Link to Swedish version
Do you have a dream…?
That’s how it all began—a question from STIM about creating music, still unexplored.
Yes, we had a dream—but rather, in our fragmented and fast-paced time, to lift up what has already been deeply explored and repeated over centuries, in country after country, in language after language:
The Church’s Credo.
To bring its articles of faith to life as an ongoing event.
We sought—and we received a yes. A church musical dream can become reality.
In addition to the Swedish text the work will be given an English form, while incorporating its Latin formulations, so that it becomes even clearer how we share faith across national borders and traditions. Yes, even across time, since we do not alter the content—only add the possibilities of our own era in both musical expression and, for those who wish, the use of light and sound, as well as the option to record and share it digitally.
A JOINT WORLD PREMIERE – AUTUMN 2027
The goal is a joint premiere in autumn 2027, as far as possible during the same weekend or close in time, in multiple churches. These should be located in different countries and represent various denominations, with each church adapting the performance to its own conditions so that diversity is given space.
What does each church contribute?
Funding from STIM will cover costs related to the production of the work, including digital tools/visual presentations. The church that wishes to perform the work will cover the costs of the concert itself, such as venue, choir, soloists and instrumentalists, to a chosen extent.
Timeline
2026 – Work on the music, contacts and networking
Spring 2027 – Scores finalized for distribution, concerts confirmed
Autumn 2027 – Premiere in multiple locations simultaneously
Would your church like to be one of them?
Please feel free to contact us, and we will tell you more.
You will find our details below, along with more information about how we work with music and text. You are, of course, also welcome to share this with other churches you think might want to be part of the project.
Stefan Klaverdal, musician
Åsa Hagberg, writer
To download: Flyer, Presentation
ABOUT THE MUSIC
Stefan Klaverdal – Composer and musician with extensive experience in choral music, both as a singer and conductor. His compositions include the oratorio “At the Gate”, written for the 900th anniversary of Lund Cathedral, where all parish choirs also participated in the compositional process. Simpler music examples are included in the proposal for a new hymnal. In 2025, he was awarded the Church of Sweden Cultural Scholarship.
“My vision for the music is a level where the vocal performance corresponds to that of an oratorio or mixed choir, with the addition of soloists. The work features figures such as the Evangelist John and Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Depending on available resources, the music can be performed by a smaller orchestra—such as wind instruments, organ, and strings—with the option of just a string quartet or organ, as well as optional speakers. Light design can also be integrated into the music to further enhance the drama unfolding throughout the work.”
www.stefanklaverdal.se, stefan@stefanklaverdal.se, +46702620999
ABOUT THE TEXT
Åsa Hagberg – Author and hymn writer with many years of broad textual production, most of it within church music in collaboration with several composers. Her work ranges from oratorios—such as “If God Were to Walk the Earth” (music by Sofia Östling), included in the Church Music Symposium 2026—to simpler hymn texts. She has 11 texts in the Church of Sweden’s new hymnal proposal, as well as two texts in the Norwegian hymn renewal. She is a multiple recipient of the Anders Frostenson Scholarship.
“The aim of the text has been to illuminate the CREDO in a living present, so that what the confession expresses connects with God’s ‘I Am.’ Creation, the Word, the incarnation, crucifixion, descent and resurrection—all take place in the present moment, as does the wind of the Spirit and the birth of the Church, the hope of eternity. The text incorporates phrases from both the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, as well as biblical passages, for our shared recognition.”
www.asahagbeg.se, asahagbe@gmail.com, +46705274398
Samples of the text
From the three parts I collect some samples of the text – divided in God / choir to illuminate the conversation between visible and invisible, sacred and human. Not that any choir singers have the role of being God in the work, but the voice of God is reproduced through their voices and the music that surrounds them. Roles appear only in parts II and III, in the human, such as the evangelist John and Mary.
The text is still in process, open for changes.
From Part I: I AM – CREATOR – THE FATHER
Out of silence, the introduction rises from the fundamental note that carries eternity. Tone by tone, first in the invisible, before the visible emerges.
(… the uprising Beginning …)
I AM/In heaven, oh, in heaven …
/Holy, holy, holy
Am light/Holy, holy, holy
Am life/Holy, holy, holy
Am light, am life/Are light, are life
in heaven/in heaven
AND ON EARTH./and on earth.
LET THERE BE LIGHT …
Let stars be spread in every sight,/Stars are spread in every sight,
and let the sun be shining bright./see, the sun is shining bright,
Let chaos darkness vanish. /chaos darkness vanish,
Let there be light./there is light.
LET THERE BE TIME …
Give sun and moon their switching light,/Sun and moon in switching light,
to warm the day and guard the night./warm the day and guard the night,
Let years be born unbounded./years are born unbounded,
Let there be time./there is time.
LET THERE BE LIFE
Let life, aboundant, fill the see,/Life, aboundant, fills the see,
the earth bring forth its plants to be,/earth is bringing plants to be,
may trees and meadows flourish./trees and meadows flourish.
The life of swarming bees and birds,/Life of swarming bees and birds
and all the creatures on the earth,/all the creatures on the earth,
I give to love and cherish./ gifts to love and cherish.
In promise of salvation./Promise of salvation,
LET THERE BE LIFE/there is life.
I AM THE FATHER
Am light …/Holy, holy, holy
Am life …/Holy, holy, holy
The Word …/ Holy, holy, holy
…
From Part II: THE WORD – Only Begotten Son – Saviour
St John: The words come to me,
the strongest, most precious, tender,
oh, let me tell the unspeakable,
describe the invisible
when still, the world is darkened.
If I only could
express the sacred untouchable
WORD
born before all time,
until the day had come. / Had come? For what?
The Word
wich is God, is life, is light
was incarnated on earth. / How could it be?
/How can Omnipotence be caught in time?
/How can the Creator be created?
Not created. / Who can believe such things?
The virgin shall bear a son.
Mary: I am the virgin,
who believed the impossible,
was filled / Oh, blessed Mary …
with Holy Spirit …/ Holy, holy, holy
/Holy, holy, holy
/Holy, holy, holy
… bore him,
gave him birth …/ Oh, Virgin Mary.
wrapped him in cloths, placed him in a manger.
The Saviour of the world
was named like a man,
Jesus Christ
/So tender on the earth!
/So pityful, defenseless!
/Behold, the swords of the soldiers!
/The power of the warriors!
/How they gather in fury!
/See, the power of darkness as it wells up
/from a bottomless depth.
Mary: See, how small he is,/ See, how small he is!
protected by angels./ What can he do?
The Light in our darkness./ Who can believe
Such a God/ such a God?
I can give my trust,
God with us.
St John: We saw and believed,
as he had grown up,
we saw his signs.
(… suffering, crucified, buried, resurrected …)
I AM
… am life
… am light
ALLMIGHTY
in heaven and on earth
life and death/ The keys are in his hands.
I AM
THE SON/ The Son of Man.
Who was,
who is/ Ascended into heaven.
and is to come.
I AM/ The right hand of the Father.
( … the judgement … choral)
From Part III: The SPIRIT – the church – credo
Come, all you who are thirsty!
Come to drink!
The well is overflowing,
rivers of living water.
Come, all you who are hungry!
Come to eat!
The fruit is aboundant on the trees,
the fields are ripe for harvest,
the bread fresh from the oven.
Come, where the well has its vein,
water turns into wine,
to the living bread.
/Flames from heaven,
St John: came into our prayers / in the prayers of the apostles,
Mary: came into our singing / the song of Mary (or Magnificat).
/So, the church is born,
/the split can be healed,
/courage get voice and words,
/all our fading flames
/flare up again,
/our praises ascend, so pure
/like when they were sung the first time,
/the gentle whisper
/of the first, untouched dawn.
/God … is … here.
I AM / You are
THE SPIRIT / Holy, holy, holy
Am light …/ Holy, holy, holy
Am life …/ Holy, holy, holy
ALLMIGHTY / Allmighty
(… the Church, eternal life …)
/Oh, Father, Son and Spirit,
/your breeze through space and time
/makes ending a beginning,
/the Word of sacred rhyme.
/The song that never ceases,
/you gave its tone and birth,
/eternal is your glory
/in heaven and on earth.
Amen / Amen.
© Text: Åsa Hagberg