Columbus State University’s Schwob School of Music and the Fort Benning Maneuver Center for Excellence Band will present a patriotic performance Sunday to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
Paul Hostetter, the Ethel Foley Distinguished Chair for Orchestral Activities at CSU, is the chairman of the committee that planned the concert.
He was in New York City 10 years ago when the attacks happened and clearly remembers the devastation. Hostetter goes to New York often but said he always is always shocked at how different the skyline is without the Twin Towers.
Former Schwob School of Music director Fred Cohen first thought of the idea of the year’s concert, Hostetter said. Cohen worked with Candy Wojdakowski (the wife of former Fort Benning commanding general) to get the U.S. Army Band involved.
Interim director Ron Wirt revived the concert idea at the end of May, and a large committee has been working to implement the idea ever since.
Now, the Columbus State University Wind Orchestra, the CSU Concert Chorale, CSU String Quartet (students Diego Gabete and Jing Yang, violins; Aleksander Jacopanee, viola; Marko Miletic, cello) and the Maneuver Center of Excellence Band, will take part in the concert.
“We put together a program in the end that is uplifting and full of hope,” Hostetter said. “We chose pieces that are traditionally chosen for reflection and hope.
“Everyone remembers where we were that day.”
Hostetter also thought it was important to build on the partnership between the Schwob School and Fort Benning.
“9/11 was a sad day for all of us,” he said. “I think perhaps we were more united after that day.”
The concert’s master of ceremonies will be CSU president Timothy Mescon.
Each piece that will be performed will be introduced by speakers from the community, include Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson (“Dawn”), former Fort Benning commanding general Maj. Gen. Walter Wojdakowski (“The Event”), commandant of the U.S. Army Infantry and the Infantry School Col. Walt Piatt (“Reaction”), Civil Rights activist Lilian “Bunky” McClung Clark (“Reflection”) and CSU political science professor Thomas Dolan (“Hope”).
“I believe it is going to be a beautiful event,” Hostetter said.
