Soprano to offer hope to nation

PRINCETON, N.J. - Marisa Maupin, daughter of Teresa and Daniel Maupin of Lancaster, will be heard in a nationally broadcast radio program commemorating the events of Sept. 11.

A graduate of Quartz Hill High School, Marisa is a student at Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, N.J., and a member of the 40-voice Westminster Choir, which performs in a program titled, "In the Shadow of the Towers."

A one-hour program of music and readings, "In the Shadow of the Towers" unites the power of words and music to offer solace and hope to the listeners.

The program features music performed by the Westminster Choir, conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt, and texts read by President George W. Bush, former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and PRI radio hosts Bill McGlaughlin and Ellen Kushner.

The music includes choral masterpieces such as the "23rd Psalm" from Leonard Bernstein's "Chichester Psalms" and Robert Shaw's arrangement of "Wondrous Love."

A highlight will be a performance of Arnold Schoenberg's "Friede auf Erden" (Peace on Earth), one of the most demanding works in choral literature.

The program will be broadcast nationally through the PRI radio network. While many stations plan to broadcast it today, broadcast dates and times may vary according to the station.

"The events of Sept. 11, 2001, touched the lives of all Americans in profound and indescribable ways. For many, in the days following the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, music served as a way to express the inexpressible and to find solace in the midst of great despair," said Robert L. Annis, dean of Westminster Choir College of Rider University, the home of the Westminster Choir.

"It is especially fitting that Westminster's choirs participate in this special broadcast since they are composed of college students who are dedicating their lives to music. They represent our nation's continued hope for a bright future with lasting peace," said Annis.

Uploaded September 11, 2002