St. Louis, Missouri, Peloquin unveiled the first English High Mass ever sung in the United States. This event elevated Peloquin to national prominence as one of the few classically trained composers inspired by the reforms set out in the Second Vatican Council. 1968 – After the April assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Peloquin collaborated with poet Thomas Merton on his composition "Four Freedom Songs", in honor of Dr. King. The work was first performed at Ebenezer Baptist Church, just months after King was slain. 1979 – Peloquin conducted a choir of 300 for a Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II in Chicago's Grant Park (Chicago). This Mass was attended by 1.5 million people. During the Pope's visit in America at this time, Peloquin's music was performed at every Mass on the Pope's itinerary. 1980 – Dave Brubeck selected Peloquin and the Peloquin Chorale to premier his Mass To Hope! A Celebration, (formally known as To Hope! A Mass for a New Decade) in celebration of his conversion to Catholicism. Peloquin died February 27, 1997, at the Bethany Home in Providence, Rhode Island, from the effects of a stroke he suffered on February 12 of the same year. Music Peloquin wrote more than 150 scores. Most of his music is written for SATB choir and soloists as well as for women's voices (SSA), men's voices (3 parts) and involves a combination of piano, organ and orchestra. Peloquin also made a point of composing melodies with simple refrains to encourage participation of the congregation. "A lot of religious music today is boring," he once said, "and I don't think worship calls us to boredom." His music combines traditional music written for the church with elements of Gregorian chant, jazz-like rhythms and harmonies reminiscent of George Gershwin, Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein. Alex was also interested in incorporating syncopated rhythms into several of his compositions. An example of this can be found in his Lord of Life Mass commissioned by Terence Cardinal Cooke Archbishop of New York in 1980. Titled "People Matter" the composition is an arrangement based on a hymn by Dutch composer Fred Kaan (1929–2009). It is intended to be performed during Offertory and it begins with the syncopated rhythms of percussion and double bass where after two measures the altos are joined by trumpet "con sordino". Many of his compositions were in response to commissions from churches, universities