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Heart and Soul: Music in the Shadow of Ground Zero

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Music in the Shadow of Ground Zero

16/10/2015 GMT

BBC World Service - Heart and Soul, Music in the Shadow of Ground Zero

The two New York churches that survived 9/11 and now healing the community with music

The story of two New York churches that survived 9/11, and that are now healing the community with a unique programme of music.

Historic Trinity Church on Wall St is only a stone's throw from Ground Zero and has turned itself into a mini-Lincoln Centre, hosting some of the best classical and contemporary music concerts in America. The church is said to be the world's richest Anglican parish - thanks to a gift of Manhattan farmland, donated in 1705 by Queen Anne, and now prime real estate. This year it is investing $2.9m in its music programme.  

In the shadow of Ground Zero, New Yorkers can listen to Bach's Cantatas in their lunch break, performed by Trinity's own Baroque orchestra, or go to concerts by the church's contemporary music ensemble. The church has had jazz and hip hop masses and pushed aside the pews to host a reggae party.

Heart and Soul visits the church, and its sister chapel St Paul's, during a special week of music marking 150 years since the abolition of slavery, honouring the power of black music in America featuring special guest Bobby McFerrin.
Julian Wachner, Trinity's Grammy-nominated winning music director, says "There are people who come to St Paul's to remember someone close who was lost in the towers, and they go to the churchyard - think of the ashes and what fell on that space - and the music heals."

(Photo: Trinity Church. Credit: Eve Streeter)

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