Seattle Symphony Chorale  “Music Without Limits”

                        George Halverson Fiore, Associate Chorale Director

 

 

 

May 19, 2002

 

 

 

Dear Choir/Chorale:

 

Imagine on September 11, 2002, a world standing together to remember.   Humanity gathered for a moment in time, to lift up its voice in song, in prayer, in honor of those who perished one year ago.  We, the members of the Seattle Symphony Chorale, have made it our goal to remember those now gone and to embrace those left behind in a great worldwide vision on the first anniversary of 9-11.  We wish to honor those who perished that day, with a commemorative performance of Mozart's Requiem – a performance that will soar around the world – a Rolling Requiem.  We hope you will accept this invitation to join us.

 

Picture Mozart's Requiem ringing out around the Earth.  The melody begins west of the International Dateline in New Zealand and the Philippines.  It crosses the ocean to Japan, Siberia and China.  This swelling tribute flows on to Africa, India and Italy.  It soars across another ocean and touches Brazil, Guatemala and New York.  Then, visualize it moving across North and South America, and on through islands in the Pacific, as it completes its circle.  Across each country and around the world, humanity gathers to bring healing to those so deeply affected by the losses of September 11th.

 

The Invitation

The Seattle Symphony Chorale invites your choir to join other choirs in every time zone to perform Mozart's Requiem on Wednesday, September 11, 2002, at 8:46 AM, the time of the first attack on the World Trade Center.  Your voices will unite with others to create 24 hours of continuous singing – a “Rolling Requiem”. 

 

Why Mozart's Requiem?  In late January of this year, the Seattle Symphony Chorale performed this masterpiece. Following the concert, one of our singers had a chance encounter with a patron.  This unknown woman shared a vision she had as she listened to the music. “Halfway through your performance, I had this wonderful idea.  Wouldn't it be great if somehow all the best choruses … could join together and ring the area around Ground Zero?  You all could sing the Requiem in honor of those who died. There'd surely be enough of you to represent one voice for each one lost.”     Her vision captured members of the chorale who began to meet as a committee.  The vision grew and became the Rolling Requiem. 

 

Instructions for Becoming A Rolling Requiem Choir

1.       Commit your choir to sing Mozart's Requiem on Wednesday, September 11th at 8:46 AM.   (Please feel free to join other choirs in your area in one grand performance, if this feels appropriate.)

2.       To register, go to our website www.rollingrequiem.org.  You may also mail your registration to:
Rolling Requiem
227 Bellevue Way, NE –  #459
Bellevue, WA  98004. 

Send the following information:

§         The name of your choir.

§         The number of singers in your Rolling Requiem choir. 

§         The name of a contact person for your choir.

§         The address, telephone, fax and email for the contact person.

3.       Obtain copies of Mozart's Requiem for your choir members.  We suggest the Barenreiter edition, which you can order from most local music stores or online at various sites.

4.    Reserve a place for your concert and arrange for appropriate accompaniment, conductor and soloists.

5.    Work with your local police and/or government to establish security for your concert.

6.    Decide whom to invite to your concert.  If it is the general public, develop a publicity plan.

 

“One Voice for One Lost”

In keeping with the original vision, we would like to suggest that each member of your choir wear a heart-shaped badge bearing the name of one who perished on 9-11.  We suggest that you create a template in the shape of a heart, leaving space in the center to write the name of one who perished.  When you send us the number of people who will sing, we will send you a list of names to be put on your singers' heart badges.  In this way, we will be sure that every person lost on 9-11 is honored with a heart badge worn by a Rolling Requiem singer.


Security

It is important for every one of the Rolling Requiem choirs to perform with the knowledge that their concert is safe.  We urge you to discuss security with your local police and/or government to ensure that your concert is secure.  In the United States, every state now has an Office of Homeland Security.   Contact your governor to request support from your state's Homeland Security office.  Outside the United States, go to the appropriate office in your government to ask for help. 

 

Help Us Invite Other Choirs to Join the Rolling Requiem

The Rolling Requiem is open to all choirs.  We urge you to extend an invitation to other choirs to participate.  Go to www.rollingrequiem.org to let us know who they are and how to contact them.  Or mail us the following information: 

        The name of the choir.

        A contact person with a mailing address, an email address, and telephone and fax numbers.  

 

In addition, if you would like to help us by organizing choirs in your city, state (if applicable), region or country, please let us know either by going to our website or by mailing the information to us.  Thank you for helping us to spread the word in your community and around the world!

 

Additional Information

In order to tell you and many others around the world about the Rolling Requiem, we are creating a website. Go to it for additional information, including:

§         A means for participating choirs to ask questions regarding the Rolling Requiem.

§         Regular updates.

§         A media inquiry section. .

 

It is our belief that the Rolling Requiem tribute will serve as an affirmation of love, healing and support in this troubled time.  In the same way that so many reached out to help immediately after the attack, humanity will come together as one voice, encircling the world, to commemorate an event that we will never forget.

 

If you have questions, please visit our Website at www.rollingrequiem.org or write to us at the address listed above. Thank you.  We look forward to your participation in the Rolling Requiem tribute toward healing and peace. 

 

Sincerely,

 

Cindy Lee                                                                                              Madeline Johnson

President, Seattle Symphony Chorale                                            Chair, Rolling Requiem Committee

 

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