WHS 9/11 Memorial Concert Urged Reflection and Connection

It was a switch for Camerata, Wissahickon High School’s premier choral group. Instead of singing, group members spoke during most of the 9/11 memorial concert and vigil Monday at WHS. 

Since 2002, Camerata has hosted an annual memorial concert and vigil.

"It is a means for the community to reflect, remember, educate and connect,” said John Conahan, the school's director of choral and theater activities.

Conahan thoughtfully weaved the program together, as he has a history of doing at WHS.

Local police, fire, EMS and township officials were recognized.

Then, Camerata and the audience sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Tyler Sherman read “Vigils” from The Methods of Nonviolent Protest and Persuasion. A protest may be short-lived. A vigil “is like a picket for a long time with solemn or religious” roots. It may last hours, or longer,” read Sherman.

Other Camerata members read poems, excerpts from essays and articles about our country discussing who collectively makes up America, war, hate crimes against people of Middle Eastern descent and harmlessness.

Other readings focused on 9/11 events: 

• Former President George W. Bush’s first public response after the attacks
• A Miami Herald article by Leonard Pitts Jr. about American being a “quarrelsome family, but family nonetheless, that would rise up with steely resolve”
• A detailed chronology of events that sunny but terrifying morning
• A 7-year-old New Yorker’s account of being home from school that day with her parents and seeing buildings burn from their window
• “Victims Fight Back”

Some audience members wiped away tears as the slideshow's photos of hurt, confusion and death and destruction jogged minds and touched hearts.

But Camerata and its special guests wanted the audience to focus on strength and connection.

Gina Kaz played a grand piano and sang with her Sarah MacLachlan-like voice, “Give me the strength to live …” from her album, For You. National and international independent film makers are using the local artist’s music.

Father John Collins, Gwynedd Mercy College’s chaplain, was in New York City for 9/11. He said he was not dressed in a way that would identify him as a minister, but went to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Greenwich Village to comfort the wounded. 

A rabbi came up to Collins in a large room filled with ministers, rabbis and imams. He put his hands on Collins's cheeks, not knowing he was also a man of the cloth.

“He was looking right at me, and spoke words of blessing, a word of God, from his heart. I didn’t say a word. I just took it in. It filled me with hope,” Collins said.

“The great divides that compartmentalize people into silos were bridged,” he said.  

In St. Vincent’s, Collins also saw the “power of family members remembering how much they meant to each other,” as they were reunited after the anguish of wondering if the loved one was alive.

Grace and courage were qualities Collins saw in people that day, in light of the fear they faced.

He urged audience members to "have profound respect for what everyone brings, whether urban or suburban, rich or poor, religious or not, Christian or Jew, Jew or Muslim, Muslim or Christian.” 

On that hospital floor on Sept. 11, 2001, Collins saw “people were aware of the dignity of other humans, and of our interdependence.” 

Afterwards, “Death Be Not Proud,” and “Peace,” an excerpt from “If We Listen Well” by Edward Guinan were read.

Near the end of the concert, Lizanne Knott sang “Angels” from her Under the Burning Sky album.

Camerata and the audience closed their time together by singing “God Bless America.”

Collins captured the spirit of the night by saying, “May we have listening hearts to receive kindness. Listen well. Learn from each other so we will have peace and unity that will inspire us to live as one nation. “E pluribus Unum."

Out of many, one.