Ruiter-Feenstra composed Peacemakers as an antidote to hate speech and actions of today. Intrigued with the public, powerful, peaceful potential that carillons have to lift up the historically and currently marginalized voices of global sisters and brothers, she works through the arts in compositions such as Peacemakers to mentor children to learn how to speak and act with integrity. Standing up against injustices, speaking up to advocate for rights for those disenfranchised, and modeling the power of compassion, beauty, kindness, and peacemaking for tomorrow's leaders are of vital importance to her. Peacemakers is dedicated to the inspiring and indefatigable Tiffany Ng, cherished colleague, mentor, and friend. Dr. Ng, a trailblazing peacemaking activist, recently received the prestigious Shirley Verrett Award at the University of Michigan "for her significant contributions in teaching, performance, scholarship, and service that supports the success of women in the arts from diverse cultural and racial backgrounds."

While committed to offering much-needed diversity in carillon repertoire, Ruiter-Feenstra also embraces classical and jazz roots in her compositions. Peacemakers was inspired in part by Chopin's Nocturne, Op. 27, No. 1, in which the composer introduces open fifths. The ear naturally fills in a major third, but Chopin surprises the listener with a minor third. After having had aural expectations dashed, the listener settles into accepting a minor mode. But then, Chopin introduces a major third, and proceeds to vacillate between the major and minor modes. This modal ambiguity speaks to life's unexpected struggles and brokenness, often followed by surprising moments of beauty or grace. While Chopin's obscured modes were major and minor, the modes in Peacemakers are Aeolian and Phrygian on e and a. Encircling the Golden mean (61.8%) of the piece is a newly composed "hymn" that grounds the harmony briefly in C major (Ionian) and gives the harmonic, homophonic relief to the texture similarly to Bach's placement of chorales in his cantatas. Soon enough, the hymn slides back to open fifths to bookend with the opening. The effect created by this modal shifting is one of yearning, in this case, yearning for peace, and for peacemakers in the world.

—Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra