Chamber and choir music may not be burning up the Top 40 charts these days, but leave it to Henry Brant to make a believer out of the staunchest naysayers.

The Pulitzer Prize winning composer is working in conjunction with Present Music for the production of "Wind, Water, Clouds & Fire," appearing Friday and Sunday at The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, 812 N. Jackson St. The show is a scathingly ambitious and exciting work that finds the Present Music Ensemble working with a diverse cast of musical acts from in and around the Milwaukee area, including the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Milwaukee Choral Artists, and the Bucks American Indian Drumming and Singing Group.

"We went out and approached as many groups as possible," said Kevin Stalheim, founder and artistic director of Present Music. "I talked to Henry about what he wanted to do, and his concept was to have high voices combined with high instruments. We understood what he was going for and we tried to get what we could manage. I had good relationships with many of the city's musical organizations, including the Milwaukee Women's Choir, the Milwaukee Children's Choir and many others. We just tried to put together the best variety of amateur and professional musicians we could find to help carry out Henry's vision."

"Wind, Water, Clouds & Fire" is being hyped as Present Music's biggest and most elaborate performance to date. But Brant, 92, has always been the subject of awe and anticipation in most every project he aligns himself with.

Widely regarded as the innovator of "spatial music," a form in which the placement and arrangement of musicians in a hall drives the performance, Brant is classical music's most endearing and groundbreaking iconoclast. He may not have burned his guitar at the first Woodstock, nor did he appear on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Strictly in terms of challenging the status quo and breaking down boundaries, Brant could step toe to toe with Hendrix, The Beatles or anyone else who has ever smashed the paradigm. According to Stalheim, the collaboration with the seasoned composer was years in the making.

"I first heard Henry's music when he visited my college while I was an undergraduate in 1974," he said. "That performance made a big impression on me. The music was very spatial, which I really gravitated toward. I loved the arrangements and the way in which he tried to push his sound forward. We've tried to put stuff together in the past but it never happened. Then one day I ran into him again and he said he was staying in Milwaukee for a bit to visit a relative, and we just jumped at the opportunity to collaborate."

The performance is being held at The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, a departure away from more traditional concert venues. The choice of location, according to Present Music organizers, carried practical and symbolic implications.

"We choose the venues based on the performance needs," said Misty Randall, director of development and marketing for Present Music. "This piece was composed specifically for St. John's Cathedral. The participating performing groups will be positioned all around the cathedral, producing a sort of spatial oratorio for the listener. The music will produce an amazing effect as the music encircles you."

Stalheim said that the decision to host the event at the cathedral was also spiritually motivated.

"We've been holding events here at St. John's for years," he said. "I think it's natural for events like these to lean toward spirituality. It's not about being Jewish, or Catholic, or whatever, but more just about that need people have to connect on a spiritual level."

Present Music will also be working in conjunction with the Hunger Task Force to put together a Thanksgiving food drive before both performances this weekend. The company has been orchestrating the food drive annually for the past eight years as a means of supporting the local community.

"Sadly, many people in our community go without food," Randall said. "It's important to give back to the community that embraces us."

Expectations and anticipation are running high for the performance. Stalheim hopes that "Wind, Water, Clouds, & Fire" will help further Present Music's commitment toward providing the city of Milwaukee with quality music that is both exciting and outside the box.

"We're always looking to put together and produce new music," Stalheim said. "We're adventurous, and we look to connect with adventurous-minded people. I think the trick is to make things exciting and different without forcing it down the audience's throat. And it's not just about music, but for anyone looking for discovery."

Henry Brant's "Wind, Water, Clouds & Fire" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Sunday at The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, 812 N. Jackson St. A pre-concert chat wit Brant will be held from 3 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday. More information is available by calling 271-0711 or at www.presentmusic.org.