Remembering September 11 in Arlington, Virginia

Potomac Harmony’s home, Arlington, Virginia, is forever linked with New York City and Shankesville, Pennsylvania.  Singing in our hometown is always special, but September 11 this year held an entirely new meaning as we stood just a few miles from the Pentagon and performed for an audience made up of neighbors, friends, family, local commuters, and area workers.  We sang, we cried, we stopped traffic.  Our audience sang along with us, they cried with us, and drivers patiently waited as the crowd of 200 found space on sidewalks and median strips to hear our music and join the harmony being realized, and sought after, that morning.  While the music rang out and flags briskly snapped in the wind as they were displayed proudly on the buildings surrounding us, the members of Potomac Harmony found new meaning in the words of each song, particularly Proud To Be An American and Sweet Adelines’ own How We Sang Today.

Later that evening following the September 11 worship service of Faith Lutheran Church in Arlington, we were given the opportunity to reprise our performance of that morning.  Again both the audience and members of Potomac Harmony found comfort and joy in the message and music presented in remembrance of this very special day.