Concert to raise funds for US victims' families
(from The Orcadian dated September 27, 2001)

The people of Orkney are continuing their fundraising efforts to help in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center.

The Mayfield Singers, under director Neil Price, are giving a concert in St Magnus Cathedral on Sunday, September 30, at 8pm, to raise money to support education programmes for the children of rescue workers killed trying to help those caught up in the disaster.

The fund will support the long term needs of children whose parents sacrificed their lives rescuing others.

The programme entitled, “People and Places” was originally planned to mark the closing of “The Unknown Cathedral” exhibition, which has been held throughout the summer at the Orkney Museum in Tankerness House, and will be a sequence of music and readings celebrating a sense of place and people’s connection with it.

However, following the terrorist actions in the United States, part of the programme has been changed to allow the audience to reflect on the significance of events in America, and to remember those who lost their lives in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

As well as the singers, other artists taking part are Gemma McGregor (flute), Catriona Price (violin) and Michael Lee (reader). Music will include choral pieces by Stanford, Peter Maxwell Davies and Gerald Finzi, as well as Micheal Tippett and John Tavener.

Admission is free but there will be a retiring collection in aid of the Rotary District 7320 New York City/World Trade Center Disaster Relief Fund.