Chant Claire Chamber Choir to Feature Wisconsin Composers on Upcoming Concert

MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- Chant Claire Chamber Choir, a local choir comprising singers from across the Milwaukee area, announced that its spring concert will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 18th at the Alverno College Chapel.

The repertoire for the concert is all music by composers that are from, reside in or were educated in Wisconsin. Some of the featured composers are seasoned veterans in their field and have been commissioned to write pieces for major events, while others are just embarking on their careers and are already touching the lives of others through their music.

“Since we started Chant Claire in 2013, I’ve had the idea of an all-Wisconsin themed concert in mind,” said Benjamin Bedroske, Director of Chant Claire Chamber Choir. “This is a great chance for us to bring more exposure to composers from our home state and to introduce our audience to some new choral music that they wouldn’t typically otherwise have a chance to hear.”

The name for the concert is “Where the Waters Gather,” a rough translation of “Wisconsin” from the Ojibwa language.

“The name is really fitting because there are so many different textual themes and musical styles flowing together that are included in this concert, and the single unifying theme is that they are all Wisconsin pieces,” Bedroske explained.

Included in the repertoire for the concert are pieces by Bedroske, Bach Chamber Choir director Brian McLinden, UW-Oshkosh professor Eric Barnum, former UW-Eau Claire professor Ethan Wickman and many more. The choir will also perform two a cappella arrangements of songs by indie band Bon Iver (“For Emma,” “Woods”).

Admission to the concert is free with general admission seating, but there will be the opportunity to giv ea voluntary cash or check donation. All donations go toward paying for the choir’s music, rehearsal and performance venues, accompanying musicians and other expenses.

“We were ecstatic with the response to our December concert at the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center, so we’re really looking to performing once again,” Bedroske said. “We can’t wait to make music for our audience and to honor our fellow Wisconsin musicians.”

Alverno College is located at 3400 S. 43rd St. in MIlwaukee, Wisconsin, though the easiest access to the chapel is off of 35th St.

For more information about Chant Claire, visit its website at www.chantclaire.org or connect with the choir on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/chantclaire.