In Sunday’s (9/11) Des Moines Register, Michael Morain writes about the power of music to reach beyond what words can express, in this case regarding 9/11. “That’s why dozens of memorial concerts are taking place this weekend in Iowa and across the country. ‘One of the really wonderful things about music is that it allows individuals and groups of people to go to places that are beyond what words can make possible,’ said Jesse Rosen, president of the League of American Orchestras. ‘The orchestras are not engaging in the questions: What does this mean for America? What have we learned? Where do we go next? It’s for the listeners to bring their own experiences into the concert setting and take from it whatever they will.’ ” The article goes on to discuss local performances marking the anniversary: “Next weekend [conductor Joseph Giunta] will lead the Des Moines Symphony through John Williams’ ‘Liberty Fanfare,’ Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and parts of Copland’s 1954 opera ‘The Tender Land,’ which takes on new meaning now. … Musical tributes during the immediate aftermath were different than they are today, said Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony music director Jason Weinberger, whose first performance with the group was a 9/11 anniversary concert in 2002. His orchestra will share the stage this afternoon with a local choir, a chamber ensemble and a group of actors.”
Posted September 12, 2011
