Writing for the
Bach Choir of Pittsburgh

Reflections on Considering Matthew Shepard from choir member Anna-Noel Bass-Riley

 

When Matthew Shepard died in a hospital in Colorado, he was two months shy of his 22nd birthday. As a queer young adult myself - I’ll be turning 23 in about a month - singing about a queer youth being murdered for his queerness is a sobering experience. Hearing the story is one thing, but spending a good portion of my time focusing on it is another. It makes me question how much has changed. Could I be the next person killed for whom she loves?

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Possibly. In 2021, hate crimes targeting sexual orientation were the second most common hate crime after those of race, according to the Department of Justice, and there was a 13.8% increase in hate crimes against people because of their sexuality from 2021 to 2022. There was a 32.9% rise in hate crimes targeting people for their gender identity, and many laws have been passed that are specifically aimed against those who don’t identify within the gender binary. Things may have gotten better, but they’re certainly not perfect.

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But Considering Matthew Shepard isn’t just about the murder of a gay man. It’s also about the aftermath, the response by the public. It’s about the righteous anger against the killing of an innocent young man and the outpouring of love towards Matthew’s friends and family. And that is what I would like you to take away from this composition.

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In this time of division, both social and political, love and compassion is something that is desperately needed. Towards friends, towards family, and even towards your enemies. That is what I’d like you to walk away from this performance thinking about.

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I hope you enjoy listening to Considering Matthew Shepard as much as I enjoy performing it, and thank you for coming to our performance.