Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-02-27

playing all the difficult masses and i'm
promising with astonishing taste and skill.
When the regular church organistt re-
signed three months ago, the Rev. DR..
John McQuirk the pastor. offered the place
to his young parishioner. and now the form
of the child musician may be seen bending
over the double keyboard of the instrument
he loves so well.
Master Wilkes astounded the fifty sing
ers who tried for a position in the church
quartet by playing for all of them. Each
applicant selected her own music. but the
youth played all at sight. He first showed
the wonderful talent that nature has given
him back in his home in Worcester. Eng
land. when he was more than D years old.
In those days he used to stand before the
piano. and with his little hands bring har-
mony and melody from the instrument. His
aunt. Miss Fannie Wilkes, the blind organ
list OF St; osburg,s church. Coventry: rec
ognized the little fellows talent. and began
to give him lessons. with surprising re-
suits.
A Frail Physique.
But If the child's mind was strong and
perceptive. his body was weak. and when
6 years old his health was so delicate that
his life was almost despaired of. In those
trying days Miss Wilkes, the blind musi-
clan, would play soft harmonies for the
sick boy as he lay on his bed These
soothed and Quieted him as no medicine
could.
1t was at this time that the boys father,
w alter Wilkes. came to this country with
AAS ANhA tAAAAis VI 49, NAACs
son and little daughter. Winifred- The faith
er opened a small grocery store at No. 169
East observation-disclosures street. where
he lives now. He was a man of most mod
crate means. but he and his wife gladly
denied themselves to continue their boys
musical education.
Under the instruction Of a competent
teacher Master Wilkes progressed rapidly.
and before he vas 10 years old he was
playing the plano music of Haydn and
Mozart. his favorite composers.
TooE lin O,r.u Sfndw
The mysteries of the pipe organ were
unknown to the boy until about four years
ago, when the wonderful possibilities Of
the instrument began to unfold themselves
to him. 1t took only a few lessons for
Master Wilkes to find an outlet for all the
the summer Of 1854 Father Meouirs called
upon him to play a requiem mass.
The regular organist did not come to the
church, and the boy of 10 was the only
gency and played the service without any
breaks. This SO pleased Father McQuirk
that he gave the organ key to the boy
and play on the organ when you wish"
And so. when other boys were playing in
the street Master Wilkes would be found
over the organ. filling the church with
Master Wilkes is a slender. pale faced
boy, with a pleasant expression; has brown
hair and eyes and wears knickerbockers.
He is in the sub-freshman class at Man.
haitian college. and stands well there.
Master Wilkes has already composed sew
eral works. including a kyrie and gloria
in B fiat for four voices. with an accom-
paniment for the organ. He is now work.
ing on a mass. which he hopes to COM
plete and render in the church by Easter.
St. Paul's in East Observation-Disclosures
street. where he plays. is the oldest Roman
Catholic church in Harlem. and seats 2.O00
persons.