Music with a Mission is a Wilmington-based nonprofit established to support the creative work of Somers, a Delaware native, composer, conductor and performer whose career has combined classical music, jazz, sacred compositions and charitable service.
Music with a Mission continues its tradition of combining musical performances with charitable giving as Newark Symphony Orchestra marks the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11.
NEWARK, Del. — Twenty-five years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a Delaware composer and a nonprofit organization built around the power of music are bringing the community together to remember those lost, honor those who served and support a lasting memorial in Claymont.
The Newark Symphony Orchestra will perform Wilson Gault Somers’ “Requiem for 9/11” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at The Independence School in Newark.
The anniversary performance, presented in partnership with Music with a Mission, will benefit the Guardian of Defenders Memorial in Claymont, which honors those who died in the Sept. 11 attacks and the military service and sacrifices that followed.
For Music with a Mission, the performance continues a decades-long Delaware tradition of using music not simply for entertainment, but as a way to bring attention and financial support to important community causes.
A Delaware organization where music serves a greater purpose
Music with a Mission is a Wilmington-based nonprofit established to support the creative work of Somers, a Delaware native, composer, conductor and performer whose career has combined classical music, jazz, sacred compositions and charitable service.
The organization operates on the belief that artistic expression can do more than entertain audiences. Through concerts and collaborations with other musicians, it seeks to connect the emotional impact of music with the needs of people and organizations serving the community.
Music with a Mission helps organize performances, raise financial support, develop partnerships and promote original compositions. A portion of proceeds from its events is directed to charitable causes.
According to the organization’s website, it operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit governed by a volunteer board of directors, with no paid employees. Pete Booker serves as interim president.
Its charitable work has touched numerous Delaware organizations over the years, including the Ministry of Caring, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington, Family Promise of Northern New Castle County and Sojourners’ Place.
The organization reports contributing $14,000 to the Ministry of Caring, $11,000 to the Salvation Army, $11,000 to Sojourners’ Place and $2,500 to Catholic Charities through its musical activities over the years.
Other concerts have supported Lutheran Community Services, Friendship House and organizations working to address homelessness and hunger.
Those contributions reflect a central theme of Music with a Mission: Audiences can enjoy outstanding musical performances while knowing that their attendance helps support people facing difficult circumstances.
From helping the homeless to honoring 9/11 victims
The organization’s roots are closely connected to one of Somers’ most significant compositions, “Mass for the Homeless,” created with his wife, Joan.
The work, developed over several years, was inspired by the need to recognize the dignity of people experiencing poverty and homelessness.
Its 1997 premiere at Wilmington’s Grand Opera House featured the Delaware Symphony Orchestra and sold out before the performance. All proceeds from that premiere benefited five Delaware organizations serving people experiencing homelessness.
An encore performance followed in 1999, further establishing the connection between Somers’ music and community service.
Somers, who began his musical education at the former Wilmington Music School in 1962, has also composed film scores, jazz works and music exploring historical and spiritual themes.
He spent 30 years as choral director at The Tatnall School and has maintained a career as a church musician, conductor and jazz pianist.
His work on a documentary about Delaware artist Edward Loper earned him an Emmy Award for his original jazz score.
The same philosophy that inspired “Mass for the Homeless” also shaped “Requiem for 9/11.”
The composition premiered in 2012 at the Grand Opera House, bringing together orchestra, chorus, soloists and spoken text drawn from the Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditions.
Rather than focusing exclusively on the tragedy, Somers designed the work to explore grief, remembrance and the eventual restoration of hope.
A smaller chamber orchestra arrangement was subsequently developed to make the composition accessible to more community and school ensembles.
That version was performed at St. Helena’s Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington in September 2021, marking the 20th anniversary of the attacks.
The upcoming performance by the Newark Symphony Orchestra will bring the work to audiences again during the 25th anniversary year, under the direction of conductor Simeone Tartaglione.
Supporting a memorial born from military service
This year’s beneficiary, the Guardian of Defenders Memorial, provides a direct connection between the musical tribute and the sacrifices made by Americans following Sept. 11, 2001.
Located at 1300 Philadelphia Pike in Claymont, the memorial was envisioned by two retired military chaplains, the Rev. John Gayton, a Navy commander, and the Rev. Donald Van Alstyne, an Army major.
Both served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and each received a Bronze Star for his military service.
Their experiences counseling service members and families affected by combat helped inspire a permanent place dedicated to remembrance, reflection and healing.
The memorial features an angel carrying a fallen service member above a battlefield cross, symbolizing sacrifice and the spiritual care of those who served.
According to the organizers, Gayton mortgaged his home to help begin financing the project. Donations continue to support the memorial and its long-term maintenance through the Guardian of Defenders Foundation.
The site has become a place for public remembrance, including a Veterans Day visit by then-President Joe Biden in 2024, when a plaque honoring his late son, Beau Biden, was unveiled.
For Somers and Music with a Mission, the connection between the concert and the memorial is especially meaningful.
“I can’t think of a more fitting beneficiary to join us in remembering the sacrifices, the heroes and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit that arose from that terrible, momentous day,” Somers said. “We are so very honored to offer support to this effort.”
Continuing a tradition of music and giving
Music with a Mission’s work extends beyond its major orchestral compositions.
The organization has presented jazz concerts, holiday programs and smaller performances that bring together local musicians while supporting charitable organizations.
Its annual “A Jazz Christmas” performances have supported Delaware nonprofits, including those providing food, shelter and assistance to struggling families.
The organization has also presented Jazz Vespers programs combining sacred themes, original music and jazz performances.
In March 2026, Somers introduced “The Lincoln Legacy,” a composition examining President Abraham Lincoln’s leadership during the Civil War and the continuing relevance of his words during periods of national division.
A performance of “A Jazz Christmas” is scheduled for Dec. 6 at The Tatnall School in Wilmington.
These events reflect the organization’s continuing efforts to make music a vehicle for community engagement, charitable giving and reflection on issues that extend beyond the concert hall.
For the upcoming “Requiem for 9/11,” those goals come together in a particularly meaningful way.
The performance will offer an opportunity to remember the thousands of Americans killed on Sept. 11, honor those who responded and served in the years that followed, and support a Delaware memorial dedicated to ensuring those sacrifices are not forgotten.
Twenty-five years later, Music with a Mission is continuing its commitment to using the power of music to connect remembrance with hope and charitable service.
TO GO: Requiem for 9/11 — 25th anniversary performance
- What: Newark Symphony Orchestra performance of Wilson Gault Somers’ “Requiem for 9/11”
- When: Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, at 3 p.m.
- Where: The Independence School, 1300 Paper Mill Road, Newark
- Conductor: Simeone Tartaglione
- Beneficiary: A portion of the proceeds will support the Guardian of Defenders Memorial in Claymont.
- Tickets: musicwithamission.org or newarksymphony.org
- Learn more: guardianofdefenders.com
- Contact: Pete Booker, Music with a Mission, 302-740-3220
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