Norcross Church to Hold Musical 9/11 Remembrance

Norcross First United Methodist Church will hold a concert of remembrance on Sept. 11 at 4 p.m. The one and a half hour ceremony will include choirs and orchestras from around Gwinnett County and honor local police and fire departments.

The performance will be loosely based on a requiem format, says musical director Andy Bayles. “We’re trying to remember those who passed—to honor those who came to serve,” said Bayles. 

At a recent practice, the choir was fine-tuning its powerful final number, with the womens’ ensemble singing “the warm southern wind blows softly here” with grace and power. 

Duluth-based visual artist Lance Carlson created an original artwork for the flyer, which will also be on display as part of a physical remembrance in the Narthex of the church, said Bayles.

Bayles gave Carlson the direction of working the Twin Tower image, then Carlson said he added his own touch. “A lot of my work in very abstract,” he said. “But I like to make it have a personal connection.” Carlson said that when he made this piece he was thinking about the cityscape of New York and the physical impact that the Twin Towers had on the skyline. 

The modern dance ensemble Zoetic will take the stage during the remembrance as well. The ensemble is “a non-profit organization dedicated to presenting the quality of the human spirit through the athleticism and artistry of dance… by creating and producing innovative and accessible choreographic works,” according to their website.