The evening offers a poignant 50th anniversary observance of President John F. Kennedy's assassination. The concert takes place less than two blocks away from where President Kennedy attended an event at the Rice Hotel on November 21, 1963, the night before his trip to Dallas. The event features Maurice Duruflé's Requiem for choir and organ, famous for its serene "testament of faith, comfort and tranquility" in a turbulent era. 

The concert includes A Curse Upon Iron by Estonian composer Veljo Tormis. In this work Tormis rages against the destructive uses made of iron, such as weapons. Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, arranged for voices, is a graceful tribute piece. Often associated with national loss and sadness, the piece was played at the public announcement after the death of Franklin Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.