The Cerritos College Community Band held a concert at Cerritos Civic Center on Sept. 11, to remember the lives that were lost at the World Trade Center in New York.

The mayor and members of the Cerritos City Council provided this patriotic event that was made free and open to the public.

Dr. Betancourt, instructor for the Cerritos College Community Band, put together an American theme, as all of the songs were by American composers, according to Jeanette Martinez, a Music major at Cerritos College.

Martinez also said, when asked about the mood of the music, “A lot was patriotic, so it was something you could snap your fingers to or whistle to. He was trying to make everybody lifted, in celebration rather than in mourning.”

Michael Herrera, Music major, was one of the students who performed at the concert, had a positive view toward this day.

“It’s not a really a time when I mourn death. It’s more like I celebrate life,” he said.

All over the United States people mourned the loss of thousands of people.

Janet Cisneros, a music education major, said, “we should commemorate 9/11 by supporting our soldiers and being good citizens.”

The band tried to lift spirits as it provided patriotic music, a Shrek melody and even music from Star Wars.

“The music was very up-going,” Martinez said, and that is what the Cerritos College Community Band was striving for.