Featuring works by Linda Tutas Haugen, Johannes Brahms, and Craig Hella Johnson

Join the Wichita State University choral ensembles and orchestra for an extraordinary evening of music that gives voice to resilience, compassion, and the enduring human spirit. This year’s Oratorio Concert brings together three deeply meaningful works that challenge performers artistically and invite audiences into stories of hope, struggle, and shared humanity.

The program features Linda Tutas Haugen’s Anne Frank: A Living Voice, a powerful multimovement work that amplifies Anne Frank’s translated words through luminous choral writing. At once intimate and urgent, the piece allows singers and listeners to reflect on courage, identity, and the timeless relevance of Anne’s voice.

Johannes Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody adds a contrasting Romantic depth to the program. This masterwork, scored for alto soloist, tenor-bass chorus, and orchestra, juxtaposes emotional isolation with the possibility of healing, offering the choir and orchestra a rich exploration of Brahms’ expressive and deeply human musical language. The choirs and orchestra will be joined in performance by Dr. Samantha Balboa, WSU Lecturer of Voice, who will be singing the memorable alto solo.

The concert concludes with the choral suite from Craig Hella Johnson’s Considering Matthew Shepard, a genre-blending oratorio that weaves together poetic texts, folk elements, and contemporary choral writing to honor the life and legacy of Matthew Shepard. These movements invite performers and audiences to reflect on empathy, community, and the transformative power of compassion.

Together, these works create an evening of music that not only showcases the artistry of WSU’s choirs and orchestra but also affirms the role of musical storytelling in illuminating the human experience. This is a program of remembrance, reflection, and hope—and one you won’t want to miss.

Featured Ensembles:

Concert Chorale

Wu Choir

Shocker Choir

Symphony Orchestra

Directors:

Dr. Katelyn H. Peterson

Dr. Ryan Beeken

During operating hours, WSU students can present their Shocker Card and get a free ticket in advance at the Fine Arts Box Office in Duerksen Fine Arts Center. Tickets can be purchased online through the Fine Arts Box Office at https://wichita.edu/fineartsboxoffice or by phone at 316-978-3233.

Please note: Online sales are suspended three hours before an event. The box office opens one hour before the event at the performance venue.