2005 Concert Information

Dr. Jeffrey Stirling will conduct the orchestra. Dr. Stirling lives in the Twin Cities where he conducts the Northeast Orchestra, the Linden Hills Chamber Orchestra and the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies Philharmonic. Stirling has also been a Cover Conductor for the Minnesota Orchestra and recently appeared as an assistant conductor in concerts with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. In recent seasons he has been a Guest Conductor with the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra, the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra and the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra in Maine.

Stirling holds degrees from Yale and Northwestern University, and pursued advanced training at the Paris Conservatory under the auspices of the Fondation des Etats-Unis. He has also studied at the Tanglewood Festival and the Salzburg Summer Academy. His mentors include Pierre Boulez, Victor Yampolsky and Leonard Slatkin. In 2001 Stirling was chosen by Leonard Slatkin to take part in the National Conducting Institute with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D. C.

In addition to his professional activities, Dr. Stirling has directed the orchestra programs at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Cloud State University, Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa. He also has been a guest instructor for the Chamber Music Association of the University of Lausanne in Switzerland.

Dr. David L. Mennicke will rehearse the 9-11 Tribute Chorus. Dr. Mennicke is in his 17th year as Director of Choral Studies at Concordia University, St. Paul, where he is also Music Department Chair. Under his direction, the Concordia choirs have performed at eight state and regional music conventions and five times with the Minnesota Orchestra. In May, 2000, the Christus Chorus sang at Gaude Mater, Poland's annual international festival of sacred music (one of only two U.S. choirs so invited). In May, 2004, the Christus Chorus performed by invitation for the Pentecost Vespers at the St. Thomas Kirche in Leipzig, Germany. The group has been invited to perform in a November 2006 concert in honor of F. Melius Christiansen at Minneapolis Orchestra Hall, along with the college concert choirs of St. Olaf, Concordia (Moorhead), Augsburg, and Gustavus Adolphus.

A 1983 summa cum laude graduate of St. Olaf College, Dr. Mennicke taught 7-12 grade music in Benson, MN. His Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees are from the University of Arizona. He is Director of the Adult and Youth Choirs at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) of Minnesota named him Outstanding Young Director of the Year in 1992 and recipient of their Creative Programming Award in 1996. He was the guest conductor of the 1999-2000 Minnesota ACDA/MMEA All-State Childrens Choir and guest conductor of the National Lutheran Choir in 1998. He has been guest conductor and/or clinician for over 100 choral and vocal festivals. A tenor soloist, he is a member of the Grammy Award-winning Oregon Bach Festival Chorus and a section leader in the Minnesota Chorale. He has choral arrangements and articles published by Concordia, Morningstar, ALCM, and AGEHR.

Carl Schroeder is a recent graduate of St. Olaf College, where he studied music composition, and a 2001 graduate of Minneapolis Southwest High School. For this year's 9-11 Tribute Concert, he has composed a new piece entitled The Willing. Reflecting on one way the world has changed since September 11, 2001, the work is a bold fanfare inspired by the courage and sacrifice of American military personnel serving in Iraq. Schroeder is also the composer of Christine's Lullaby -- an elegy dedicated to the youngest 9-11 victim, which was performed at the 2003 Tribute Concert.

The Zuhrah Pipes & Drums began it's rich history in 1959, when it was chartered as an active unit of the Zuhrah Shrine. The Pipes & Drums have had the pride and honor to represent both the Zuhrah Shrine of Minneapolis, as well as our grand philanthropy, the Shriners Hospitals for Children, throughout North America.

The Zuhrah Pipes & Drums perform regularly throughout the Midwest at parades and other civic functions, as well as at weddings and other social engagements. In addition, our competition band routinely competes in the Midwest Shrine Pipe Band Association competition, where we were crowned champions in 1997, as well as Imperial Shrine competitions all over North America.

Bob Bayers, producer of the 9-11 Tribute Concert owns the family business Bayers Do it Best Hardware located in Linden Hills just a few blocks from the Lake Harriet Band Shell. If he didn't end up in the hardware business he would have probably been in some area of theater – his second love. Producing the 9-11 Tribute each year is a passion for him. He thanks his understanding family and store employees for their help each summer as the concert is planned. Please plan on attending the 9-11 Tribute each year on September 11th at the Band Shell. —God Bless America

2005 Concert Program
Lake Harriet Bandshell – September 11, 2005 7:00 P. M.

The 9-11 Tribute Producer Bob Bayers thanks all of the volunteers for working so hard to make this annual event so beautiful. This concert will take place each year on September 11th at 7pm at the Lake Harriet Band Shell. Please visit www.our911tribute.com to view this and pervious years concert information.
— God Bless America

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• 2004 Concert Information

• 2003 Concert Information

• 2002 Concert Information