UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Members of the School of Music’s Pennsylvania Quintet, in the College of Arts and Architecture, performed at a private ceremony honoring the families and loved ones of those killed aboard United Airlines Flight 93 as part of the 25th anniversary observance of 9/11.
The ceremony was held at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, where the 40 passengers and crew members of Flight 93 are remembered. The flight was hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001, and crashed into a field near Shanksville after passengers and crew members attempted to regain control of the aircraft.
The Pennsylvania Quintet brought together five members of the Penn State School of Music faculty for the solemn observance: Naomi Seidman, flute professor; Anthony J. Costa, clarinet professor; Andreas Oeste, oboe professor; Carlos Manuel López Soria, bassoon professor; and Sarah Schouten, horn professor.
The significance of the invitation was also felt throughout the Penn State School of Music.
“It was deeply meaningful to have a Penn State faculty ensemble chosen to participate in this important 25th anniversary observance,” said Ann Marie Stanley, director of the School of Music. “To have our faculty musicians represent Penn State at the Flight 93 National Memorial, in a moment of remembrance for the families and loved ones of those who were lost, was a profound honor. Music has a unique ability to create space for reflection, connection and healing, and we are grateful that our faculty were able to contribute to this meaningful commemoration through their artistry.”
The performance also carried a deeply personal meaning for Schouten. Following the ceremony, she received an email from the brother of one of the victims.
“I received an email from the brother of a victim killed in the attacks,” Schouten said. “His brother loved horn and played professionally before pursuing a career in finance. His brother loved the horn, and so did he; making the horn parts in the quintet particularly meaningful and poignant.”
For Schouten, the experience underscored the unique ability of music to connect people across generations and circumstances.
“It was a beautiful reminder of the ability of music to bridge time and distance, reminding us of pleasant memories during sad times,” she said.
The Pennsylvania Quintet is one of the School of Music’s faculty chamber ensembles, bringing together members of Penn State’s nationally recognized faculty for performances and educational outreach. Their participation in the 25th anniversary observance offered a particularly meaningful expression of the School of Music’s role in serving the commonwealth through artistic excellence and community engagement.
For the members of the Pennsylvania Quintet, the performance provided a way to participate in that remembrance through their art.
“Through music, the quintet shared our sorrow, while offering compassion and hope to all those in attendance,” Schouten said. “It was a beautiful reminder of the ability of music to bridge time and distance.”