Since Easter, Dr. Herman DeHoog has felt impelled to take part in an event that would honor the memory of those who died in the World Trade Center attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
“I asked everybody I could think of who might have a line on something happening for the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and didn’t get anything other than some individual church events,” said the music educator.
So he decided to mobilize his own tribute.
DeHoog is organizing a 10th anniversary concert, with a nondenominational mass choir, to take place the evening of Sept. 11 at First Cumberland Presbyterian Church on North Moore Road. It will be a memorial to those who died on 9/11 as well as a tribute to local first responders and their families.
The clinician and music professor retired to Chattanooga after having taught at universities in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and New York. In order to reach local singers, DeHoog formed a steering committee with Dr. Ron Starnes, Brainerd United Methodist Church music director; David Long, director of the Bach Choir; Mary Lynn Wilson, CSO chorus director’s assistant and member of the Roueche Chorale; and organist Bruce Clark.
Rehearsal ScheduleDr. Herman DeHoog welcomes any experienced vocalist to sing in the community chorus for the 9/11 memorial concert. Rehearsals will be held Sundays, Aug. 14, 21 and 28 at 3:30 p.m., and Tuesdays, Aug. 16, 23 and 30, at 7 p.m. at First Cumberland Presbyterian Church on North Moore Road. Participants must attend at least four of these six rehearsals. Dress rehearsal will be Sept. 8. For more information, email DeHoog at line2doc@comcast.net or call 893-7312.
DeHoog said he has since learned the fire and police departments are planning a parade the afternoon of Sept. 11. The memorial concert was scheduled for the evening of Sept. 11 so as not to detract from the first responders’ event.
DeHoog said the concert’s audience will join the choir in “God of our Fathers” to open the service. A bagpiper from Chattanooga Pipe Band will pipe in an honor guard before the congregation joins in singing “Amazing Grace.”
“It will be a memorial service so it will have religious overtones,” said DeHoog. “It will be respectful to the memory of all fallen responders. We definitely want to encourage families of first responders to be there, too. We’d like to recognize them for what they have to deal with.”
The concert highlight will be the presentation of Randall Thompson’s “The Testament of Freedom.”
Long said the Thompson work is based on texts written by Thomas Jefferson. The community choir will sing three of its four movements.
“It was composed in honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Jefferson,” said Long. “It opens with ‘the God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time; the hand of force may destroy but cannot disjoin them.'”
DeHoog said the text also speaks of “a people attacked by unprovoked enemies,” which he found appropriate for this memorial.
DeHoog said he plans to contact pastors from across the city to participate in the memorial’s liturgy.
“I think this is a significant anniversary of the event,” said Wilson, who is singing in the community choir.
“It’s important to honor the families of those who are first responders, but also remind ourselves there are those who are guarding our freedom and sometimes paying a heavy price for it.”