In devising the 2011 Celliola program, our first intention was simply to schedule a concert of music that we would enjoy playing, and that we hoped our audience would enjoy hearing. When the available date turned out to be the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 disaster, it seemed important to acknowledge the date in some specific way. Rather than revisit the horror of that day, Stunned Unity seeks to bring to mind the days following, when despite numbness, anger, disgust, etc., there was a surprising empathy and unity across much of the world. The piece features a few musicians performing from the stage, but depends in large part on the audience singing supportive drones throughout much of the work. Stunned Unity is as much a community prayer, or a barn raising, as it is a piece of music. It is an opportunity to share in the pleasure of making something together.