Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist

In 2022, Raven Chacon became the first Native American composer to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music, with a Present Music commission Voiceless Mass. He returns to St. John’s Cathedral this year with an older work, Owl Song. Perennial favorite soprano Ariadne Greif sings an Aaron Jay Kernis work Simple Songs, based upon texts from the Book of Psalms, 12th century abbess Hildegarde von Bingen, the Japanese Zen master Ryokan, and the Sufi poet Rumi. Milwaukee's own Brian Packham offers a World Premiere written especially for this occasion, to be conducted by Co-Artistic Director David Bloom, and The Bucks Native American Singing and Drumming Group continue to raise the roof with their traditional music.

SIMPLE SONGS is sponsored by Ellen & Joe Checota. Brian Packham’s new work is commissioned for Present Music by The Two Sisters.