Choral Director and Students Lead the Creation of a Global Musical Event 

At left, an image from the Texas-based choir Conspirare, which is partnering with UAlbany on the video premiere a 477-member virtual global choir production of "All of Us" from the oratorio Considering Matthew Shepard. At right, an illustration by Karin Elsener which adorns the album cover of the oratorio, a tribute to a gay man brutally murdered in a Wyoming field in 1998.

ALBANY, N.Y. (Aug. 18, 2020) — When the March concert of the University’s choral ensemble students was canceled, UAlbany Director of Choral Studies Michael Pfitzer began considering an alternative.

He came up with a huge one: a 477-member virtual chorus composed of singers from 45 professional, university and high school choirs in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, performing the oratorio “All of Us” from Considering Matthew Shepard. It will be have its video premiere, hosted by UAlbany, on Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 7 p.m. (Viewable here.)

“I wanted to create a valuable learning experience for our performing ensemble students even though we couldn’t share the stage together,” said Pfitzer. He looked to his friends at the Grammy-winning virtuoso choir Conspirare, based in Austin, Texas.

UAlbany lecturer and Choral Director Michael Pfitzer, who conceived the idea of a global virtual choral presentation of "All of Us" from the oratoriao Considering Matthew Shepard.

Its founding artistic director, Craig Hella Johnson, composed Considering Matthew Shepard, a three-part fusion oratorio looking at the life and death of a young, gay University of Wyoming student who was kidnapped, beaten and left to die in a lonely field in October of 1998. Conspirare has traveled to more than 20 cities performing the piece since 2016.

“I had the idea to reach out to Conspirare to see if it might help us put together a virtual choir on this piece, which has a text dealing with unity, togetherness and overcoming the terrible parts of our world,” said Pfitzer.

Conspirare’s managing director, Ann McNair, who has worked on projects with Pfitzer since 2012, was immediately receptive. “We were delighted about the prospect of collaborating with Mike and the University at Albany,” she said. “Mike has always understood the power of the ‘All of Us’ text and its capacity to connect us in this time.” Under McNair, Conspirare got to work recruiting choruses from around the globe.

A Student to Lead Discussion

The premiere will include a Zoom webinar discussion with composer Johnson and production director Elliott Forrest and a question/answer session — both moderated by May 2020 graduate Anthony Leva of Niskayuna, a choral assistant in the music department for five years. After UAlbany’s spring concert and Leva’s senior recital were canceled due to the pandemic, the “All of Us” project turned Leva's gloomy spring into a unique and joyful musical season.

“It was a ton of fun,” said Leva, a double major in music and psychology. “I actually wasn't even required to participate in this project, but I did because I feel like in these uncertain times where concerts are being canceled and everyone is being so isolated, it's really important that we find a way to connect with one another virtually — and especially to bring the gift of music and choral singing to those who might not get to experience it otherwise.”

McNair said, “Our Conspirare team was delighted to work with Mike and Tony to develop a timeline and tools to help make the discussion a part of the UAlbany curriculum with a fun performance component.” She estimated that some 1,500 people, including family, friends, fellow students and Conspirare members, may view the video via YouTube.

To create the choral presentation, Conspirare singers recorded base tracks so that the students could learn from and sing along with another voice while recording. “The students recorded on their phones, computers, tablets or any device with a microphone,” said Pfitzer. “We didn’t have any specific stipulations for special equipment. People used whatever they had in their house, since going out or spending money on equipment wasn’t an option!”

Daniela Reyes, a rising senior from New York City double-majoring in biology and music, expressed gratitude in being part of a “positive, uplifting” project, despite some homebound hurdles to overcome. “Finding a good place to record was challenging because I live in a fairly loud household,” she said. “But I managed to do so in the indoor area of the balcony in my house when everyone was at work or asleep!”

Pfitzer expressed delight with everyone’s efforts. “The finished product will be the result of a tremendous amount of teamwork and collaboration by hundreds of people, with our students taking the lead in presenting the event and their ideas driving the structure and the content.” He also acknowledged “generous support” from President Rodríguez and the University at Albany Foundation and the creation of the Zoom webinar by the University events office.

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