MASSREMEMBERS - Voices of Hope - Sunday, September 11, 2011
The City of Worcester will host a statewide commemorative choral event - Mass Remembers: Voices of Hope - honoring those who lost their lives, sacrificed and responded to the tragedy of September 11, 2001, on Sunday, September 11th at 2 p.m. at Institute Park, 140 Salisbury Street, Worcester. Professional, community and children's choruses from across the Commonwealth will gather with fire, police, service personnel, families, friends, and members of the community to join together in song.
The goal is to raise 1,000 voices in song for the tribute and memorial. Participating choruses include the Assabet Valley Master Singers, Blackstone Valley Community Chorus, Master Singers of Worcester, Nashoba Valley Chorale, Salisbury Singers, Sounds of Stow, Worcester Chorus, in addition to choral students from Assumption College, Clark University, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and the Worcester Public Schools. Participating church choirs include All Saints Church, Worcester; Epworth Methodist Church, Worcester; Wesley Methodist Church, Worcester; Shrewsbury Congregational Church; First Unitarian Church, Worcester; Unitarian Church, Framingham; and Unitarian Church, Concord.
No official speaking program is planned; however, all 221 names of the victims from Massachusetts will be read as part of the ceremony.
The choral program will begin with "How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place" from Brahms' "German Requiem," "In Remembrance" from Eleanor Daley's "Requiem," and "Alleluia" by Randall Thompson. Michelle Graveline, music director of the Salisbury Singers, and Malcolm Halliday, artistic director of the Master Singers of Worcester, will conduct. Then, John Delorey, director of choral music at WPI, will conduct singers in a rendition of "Ubi caritas" by Paul Halley. Students from the Worcester Public Schools will perform "American Tears" by Teresa Jennings, and the event will conclude with all singers and the audience being invited to sing "America the Beautiful." Mass Remembers: Voices of Hope is FREE and open to the public. The public is encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs.
