Endorsed by:

Sir David Willcocks
  
Former Director of Music
King's College, Cambridge
  
Former Director
Royal College of Music

John Alexander
  
Artistic Director
Pacific Chorale
  
Former President
Chorus America

Tom Hall
  
Music Director
Baltimore Choral Arts Society
  
Former President
Chorus America

Sondra Harnes
  
Founder and Artistic Director
World Children's Choir

Alice Parker
  
Artistic Director
Melodious Accord

Duain Wolfe
  
Past Chairman
Chorus America
  
Chorus Director
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
  
Chorus Director
Colorado Symphony Orchestra

“There have been very few periods during my lifetime when there hasn’t been a war somewhere… and at this very moment our thoughts are with all those in regions of the earth who are engaged in conflict.  I think we have to pray as never before for peace to settle as we sing Dona Nobis Pacem”

Sir David Willcocks
Vancouver, B.C., July 2006

UPDATE FOR 2009:

There have been many questions about whether Song of Peace events are taking place in March 2009. As the project was always intended to mark a specific moment in time (March 2008), there is no official Song of Peace coordination for 2009. HOWEVER, many people who participated in 2008 have mentioned that they are planning similar events for March 2009, and many people who were unaware of the project in 2008 have decided to do something along the same lines in 2009.

What this means is that there is a community of people who are continuing the project in March 2009, but without a centralized listing of events on this site. All the people who are planning projects for 2009 feel strongly that the message of Song of Peace is as important and relevant this year as it was a year ago, and that if anyone who is so inspired creates an event on their own and continues to use the spirit of the project to get people to raise their voices in songs for peace, an impact can still be made - whether on a small or big scale.

If you do participate in an event in March 2009, please feel free to send post-concert reports or photos which can be added to the comments section of this site. If you are interested in seeing whether a group that participated last year is planning anything again this year, please visit the group's website using the links from the 2008 performances page.

Thank you for your interest in Song of Peace!

INFORMATION FROM 2008:

Background:
From international military offensives to ethnically motivated killings to gang warfare, our world is full of violence – every day.  Simply to wish that things were different is not enough to make them so.  This project seeks to bring thousands – or even millions – of voices together to proclaim loudly that peace in our world is of fundamental importance, during the month which marks the fifth anniversary of the US entering Iraq: March 2008.

This campaign is not, however, focused solely on Iraq - it is a plea for the people affected by violence in Burma, Darfur, Afghanistan, Congo, Palestine, the streets of many American inner cities – and so many other places around the world.

The Project:
Music is a powerful force.  It can inspire, fill with joy and awe, and move hearts.  Music can also warn and plead, and it can lament.  Music – and indeed all art – that aspires to something greater than mere beauty has always made a great impression, and can be a voice of warning or commemoration in society. In March 2008, we are seeking to create an international musical appeal for peace, using words that have been sung for centuries: Dona Nobis Pacem - Grant Us Peace, or a call for peace in another language.

How to Participate:
Program one or more “Dona Nobis Pacem” works, or works with other texts that explicitly ask for peace, on a new or already-scheduled concert in March 2008.  Inform the organizers of the date, program, participants and location of your performance.  Performances can also be informal – e.g. gathering a group of singers to perform in a park, public square, or other non-traditional venue.  We also welcome non-performers who would like to help with the project.

How We Will Help:
The goal is to make this an international project, with participation across all 50 states and in multiple countries.  The “Song of Peace” organizers will publicize the events and communicate with the media about the project as a whole.  The more concrete data about the numbers of people and locales involved that we have, the more public attention we will be able to obtain.  We will maintain as comprehensive a listing of the Dona Nobis Pacem performances as possible, help connect people who are trying to find a performance or looking for performers, and suggest suitable works.

Questions, Contact, More Info:
Please contact info@SongOfPeace.org with questions or suggestions.