This article originally appeared in the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

Earle preparing for return to Carnegie Hall

By Freddie Bourne Messenger-Inquirer

In a few weeks, professional pianist Diane Earle will be heading back to the Big Apple for another performance engagement.

The musician, Owensboro Symphony pianist and professor emeritus of music at Kentucky Wesleyan College, will be in the New York City spotlight as part of the world premiere performance of Lloyd Larson’s new choral cantata “Amazing Grace: From Blind to Free” at 7 p.m. July 12 on the Perelman Stage, inside the Stern Auditorium, at Carnegie Hall.

For Earle, who estimates playing the venue around “a dozen” times, 2025 marks her 20-year anniversary since making her debut at the concert hall back in 2005.

“(It’s) amazing …,” she said. “It has gone by very quickly. I’ve had major life events in the 20 years — I’ve lost both parents and retired from my Kentucky Wesleyan job, but I feel like the same person.

“(I feel) very blessed to still be playing the piano,” Earle said.

According to a joint press release from True North Presents and Jubilate Music Group, the presenting entities of the premiere, “Amazing Grace: From Blind to Free” will detail the “compelling and extraordinary story” of English evangelical Anglican cleric and slavery abolitionist John Newton, who previously served as the captain of slave ships and an investor in the slave trade.

Surviving a life-threatening storm at sea eventually led Newton to write the popular Christian hymn “Amazing Grace” in 1772, which went on to be published seven years later. From then on, Newton crusaded for the abolishment of slavery, according to the release.

“ ‘Amazing Grace’ is arguably everybody’s favorite hymn. If you went to Kroger and polled 20 people and said, ‘Name a hymn that you really like;’ probably at least 15 would say ‘Amazing Grace,’ ” she said. “For Christianity, it’s the cornerstone of our faith. For me as a musician and a Christian, it’s doubly special because I’m so grateful for God’s amazing grace.”

Earle, who received the music “freshly composed” about a month ago, describes it as “absolutely gorgeous” while also finding the composition has provided a sense of healing after losing her mother, who Earle said was “probably my biggest fan,” last June.

“It’s been a very difficult year for me emotionally, and this piece in the month or so that I’ve gotten it has really helped heal me,” she said. “One of the pieces in it is called ‘Sheltered in God’s Hands,’ and it’s just so emotional, and reassuring and beautiful.

“It’s given me immersible comfort ….” Earle said, “and I’m hoping that the people at Carnegie Hall that are in the audience will feel that same comfort and peace because everybody’s bringing problems, and issues, and hurt, some worries; so I think this piece is just absolutely gorgeous, serenely beautiful.

“I’m just honored to be playing it,” Earle said.

The 40-minute cantata, performed through music and dramatic narration — the latter by A.R. Bernard of the Christian Cultural Center megachurch in Brooklyn, will feature a 230-voice choir and orchestra, and will be part of other sacred choral music written and arranged by Larson and composer Mark Hayes that will be featured throughout the evening.

The program will be hosted by Mark Cabaniss, Jubilate’s president and chief executive officer, and will feature conductor Mark Blankenship and tenor soloists Daniel Christian and Layke Jones as special guests.

Earle will serve as the accompanist and piano soloist for the entirety of the evening.

“There are about 20 people from Owensboro coming,” Earle said. “About a dozen are coming to sing in the choir … and I think two are playing the orchestra. It’s going to be really cool to know that I have some friends who are also participating in the concert.”

Though Earle has been at the venue multiple times over the last two decades, she finds the fever hasn’t dwindled, knowing the likes of Leonard Bernstein and Benny Goodman — the latter being one of her late father’s favorite musicians — have graced the same stage.

“It is so exciting. I get treated like royalty when I go there, which is really cool. They have a bunch of stage managers whose only job is to make sure that I am happy and have everything to, hopefully, be successful in the performance,” she said. “The piano is so magnificent that I play on — that it practically plays itself.

“It’s just fun to play this gorgeous piano in this beautiful hall,” Earle said. “It’s quite humbling to walk out on the stage knowing all these famous people have walked (through) the same stage door, the same stage floor….”

Beyond her upcoming NYC appearance, Earle is looking forward to the rest of the year.

In April, she was announced as the special guest artist for the Symphony’s opening night concert, “Crazy for Gershwin,” at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 at the RiverPark Center — paying tribute to American composer and pianist George Gershwin.

“Between Carnegie Hall and getting to play in my own RiverPark Center, those are the two places I’d rather play than anywhere on Earth,” she said. “I’m so blessed because I get to play all over the world, but RiverPark Center and Carnegie Hall are my favorites.”

Tickets are available for purchase at carnegiehall.org or by calling 212-247-7800.

Those interested in being put on a waiting list as a potential choir singer can call 615-775-1088.