Polk State Professor Pila performs at 9/11 Memorial on 25th anniversary

On the 25th anniversary of one of the darkest days in U.S. history, Polk State College Professor Ben Pila did what he could to provide comfort to the families of those killed on the September 11, 2001, attacks in New York City.

Pila, who teaches Humanities and Classical Guitar at Polk State, was part of the musical lineup performing at the 9/11 Memorial on Friday. For most of the day, the ceremony was closed to all except families of victims. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and all four living former presidents – Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden – were in attendance.

Nearly 3,000 people died during the 2001 attacks, in which terrorists hijacked airliners and flew them into each of the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center. An estimated 5,000 people have since died from health-related issues as a result of the attacks. Planes were also flown into the U.S. Pentagon in Arlington County, Va. and into a rural field in Pennsylvania as result of a passenger revolt that day.

“Twenty-five years later, we continue to remember the lives lost on September 11 and the families who have carried that loss with them ever since,” Polk State President Anastasios Kamoutsas said. “Having a member of the Polk State family participate in the memorial in New York is a meaningful way for our College to honor those who were taken from us and to stand alongside the families and communities forever changed that day. We hope that through music and remembrance, Professor Pila can offer a moment of comfort, reflection and peace to those gathered to honor their loved ones.”

With a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Southern California and a Master of Music from The Juilliard School, Pila has performed at the 9/11 Memorial multiple times. He has also performed at Carnegie Hall, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and during Pope Francis’ inaugural visit to the U.S.

“Having the opportunity to play music at a place that has so much meaning is an incredibly humbling experience,” Pila said. “You can still feel the weight of what happened 25 years later. I hope that, in some small way, the music provided comfort to those who continue to carry the memories of their loved ones.”