SAND SPRINGS, OK, July 05, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Lonnie Liggitt with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Lonnie Liggitt celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
All his life, Lonnie Liggitt has immersed himself in composing and musical performance as a pianist, organist, and conductor. Many of his contemporary works have been published through DSM (Warner Bros.) in New York. He has managed and toured around the world with Mrs. Ernestine Dillard, one of the most talented Gospel singers of our time. They have performed for President Clinton and the prestigious Trumpet Awards on Turner Broadcasting. They have released three albums.
His organ concerts include St. Thomas Episcopal on Fifth Avenue (NYC), The American Cathedral in Paris and Syracuse University. He simultaneously completed two Masters of Music degrees as a Graduate Fellow with the famous organist Dr. Arthur Poister and as a graduate assistant to Dr. Earl George, head of the theory department. He remained on the faculty at Syracuse University with Dr. Earl George and Dean Howard Boatwright as a conductor, teacher, recitalist and musical theorist. Additionally, he became Composer in Residence under Walt Whitcover for the New York Repertory Theater. He wrote the realizations of several early Frescobaldi Concerti discovered by Dr. Don Smithers, who recorded them with Oxford Press. While teaching at Syracuse University he wrote and produced the first quarter-tone ballet, A Season in Hell, based on the writings of Arthur Rimbaud. Uras Ubon from Latvia created the film/scrim environment.
Lonnie Liggitt's scores have been performed by the Jackson Symphony, the Memphis Symphony, and the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. He was on the Founding board of Directors of the new Tulsa Symphony, the first Education Director, and is now on the Auxiliary Board.
Noted Composer Ben Alloway invited Lonnie Liggitt to perform the World Premier as organist of his magnificent Heaven and Earth, a Celtic Journey in 2011. He was also organist for the premiers in Ireland and Wales. For several years he was organist/choir director for First Presbyterian Church in Claremore, Oklahoma and served as adjunct faculty member at Rogers State University and Tulsa Community College.
Lonnie Liggitt conducted the world premiere of Antol Dorati's Missa Brevis at Syracuse University and was associate conductor of the New York City premier of Dominick Argento's Masque of Angels. As a composer in London, he was commissioned to write the film score for the BBC II Film Production of The Three Princes and the BBC Radio production of Aubrey Beardsley. Locally, he was composer and musical director for OETA's Production of Will Roger's Romance with Betty and America, written by Tulsan, Lynette Bennett.
As the associate conductor of the Pittsburg Civic Light Opera for two seasons, Lonnie Liggitt conducted 12 Broadway musicals and light operas and coached the principles brought in for the leads, including Shirley Jones, Patrice Munsel, Gretchen Wyler, Jean Fenn, Georgio Tozzi and Richard Metcalf. He was strongly influenced by the esteemed conductor William Steinberg who conducted the famous Pittsburgh Symphony during the time Liggitt was conducting the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera. Most of the same musicians were in both orchestras. Liggitt worked as Associate Conductor to Maestro Karl Kritz, former conductor at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. During those 2 seasons he conducted the chorus during the day and conducted the entire show for one performance each week. During the remaining nights, he sat in the pit next to the conductor and marked every wrong note in the score. Introduced in London by Gretchen Wyler, whom he had conducted in Guys and Dolls he coached all the major roles in the West End opening of Mame, staring Ginger Rogers. He composed and orchestrated the music for Sue Nichols in her debut tour of England and Wales.
More recently, Lonnie Liggitt was commissioned to orchestrate a new opera by David Wilson, More Than a Man Can Take. He also performed his own composition dedicated to Martin Luther King, "There Comes a Time" with choir and soloists. He recently conducted a performance of the Messiah with the Tulsa Chamber Orchestra and the Rogers State University Choir.
During the 1980's Lonnie Liggitt changed direction and became a securities broker for Dean Witter Reynolds (now Morgan Stanley). In Dallas, he became head of the Southwest Region of the United States in Private Placements, including Hybritech, Motorola, and Chrysler and had approximately 1,000 brokers under his leadership in that area.
As owner of Greenwood Digital Studios in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and President of Horace Hopper's Musical Adventures, Inc. (www.Horacehopper.com), Lonnie Liggitt has been involved in research in early childhood education for 15 years. His work, funded through private foundations, state grants and with venture capital, involved the causal relationship between his computer music applications and communication skills of higher functioning autistic and Asperger's Syndrome diagnosed children. His company has won 4 national awards in education and Mr. Liggitt is a member of Who's Who in America and Who's Who Among American Teachers. This year Mr. Liggitt was selected for the highest honor given by Who's Who, the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award.
During the next 5 years, Lonnie Liggitt plans to collaborate with Pulitzer Prize Nominee, Clifton Taulbert, and finish parts 2 and 3 of their Trilogy dedicated to Martin Luther King. He is also committed to creating a Flute Concerto with Symphonic Orchestra for Tommy Wildcat, Cherokee National Treasure.
He and his wife, Jean, live in Anchorage in the summers and on Keystone Lake in Oklahoma in the winters. They love to travel and camp out. They hiked on the Appalachian Trail recently, climbing to the top of Mt. Rogers.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to his profession and the Marquis Who's Who community, Lonnie Liggitt has been featured on the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for more information about this honor.
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
# # #