SRU schedules Sept. 11, 2001 remembrance recital

SRU’s Flight 93 Memorial honors the passengers who died Sept. 11, 2001, onboard a hijacked plane that crashed in Somerset County. SRU will remember all the victims of 9/11 during a recital at 4 p.m., Sept. 11, in Swope Recital Hall.

Sept. 8, 2016

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - As the nation marks the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks against the U.S., Slippery Rock University will honor those who lost their lives with the recital "9/11 ¬¬- Remembering the Victims...Expressing Hope for Peace" at 4 p.m., Sept. 11 in Swope Recital Hall.

Music faculty, alumni and students will present music that was written for flute, including premieres of two compositions, with piano, percussion, dance and narration accompaniment. The program includes eight pieces.

"I will not be stopping to talk about the pieces or provide commentary during this recital," said Kathleen Melago, associate professor of music and program director. "We would prefer to allow the composers' program notes and the music to provide the audience with the opportunity to stop and reflect on the events of 9/11 in the way each person is individually affected by the music."

The 9/11 attacks were a series of four terrorist strikes that killed 2,996 people in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania; injured more than 6,000; and caused $10 billion in property damage according to a 2014 report from The Institute for the Analysis of Global Security.

In 2009, Congress designated September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. Additionally, a moment of silence is observed to correspond with the attacks, beginning at 8:46 a.m., the time the first plane, American Airlines Flight 11, struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

The lasting impact of the tragedy prompted two SRU musicians to compose music for the recital. Steven Barr, assistant professor of music, wrote "Prayer and Elergy." Melago and Cassandra Eisenreich, instructor of music, will perform the piece on flute, accompanied on piano by Michele Bonnici, a 1992 music performance graduate.

Chase Upchurch, an SRU music education and music therapy major from Titusville, composed "Portraits from the Rubble," a flute and piano duet. Melago and Bonnici will perform the composition. High school dancers - Madison Kish and Nicole Laverdure from Slippery Rock Area High School - will accompany them.

"Inspired by actual events, the score, with the addition of dance, leads the audience from a tranquil city, peacefully awakened out of slumber, to an electric commute to work," Upchurch said in his program notes. "From there, we see the methodic laboring of another routine workday at the Twin Towers, and finally, the chaos and absolute tragedy that ensued thereafter."

Also performing will be David Glover, associate professor of music, on percussion; Jonathan Helmick, assistant professor of music, on euphonium; Phil VanOuse, instructor of music, on tuba; Christopher Scott, assistant professor of music, will provide narration; Stacey Steele, professor emerita of music, on flute; Mike Zech, a 2016 music education graduate, on tuba; Tracy Glass, a 1994 music education graduate, on flute; and Travis Scott, who is completing his doctorate at Michigan State University, who is a well known euphonium player.

The recital will begin with "A Fond Farewell: Meditations on September 11," by Gary Schocker, who composed the collection of three meditations within a week of the attacks, while living in New York. The second piece is entitled, "A Heart for New York, Op. 78," by Ivan Shekov, a Bulgarian composer.

Upchurch's "Portraits from the Rubble" will follow. It includes five movements: "A Tranquil City: New York City 7 a.m. September 11, 2001;" "The Commute to Work: Parting Ways 8 a.m."; "Just a Normal Day at Work: in the Towers: 8:30 a.m."; "Chaos in New York: The Attacks 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m."; and "Tomorrow is a New Day: A Tribute to the Fallen and a Vision of Hope."

Melago and Eisenreich will perform "Amor Perdido (Lost Love)," by Christopher Caliendo, a guitarist and professional composer. Barr's "Prayer and Elegy" will follow.

Melago, Scott, Helmick, Zech and VanOuse will then perform "Threnody, Op. 41" by composer and musician Neal Corwell

The recital will close with "Soliloquy" written by Jake Heggie, the American opera composer, and will be performed by Melago and Bonnici; and "Poem of Innocence" by pianist Wendy Loomis, as arranged by Monica Williams, a music teacher from California. Melago, Steele, Glass, Eisenreich, Glover, Scott and Bonnici will perform the piece.

The recital is free and open to the public. A reception will follow in the Swope lobby.

MEDIA CONTACT: Gordon Ovenshine | 724.738.4854 | gordon.ovenshine@sru.edu