Local musician Diane Earle has been invited to be the premiere pianist at a Carnegie Hall performance in July 2022.

The event, titled Jubilate: An Evening with Choral Masters, will be hosted by Mark Cabaniss, who worked at Kentucky Wesleyan College with Earle in the mid-1980s.

Cabaniss, who is now the president and CEO of Jubilate Music Group in Nashville, considers Earle to be not only a world-class musician but also a good friend, which is why she was chosen for this opportunity, he said.

Earle, who taught music at KWC for 36 years, is currently the pianist for Settle Memorial United Methodist Church as well as the Owensboro Symphony. She also is a Kentucky Arts Council performing artist and holds the position of professor emeritus of music at KWC.

During the event next summer, two pieces will be performed — “The Weaver” by Ken Medema and Buryl Red, and Esther: “Triumph of Faith” by Mark Blankenship and Cabaniss.

According to Earle, “The Weaver” is a cantata and concert work that presents the age-old gospel story in a new way. The cantata is in a classic style, with folk-like qualities and melodies. God is pictured as a weaver, who, in the beginning, sews the tapestry of the universe together. With the entrance of sin into the world, human beings take the thread and break it, making their own designs that bring about estrangement from God. The coming of Christ shows the weaver’s dream for the world and gives humanity the chance to reconnect the threads of the tapestry. God is always remaking what has been broken.

Earle describes “Esther: Triumph of Faith” as “God has a purpose for our lives, and He uses every action and event that occurs in it to make that purpose a reality. The biblical account of Esther appears to be a series of coincidences strung together that deliver the Jews from certain death. However, God selected Esther for a particular purpose at a particular time in the history of His chosen people. In this concert cantata, the beauty, grandeur and suspense of this epic story are depicted through Esther, Mordecai, Ahasuerus and Haman.”

“This is pretty exciting,” Earle said. “Several very esteemed sacred composers who are nationally and internationally renowned have decided to come together to write a musical, and they decided to have me be the pianist.”

What’s more exciting, Earle said, is that the pieces call for a 250-voice chorus, and Cabaniss is welcoming singers from the Owensboro and Daviess County area to participate.

Previous choral singing experience is required, said Cabaniss.

Earle, who has performed at Carnegie Hall before, said it is “a world-class hall.”

“It’s the No. 1 place in the world, I think, to perform, and it’s exciting and awe-inspiring to play on the same stage that famous people have played on for decades,” she said. “It’s a life-changing experience when you walk into that hall, and you get to perform, or sing, beautiful music there.”

Cabaniss said Earle will also have a solo during the performance.

Earle is a “world-class talent,” he said.

“It really is going to be exciting,” he said. “We want to invite anyone and everyone to be a part of this choir, or to come and watch the performance if they are able.”

The concert will take place at 7 p.m. July 10, 2022.

Those who are interested in participating can go to www.true northpresents.com/jubilate to inquire further, email info@truenorthpresents.com, or call 615-775-1088.