Chicago Choral Artists

Home
United States
Oak Park, IL
Chicago Choral Artists

Call Directions Website

Consonance - Chicago Choral Artists has been a leader of choral music in Chicagoland for fifty years.

Together we sing new compositions by contemporary composers and classical masterworks of the choral canon. Chicago Choral Artists endeavors to heighten appreciation of the choral art form through outstanding presentation of classical masterworks, commissions, music of the world’s many cultures, and informed interpretations of early music. The ensemble seeks to nurture the artistic growth of its performers and to serve the community through diverse programming and by the development of creative events collaborations with other arts, cultural, charitable and social service organizations.

10/14/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for "Considering Matthew Shepard" last weekend, it was a privilege to share this work with you 💗🏳️‍🌈

Thank you also to Greg R. Baird for leading the talkbacks, to Grace Lutheran Church for hosting us, and to everyone who gave so much to this production!

Mark your calendars for our next performances this season, Carols for Peace in Our Time on December 18 and 20: consonancechicago.org/tickets

Thank you to Tracy Gentile for the photo 📷

10/11/2026

Today is National Coming Out Day 🏳‍🌈 At 3:00 PM, we close our run of "Considering Matthew Shepard" at Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest, Illinois.

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Friday night! The audience gave us a standing ovation, and it meant a great deal to all of us 💗

Matthew Shepard was open about who he was, and being open is not safe for everyone. That is part of why his story is still told, and why this piece exists. We'll be remembering him today, and we'd be glad to have you with us.

Greg R. Baird, Matthew Shepard hate crime historian and LGBTQ+ advocate, leads a talkback and Q&A after the performance, and you're welcome to stay. Seating in the fellowship hall is limited: consonancechicago.org/tickets

Above is a short excerpt from our dress rehearsal, thank you to Tracy Gentile for the video.

10/09/2026

Tonight’s the night: we open "Considering Matthew Shepard" at Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest, Illinois.

We’ve spent the past weeks living with this powerful work: its music, its stories, its grief, and its movement toward understanding and love. Tonight, we finally get to share it with you.

If you’re joining us, we can’t wait to see you there. And if you haven’t gotten your ticket yet, there’s still time. Reduced-price tickets are available for seniors (65+), teachers, and students 13 and up with a school ID. Seating in the fellowship hall is limited, and tickets at the door are not guaranteed, so reserve your seat in advance: consonancechicago.org/tickets

Can't make it tonight? We perform again on Sunday, October 11 at 3:00pm, which is also National Coming Out Day. We'll be remembering Matthew Shepard, who was open about who he was, and we hope you'll join us.

After each performance, Greg R. Baird, Matthew Shepard hate crime historian and LGBTQ+ advocate, leads a talkback and Q&A titled "A Turning Point in LGBTQ+ History: Matthew Shepard's Legacy 28 Years Later & Why it Still Matters." Everyone is welcome to stay.

Content Note: "Considering Matthew Shepard" deals directly with the events surrounding Matthew's murder. Our performances are staged, and they include visuals and text from the protest that took place at his funeral, along with references to violence, death, and hate directed at LGBTQ+ people. Some audience members may find this difficult. The piece does not look away from this material, and it does not stay there. It moves toward understanding and love.

Thank you to Tracy Gentile for the photos.

10/08/2026

In Considering Matthew Shepard, the soloists aren’t separate from the chorus. They’re part of it.

Nine of our singers step forward for solo moments throughout the work, then become part of the chorus again.

That’s part of the story of the work: the weaving of different voices, different experiences, coming together to speak of an unspeakable grief, and to make room for hope.

Join us for Considering Matthew Shepard:
🗓 Friday, October 9 at 7:30pm�
🗓 Sunday, October 11 at 3:00pm�
📍 Grace Lutheran Church, River Forest, IL

After each performance, Greg R. Baird, Matthew Shepard hate crime historian and LGBTQ+ advocate, leads a talkback and Q&A.

🎟 consonancechicago.com/tickets

10/06/2026

This week, Consonance performs "Considering Matthew Shepard," Craig Hella Johnson's choral work about Matthew Shepard's life and legacy. Our staged production brings together music, words, and movement at Grace Lutheran Church in River Forest, Illinois.

🗓 Friday, October 9 at 7:30 PM�
🗓 Sunday, October 11 at 3:00 PM

After each performance, Greg R. Baird, Matthew Shepard hate crime historian and LGBTQ+ advocate, leads a talkback and Q&A.

We’d love to have you join us!

Seating in the fellowship hall is limited, and tickets at the door are not guaranteed, so we recommend getting yours ahead of time: consonancechicago.org/tickets

10/02/2026

Just eight days until we open Considering Matthew Shepard, and we can't wait to share this powerful work with you.

Craig Hella Johnson's moving choral work honors Matthew Shepard's life and legacy, weaving together a story that moves from grief and loss toward compassion, hope, and healing.

🗓 Friday, October 9 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, October 11 at 3:00 PM
📍 Fellowship Hall, Grace Lutheran Church, River Forest, IL

Following each performance, Matthew Shepard historian and LGBTQ+ advocate Greg R. Baird will lead a talkback and Q&A. We invite you to stay, reflect, and join the conversation.

Seating is limited, and tickets at the door are not guaranteed. We encourage you to reserve your tickets in advance:
🎟️ consonancechicago.org/tickets

09/30/2026

LGBTQ+ History Month starts this Thursday, October 1. Ten days from now, we open Considering Matthew Shepard, and we'd be glad to have you with us.

Our Sunday performance, October 11, falls on National Coming Out Day, a day about being open about who you are. Matthew Shepard was open about who he was. Being open is not safe for everyone, and that is part of why his story is still told and why this piece exists. We'll be remembering him, and we hope you'll join us.

Both performances are followed by a talkback and Q&A with Greg R. Baird, Matthew Shepard hate crime historian and LGBTQ+ advocate, on Matthew's legacy and why it still matters. Everyone is welcome to stay and take part.

🗓 Friday, October 9 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, October 11 at 3:00 PM.

📍Grace Lutheran Church, River Forest, Illinois.

Tickets: consonancechicago.org/tickets. We hope to see you there.

09/28/2026

Stay for the conversation: after each performance of Considering Matthew Shepard, Greg R. Baird, Matthew Shepard hate crime historian and LGBTQ+ advocate, leads a talkback and Q&A: "A Turning Point in LGBTQ+ History: Matthew Shepard's Legacy 28 Years Later & Why it Still Matters."

Greg is a Matthew Shepard hate crime historian and LGBTQ+ advocate with more than 30 years as a civil rights speaker and educator. He is also executive producer of a documentary on Matthew's story. It's a chance to ask questions and keep talking once the music ends.

Friday, October 9 after the 7:30 PM performance, and Sunday, October 11 after the 3:00 PM performance.

📍Grace Lutheran Church, River Forest, Illinois.

Tickets: consonancechicago.org/tickets

09/24/2026

Before he became a symbol, Matthew Shepard was a 21-year-old college student at the University of Wyoming, studying political science and international relations. Friends described him as warm, curious, and deeply engaged with human rights. This October, Consonance performs "Considering Matthew Shepard" — a piece built around who he was, not just what happened to him.

09/23/2026

"Considering Matthew Shepard" premiered ten years ago, in 2016, and has since been performed by hundreds of choirs around the world. Hear it live, October 9 & 11 at Grace Lutheran Church, River Forest, Illinois.

Get your tickets here: consonancechicago.org/tickets

Address

P. O. Box 603
Oak Park, IL
60303

Telephone

+17736589799

Website

http://www.consonancechicago.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Chicago Choral Artists posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.