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Hendricks Chapel was filled with the voices of students singing and instruments strumming as the Syracuse University community, marking the beginning of Remembrance Week. Some audience members were moved to tears as the music played.

“Music has the power to express emotion and meaning that words alone cannot,” John Warren, director of the Setnor School of Music, said. “We are happy to contribute to this important week.”

Hendricks Chapel hosted its “Remembrance and Resilience” concert on Sunday afternoon. The concert was dedicated to victims of the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing. The show was part of Hendricks’ Malmgren Concert Series.

The concert was part of SU’s annual Remembrance Week, dedicated to remembering the students who were killed in a terrorist attack flying over Lockerbie, Scotland, on their way home from studying abroad. The concert featured University Singers, Hendricks Chapel Choir, the SU Symphony Orchestra and faculty performances.

In his opening remarks, Rev. Brian Konkol, vice president and dean of Hendricks Chapel, reminded the audience: “Music matters.” It’s at the core of what makes us human, he said.

During his freshman year, Remembrance Scholar Edward Lu went on a Remembrance tour to Scotland to perform with the SU Wind Ensemble. Lu is among five Remembrance Scholars who performed in the concert while wearing their Remembrance pins.

“Being able to sing with the choir is kind of like a full circle moment, especially performing at the Remembrance and Resilience event,” Lu said.

Hendricks Chapel Choir performed “Valediction” by David Conte, an ode to eternal life and love. Leonardo Eriman | Photo Editor

Logan Wagner, another Remembrance Scholar, said many of the other scholars have been doing their own research and projects about their victim, making the performance more meaningful.

“This is the first time that, for me at least, it feels like the school community is behind you with Remembrance and that is really special,” Wagner said.

University Singers opened the show with a performance of “Requiem” by Herbert Howells, a six-movement musical composition. It was modeled off a requiem Mass written to honor soldiers who died in World War I, and includes texts from the Anglican funeral service, said Anne Laver, the SU organist and an organ professor.

The performance included student soloists from University Singers. Warren, the artistic director of “Requiem,” said he hopes the audience understands the meaning of the music and text, calling it “really really beautiful.”

Setnor School of Music instructor Kenneth Meyer (left) and Anne Laver, University organist and organ professor, performed “God is Our Righteousness” on Sunday afternoon. Leonardo Eriman | Photo Editor

Setnor instructor Kenneth Meyer and Laver played “God is Our Righteousness” by Chris DeBlasio. The piece takes the audience through anger and grief, but is ultimately uplifting at the end, Laver said. Meyer also performed a solo to “Neil Gow’s Lament (For the Death of his Second Wife),” arranged by David Russell.

Hendricks Chapel Choir performed “Valediction” by David Conte. It featured José “Peppie” Calvar as the artistic director and Laver on the organ. The five-minute piece is based on a poem by Sir Philip Sidney, which is an ode to eternal life and love.

The SU Symphony Orchestra, with James Tapia as the artistic director, finished off the concert with “Phoenix Rising” by Thea Musgrave, a Scottish composer. This was a deliberate choice to honor the location of the Lockerbie flight bombing, Laver said.

“It was very moving. Being able to be a part of it, and also represent one of the Syracuse victims on Pan Am 103 is very special to me and just made this concert all the more meaningful,” Wagner said.

Published on October 19, 2025 at 10:04 pm