Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Ronald Liburd, Music Chair: 'Opera Stars to Honor Shirley Verrett at Harlem Church,' Jan. 8, 7 PM

AfriClassical is grateful to pianist Richard C. Alston for alerting us to a tribute to the late opera singer Shirley Verrett, to be held in Harlem this Saturday: “I just found out about it this morning and was asked to participate. Maybe you already new about this memorial concert. I felt you should be made aware.
Harmoniously,
Richard”

“Opera Stars to Honor Shirley Verrett at Harlem Church
Contact Ronald Liburd, Music Chair
212-662-5536
Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 7 p.m. Ephesus Seventh-Day Adventist Church will present a memorial concert commemorating the life and work of soprano Shirley Verrett. The program will include special tributes by operatic legends Barbara Conrad and Hilda Harris, biographer Christopher Brooks, opera stars Janinah Burnett, Lucia Bradford, and a host of friends and colleagues from all across the globe. The concert takes place on January 8, 2011 at 7 p.m. at the Ephesus Seventh-Day Adventist Church 101 West 123rd Street (at Lenox Avenue) Admission is free.

“NEW YORK, NY- - JANUARY 8, 2011 An artist of international acclaim, lauded for her rare combination of vocal gifts, unequaled presence, and elegant style, dramatic soprano Shirley Verrett endeared herself to legions of opera lovers. Verrett’s meteoric rise to fame was of little surprise, and her great artistic gifts kept her at the top throughout her long and varied career.

“Verrett attended the Ephesus Seventh-Day Adventist Church during her student days at the Juilliard School, and maintained a relationship with the church for many years. Her tie to Harlem was furthered in those years through her musical studies with the great composer/arranger Hall Johnson who taught Verrett out of his Harlem studio. A free-will offering taken during the concert will go toward an endowed music scholarship fund named for Ms. Verrett. Members of the public interested in contributing toward the fund can contact Ronald Liburd, Music Chair of the Church, at 212-662-5536.”

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