Much has been written and said about the late civil rights leader the Reverend Dr. C.T. Vivian. You can now add a musical composition to that list.
It’s called “Portraits of Peace: A Song Suite Dedicated to Rev. Dr. C.T. Vivian.”
The world premiere will be performed in Macomb, the community where Vivian grew up.
“Events like this and performances like this are just really special to a town like Macomb,” said Alfonzo Cooper, Jr., of the School of Music at Western Illinois University.
“This is important. You can’t talk about Macomb and not talk about C.T. Vivian.”
Cooper is a tenor who will perform the piece with organist Linda Andrews, also of the WIU School of Music.
The concert begins at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 22, at First Presbyterian Church, 400
E. Carroll St. in Macomb. It is free and open to the public.
Andrews said the church has the best organ in town, plus it commissioned the piece.
“I’m looking forward to sharing that day with Al, and having the composer and C.T. Vivian’s family with us along with the other people that will come,” Andrews said.
“It’s going to be very special and I know it’s going to have a lot of meaning. I’m very glad to be a part of this.”
Doctor Sharon Willis of Atlanta, Ga., is the composer. As the founding director of Americolor Opera Alliance, she is the only woman composer in the U.S. to have both founded an opera company and served as principal composer.
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