocacy against hatred targeted at the LGBTQIA+ community
must also expand into advocating for an end to racialized hatred and for sharing LGBTQIA+ stories of all racial identities,
genders, abilities, socioeconomic statuses, religious backgrounds, and beyond. We seek to acknowledge the intersections
of identity that contribute to silencing LGBTQ+ stories and highlight that homophobic and transphobic acts persist today.

Chanel Chandler (murdered September 20, 1998; Fresno, CA)

Rita Hester (murdered November 28, 1998; Boston, MA)
Lauryn Paige (murdered January 8, 1999; Austin, TX)
Laaron Morris and Kevin Tryals ( murdered January 17, 1999; Texas City, TX)
Steve Dwayne Garcia (murdered February 6, 1999; Houston, TX)
Winfield Scott Mowder and Gary Matson (murdered July 1, 1999; Happy Valley, CA)
Chareka Keys (murdered September 27, 1999; Cleveland, OH)
Arthur J. R. Warren (murdered July 3, 2000; Grant Town, WV)
Fred Martinez (murdered June 16, 2001; Cortez, CO)

Choral Arts Northwest Statement on Access, Diversity, and Inclusion

Choral Arts Northwest aims to foster a world that is just, empathetic, and that values creativity and diversity, through the
transformational power of choral music. We commit to actively engage with parts of the community who have been historically
marginalized and to using our platform intentionally to support important social causes and highlight the music of diverse groups
as well as that of composers who identify as BIPOC, female, or LGBTQIA+. We dedicate ourselves to ongoing learning and listening,
and to invite others to join us on that journey through programming, engagement, and collaborations.
 LGBTQIA+ ADVOCACY RESOURCES
EMPATHY IN ACTION
We invite you to learn about, donate, and volunteer with these organizations serving the LGBTQIA+ community in Seattle
and across the nation. We share Matthew’s story so that we can all engage in conversation and become advocates,
getting involved and building relationships within these communities.

LOCAL SEATTLE ORGANIZATIONS NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

UTOPIA Washington LGBT Centers
www.utopiawa.org www.lgbtcenters.org

Somos Seattle LGBTQ Freedom Fund

www.somosseattle.org/#overview www.lgbtqfund.org

Alphabet Alliance Trans Justice Funding Project

alphabetalliance.org www.transjusticefundingproject.org

Queer the Land Princess Janae Place

queertheland.org www,princessjanaeplace.org

Trans Women of Color Solidarity Network Fund The Transgender District

www.gofundme.com/f/trans-women-of-color- www.transgenderdistrictsf.com
solidarity-network-fund
The Transgender Law Center
Gay City www.transgenderlawcenter.org
www.gaycity.org
The Trevor Project
PFLAG Seattle www.thetrevorproject.org
www.pflagseattle.org
GLAAD
Lambert House www.glaad.org
www.lamberthouse.org
Human Rights Campaign
Ingersoll Gender Center www.hrc.org
www.ingersollgendercenter.org
National LGBTQ Task Force
NOOR: Seattle’s Queer Muslim Collective www.thetaskforce.org
www.facebook.com/seattleqtm/
National Center for Transgender Equality
Lifelong www.transequality.org
www.lifelong.org
National Center for Lesbian Rights
GSBA www.nclrights.org
www.thegsba.org/
Lambda Legal
Lavender Rights Project www.lambdalegal.org
www.lavenderrightsproject.org
Anti-Violence Project
Gender Justice League www.avp.org
www.genderjusticeleague.org
Gay for Good
Rainbow City Performing Arts www.gayforgood.org
www.rainbowcityband.com/about/
Pride Foundation
www.pridefoundation.org
 UPCOMING CONCERTS
“To inspire, educate, and enrich our community through the transformational power
of great choral music performed at the highest artistic level.”

SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2023 | 7:30 PM

PLYMOUTH CHURCH
217 6TH AVE, SEATTLE WA 98101

SUNDAY, MAY 14, 2023 | 3:00 PM

NATIONAL NORDIC MUSEUM
2655 NW MARKET ST, SEATTLE, WA 98107
DONORS | Choral Arts Northwest is a 501(c)(3) public charity and we rely upon the generous support of our donors
to make possible our concerts, education programs, recordings, commissioning projects, and other special initiatives. We
would like to extend a very special thank you to the following individuals and companies for their generosity. Your support
grateful. Thank you!
is critical to the success of CANW and we are very grateful.

DONORS (Jan. 1–March 8, 2023) Edward Mencke Kelly Fitzgerald Mary Liu
O’Donnell-Peterson Theo Floor Patty Lyman
CEDAR ($3,000 and above) Family Foundation Becky Forland Christina MacDonald
4 Culture Christine Oshiki Sara Frase Judy Mahoney
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Mikaela Rink Anna Frisch Rachel Marcelia
Bill Burcham Kevin Ruddell Nicholas Fritschler Michael Martin
City of Seattle Allegra Samuelson John P Gaffney Daria McKay
Office of Arts & Culture Erin Siniff Elizabeth Gamboa Stephen Melson
Gustafson Family Fund Betty Stott Kara Garcia Joseph Mikkelson
Washington State Charities William Taylor Melanie Garrison Kathleen Morrisey
Sharon Trent Hannah Gillespie Michael Morrisey
FIR ($1,200-$2,999) Philip Tschopp Joy Gilroy Nicholas Murphy
Kate Abbott David Wold Larry Grove Doug & Karen Nelson
Angelia Alexander Sharon Zoars Douglas Gustafson David L. Nelson
Gustafson Family Fund Anthony Haapasaari Kerri Lunetta Nelson
Larry Kauffman SUPPORTER (up to $119) Jerry Haas Network for Good
Timothy Westerhaus Gwendolyn Akamatsu Lois Haight Evan Norberg
Alaska Airlines Ellen Hale Meredith Olson
SPRUCE ($600-$1,199) Jimmy Arnold Jeff Hall Daniel & Elaine Paoliello
Wyatt-Stone Giving Fund David Barnes Marja Hall Tamara Pavlenko
Susan Z Barnes Kelly Hamblin Terri Pollock
MAPLE ($300-$599) Lyda Barr Paul Hannah & William Roach
Robert H Bode Nancy Barr Beth Ann Bonnecroy Pamela S Roberson
William Gardner Brad Bjorn Karen Hansen Zaldy Rogero
Michael and Leslie Guelker-Cone Chris Blanco & Alice Hanson Emily Rosman
David Hoffman Allegra Samuelson Sandy Hawkins Courtney Rowley
Diane Jackson Katy Bliss Jonah Heinen Nara Safarova
Andrew Jacobson Suzanne Bottelli Aly Henniger Dustin Schumann
James Nelson Bill & Kathy Brueggemann S. Hertlein Sayuko Setvik
The Paulderek Fund Rachelle Bunch Brian Higham Emily Shane
Susan Spencer Kimberly Burkhardt Scott Hinckley Joshua Shank
Umpqua Bank Autumn Bystrom David Horiuchi Gordon Shastko
Elizabeth Westerhaus Gary Cannon Julie Huff Sara Shuster
Lorin & Susy Wingate Michelle Carlill Ryan Hyde Ryan Singh
Anthea Carns Charlie Iliff Jacqueline Smith
ALDER ($120-$299) Hunter Chavira Randi Irby Colleen Stark
Peggy Adams Dongmei Chen Kathleen Johnson Ann Stephenson
Kevin Allen-Schmid Serena Chin-Daniel Amy Johnson Charles Stephens
Anonymous Andrea Christensen Christine Johnson Constance Swank
Cheryl Brower Steven Christensen Philip N Jones Jr Janet Sweet
Stacia Cammarano Ellie Cohen Grace Jun Zarina Temirova
Judy Cline Marie Coon Anna Karnick Carole Teshima
Thomas French Cathy Cudd-Allen Kathleen Keefe Brooke Thompson
Emy Frisch Dave Cundiff Ann Kelleher Michelle Thoreson
Sharon Fritschler Lorraine DeKruyf Elizabeth Kennedy Aerin Towle
Kari Frost Clara Dorst Gwendolyn Kingsley Katrina Turman
Carolyn Gabrielson Sam Dworkin Kroger Jessica Turner
Mary Pat Graham Emerson Eads Tamara Kuklenski Vincent Vitale Jr.
Daniel Harbaugh John David Earnest Julie Landes Sarah Vosper
Cindy Harris Kasey Eck Rae Larson Mike Waring
Mikkel Iverson Brian Eifert Anthony Laus Matthew Wilkins
Sara Litchfield Mia Falcone Mark Leen Larke Witten
Marilyn McAdoo Joseph Fitzgerald Ross Leung-Wagner Becca Woodbury
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kate Abbott, President
Will Gardner, Vice President
Andrew Jacobson, Secretary
Marilyn McAdoo, Treasurer
Miriam Anderson
Joseph Fitzgerald
Nicholas Gorne
STAFF
Timothy Westerhaus, Artistic Director SPONSORS
Serena Chin, Collaborating Accompanist
Philip Tschopp, Managing Director
Miriam Anderson, Choir Manager
Shawn Stendevad, Technical Lead
Julie Lee @ Lee Creative, Program Setup

BOARD OF ADVISORS
Geoffrey Boers
J. Melvin Butler
Pam Elrod Huffman
Frank Ferko
Karen Fulmer
PO Box 94124
Craig Hella Johnson
John Muehleisen
Seattle, WA 98124-6424
Roger Sherman info@choralartsnw.org
Dale Warland choralartsnw.org