March 28, 2024

Preview concert to be held at Clarke

The world premiere of “There Comes a Time”: Martin Luther King Trilogy for Soprano and Baritone,” written by Osceola native Lonnie Liggitt, will be performed in Des Moines, 3 p.m. Jan. 18, at First Christian Church, located at 25th and University.

A special preview concert will be held 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, at Clarke Community High School.

Ernestine Dillard will appear at the Osceola concert with Liggitt.

Robert Liggitt, Lonnie’s father, and Dorothy Keeler, his wife’s mother, are lifelong Osceola area residents. They are both 98 years old.

Dillard and Liggitt will audition prospective young singers in the area who would like to perform a solo in the Osceola concert. “Alaska and Maddie,” who were recently on NBC’s ”The Voice,” were students of Mrs. Dillard. Auditions will be at the high school at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15. For more details, call 907-887-6060

Liggitt will share about his conversations with Martin Luther King, and perform on organ and piano for the premiere. Liggitt was Dr. King’s organist for his event in Des Moines in 1959.

Come celebrate Dr. King’s vision with us at this free concert, 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18, at First Christian Church, located at 25th and University in Des Moines.

National Artists Include: Ernestine Dillard, the soprano from Tulsa who sang at the Oklahoma City bombing Memorial Service with President Clinton as honored guest, has appeared on the TNT network and CNN, and received many awards and honors.

Roosevelt Andre Credit sang throughout the soundtrack to the Oscar-winning film “Twelve Years a Slave,” with one of his compositions featured in the film. He also has credits on Broadway — Gershwin’s’ “Porgy and Bess,” and “Showboat” — and a recent video-gone-viral with more than 14 million views on all platforms.

Lonnie Liggitt has performed concerts both in piano and organ from the American Cathedral in Paris to St. Thomas Episcopal in New York City. He conducted the American Premier of Antol Dorati’s “Missa Brevis” and was the composer for “The Two Princes,” a movie made for BBC television. He was the associate conductor for the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera for two seasons. His teaching career includes Syracuse University and other institutions.