Crash victims not forgotten

If the walls in the Jacobs School of Music could sing this weekend, they would reverberate with remembrance.\nFriday marks the one-year anniversary of a plane crash just south of the Monroe County Airport that killed five music school students. In memory of those students, the IU and Bloomington communities will come together with a set of public and private remembrances this weekend to honor the victims of the crash. \n“We have been trying to think of how to best remember them,” said Jan Harrington, chair of the Choral Department at the School of Music. “People are understandably sad. It’s hard to believe it’s only already been one year. The grief is still very real.” \nHarrington said thoughts have been circulating for ways to remember these students for some time. \n“We miss them very much,” Harrington said.\nOn Friday at 7 p.m., there will be a communal reading in Recital Hall for the school of music community.\nGabriel Fauré composed the piece “Requiem” for the event taking place at the music school for students, families and friends of the plane-crash victims. \n“Those of us who are in the school can be together and sing together a piece that will honor their memory,” Harrington said.\nOther public memorials that will be taking place Friday and Saturday include a remembrance service at the First United Methodist Church, 219 E. Fourth St. The Friday service begins at noon and the Saturday service begins at 5 p.m.\nThis is an opportunity for people to come together and share in remembrance, music and prayer, said Mary Beth Morgan, the church’s director of adult and family ministries. \nZachary Novak, one of the five music students who died in the crash, was once on staff at the First United Methodist Church. \n“There are so many ways we were touched by that tragedy, and one of the things to do is provide space and ways for people to come together,” Morgan said. “It is for members of the family to come together to remember and be together on this day.”\nMorgan said she hopes this weekend once again provides an opportunity for the church community and IU to come together in memory of the victims, just like a year ago.\nIn addition, the Monroe County Airport will dedicate a bench to the victims at 4 p.m. Friday at the airport.\n“It’s so hard to believe this happened,” Morgan said. “But as you go through the year and you come to certain events and certain things throughout the year, it just touches you in a special way, and realizing how many lives these young folks have touched because I help put on the services together.”