Laurie is a wonderful accompanist! She was one of my student accompanists for a college traveling ensemble, and she always set her vocalists at ease (as well as me!) with her following and support. Her church is blessed to have her as an accompanist!
Heather Sorenson, Composer and Arranger
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When Laurie served as a summer staff counselor at the Bill Rice Ranch in Murfreesboro, TN, she was a help to our ministry with her accompanying, congregational, and offertory skills. The Lord has truly gifted Laurie in her ability to accompany others. Having observed her here and at her home church, she is a blessing to the ministry. I believe you will find her articles to be practical, helpful and encouraging.
Julie Potter Director of Music Ministries
Bill Rice Ranch
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Laurie Iskat Lightbody did a fabulous job as an accompanist and pianist the year she traveled with our ensemble from Pensacola Christian College. She was accurate, confident, and quick to adapt to the needs of each church setting (which changed nightly!). We also really appreciated her sweet, easy-going, yet professional approach. She was equally comfortable in large and small settings. We know she will be a great asset to any ministry.
Christine Prettyman
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I have been in many choirs, singing groups and sung solos for many years, so I have been accompanied by many pianists. It can be a tricky thing. Playing for someone singing a special is a whole lot different than playing for congregationals or offertories. The pianist has to follow the person(s) singing. By my own admission, I can be a difficult person to play for. I love to put my heart and feeling into whatever song I am singing which means I don’t always sing it the same way. I also suffer from allergies and asthma so I never know which note I am going to hold out, be strong on or cut short. Laurie Iskat Lightbody is one of the most talented accompanists I know. She follows me so closely that even when I mess up and feel like I really blew it, she covers up my mistakes so that no one even notices. It makes me feel so at ease when I get up to sing when I know she is the one behind the keys. The talent God has given her is a blessing to me and the music ministry in our church.
Lori Hall, Secretary
Community Bible Baptist Church
Saint Petersburg, Florida
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Laurie Iskat Lightbody is a very talented accompanist, as well as arranger, and has always willingly served in this capacity when need and opportunity have presented themselves. Her Christian testimony and relationship to the Lord are evident in her expressive piano work, as well as in her personal life. From a young age, through college at Pensacola Christian, and now in her church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she continues to use her talents to help anyone she can in the area of piano accompaniment. She has wonderful interpretive skills that enhance vocal music, as well as being a gifted piano soloist, and I highly recommend her as a source for information and improvement in the keyboard area.
Jim Ramsey ~ Eastland Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
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Laurie Iskat Lightbody is a wonderful accompanist/pianist! She played for me all throughout college. Laurie is wonderful at following the singer, balancing the piano with the singer, and even rearranging the song to fit the singer, if needed. I would highly recommend Laurie as a pianist and accompanist!
Karen Flanders
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Laurie is my niece and I have so enjoyed watching her grow in skill and faith over the years. She has been sought after as a church pianist since she was very young. She has always been enthusiastic and engaged in the life of the church. As she grew up and received her degree at college it was focused on Sacred Music. Her already accomplished skills simply exploded in nuance, vitality, power and expression. People come to church to listen to the prelude not as a performance by Laurie but as a spiritual offering and ministry of compassion and hope. This extends to her work as an accompanist. She brings something special to each event. Key to her success is her relationship to the choir, musician or vocalist. Laurie is able to enter into the intent and ministry of the performance and add to its integrity and meaning. In her accompanying she actively engages the artists in conversations to improve the overall effect. Choir directors consult her and singers just feel comfortable and confident when she is there with them. Laurie is a master musician and a rock that any church or group can absolutely rely on. All this is done with great joy and humility, just read her blogs.
Rev. David Elliott