Chant Claire Presents The Peaceable Kingdom: A Spring Concert of Fire, Resilience, and Hope
Saturday, May 16, 2026 | 7:00 PM
St. Sebastian Catholic Church, Milwaukee
Event details: https://www.chantclaire.org/concerts-events/the-peaceable-kingdom
Chant Claire Choir announces its spring performance, The Peaceable Kingdom, a powerful musical journey through upheaval, longing, and the fierce work of becoming whole. At its center is Randall Thompson’s riveting a cappella masterpiece, inspired by Edward Hicks’s iconic paintings and the prophetic vision of a world where all creation coexists without fear.
Rather than beginning in serenity, Thompson’s cycle wrestles first with warning, judgment, and the storm before the calm. The music opens in tension and turmoil and only gradually unfolds into a startling image of coexistence—a glimpse of what it might mean for peace to emerge not from ease, but from endurance.
A Program That Moves Through Fire Toward Light
Surrounding Thompson’s work are pieces that deepen this dramatic arc. The program features music that burns with elemental energy, grieves with reverence, and rises with the steady determination of people who believe peace is possible even when the world feels anything but. From the raw urgency of Michael Ostrzyga’s Deus in Adjutorium to the consuming force of Katarina Gimon’s Fire and the triumphant blaze of Anthony Maglione’s The Wall Breaks Asunder, the first half traces a landscape of struggle, lament, and resilience.
Herbert Howells, Nikolai Golovanov, and the Sacred Harp tradition add voices of longing and prayer—music that stands in the valley and refuses to let hope go quiet.
A Vision of Peace That Refuses to Fade
The concert concludes with Knut Nystedt’s Be Not Afraid and Moses Hogan’s beloved spiritual We Shall Walk Through the Valley in Peace, offering a final word of courage and consolation. Together, the program walks through the storm, stands in the fire, and emerges into a vision where we all coexist—a musical exploration of resilience and the hope of peace that refuses to fade.
About Chant Claire
Chant Claire—French for “clear song”—is a Milwaukee‑based choir founded in 2013 by Benjamin Bedroske. The ensemble brings together music educators, performers, and community members committed to creating authentic music in an authentic community, combining the power of a large choir with the clarity of chamber singing. Chant Claire has collaborated with leading regional arts organizations and has appeared in workshops and conventions including the Basilica of St. Josaphat and the American Guild of Organists’ 100th Anniversary Regional Convention.
About the Artistic Director
Benjamin Bedroske, founder and artistic director of Chant Claire, is a Milwaukee‑area conductor, educator, and composer. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, he directs music at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, co‑directs choirs at Chesterton Academy, and leads the Stevan Sijacki Choir of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral. His work includes collaborations with Skylight Music Theatre, the Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses tour, and ensembles throughout Wisconsin.
Event Information
The Peaceable Kingdom Saturday, May 16, 2026 | 7:00 PM
St. Sebastian Catholic Church, Milwaukee
Tickets and details: https://www.chantclaire.org/concerts-events/the-peaceable-kingdom
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
