9/11 Community
Commemorative Choir
in honor of Todd Weaver
Embedded Files
Todd Weaver perished on 9/11/2001
in the World Trade Towers
How we started.
How we started.
We are a volunteer community choir in Northeastern Ohio, organized for the sole purpose of performing an annual concert in memory of our lost friends and family who perished in the 9/11 attack.
"Lest we forget"
We sing a variety of classic and familiar works, some patriotic, some sacred.
Since the fall of 2016, this community choir - organized and led by John Hayward - has put on a concert at local churches in North Canton, Ohio in honor of Todd Weaver and others who perished in the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center Towers. Todd was the son of Dennis and Marylin Weaver, all of whom were members of Community Christian Church.
John was concerned that the tragic loss of life on 9/11 would literally be forgotten and leveraged his position as a long time music director within the community to create something respectful and beautiful that would bring people together every year on or near the anniversary date of the tragedy.
At the first practice in 2016, only about 8 people had shown up in response to his emails and word of mouth. A little disappointing, but he could make do. Within 20 minutes, another 40 had arrived – far more than the choir room could handle! By the day of the first concert, around 70 voices filled the church sanctuary, and the community response had attendees overflowing into the hallways. That many voices combined with the acoustics provided a transcendent experience. The concert became an instant tradition and perfomed each year since, except in 2020, when the concert was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Who we are.
Who we are.
John Hayward
John Hayward
John Hayward is a graduate of the Westminster Choir College, Princeton, New Jersey and did graduate study at Peabody Conservatory, Eastern Kentucky University and Kent State University. As a Music Specialist in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam conflict he served as the assistant Director of and soloist with the Soldiers' Chorus of Washington, D.C. He taught high school Choral Music and Theatre Arts and served churches in five states for 40 years. Locally he served as Director of the Canton Police Boys Club Choir, the Canton Civic Opera, the Greater Canton Men’s Chorus and the Canton Symphony Opera productions. He is currently the Minister of Music at Church of the Covenant in Canton, Ohio.
Stephen Popa
Stephen Popa
Stephen Popa is in his 11th year as choral director at McKinley High School in the Canton City Schools. He directed choirs in the Lima City school system for 16 years prior. Steve earned his Bachelors in Music Education at Baldwin Wallace University and his Masters in Choral Conducting at University of Cincinnati. He has shared co-conducting responsibilities with the 911 choir for the past 8 years. Mr. Popa recently finished a two year elected term on the board of the Ohio Choral Directors Association of which he is an active member.
Jimmy Oakley
Jimmy Oakley
James (Jimmy) Oakley is Director of Music at Trinity United Church of Christ. Previously, he was organist at Church of the Lakes in Canton, Ohio from 2021 to 2024. He earned his Bachelors in Music Production at Malone University in 2013 and his masters in Music for Piano from Kent State University in 2015. Jimmy currently teaches privately. His wife, Valerie, is a Board Certified Music Therapist at Summa Hospital and Sanctuary Choir Director at Trinity United Church of Christ.
Join the chorus!
Join the chorus!
Rehearsals are Saturday mornings from 10:00 am to Noon, July 11 through September 12. Performances on September 13 and 20.
Rehearsals are Saturday mornings from 10:00 am to Noon, July 11 through September 12. Performances on September 13 and 20.
Click the sign-up button to register.
Click the sign-up button to register.
Click the email icon to contact us.
Click the email icon to contact us.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse