Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-07-20
SECOND PRIZE
In Royal College Of Music Taken BY Francis
MCMlllen.

boy, mas Deen awarded second prize In 1
the Royal College of Music at Brussels,
Belgium.
The people of Marietta and Washing
ton county all well know of the won
derful musical ability of this nfteen-
year-old lad. At the age of five his |
talent became very noticeable, and |
when eleven he was pupil of the great
Bernard Listman, of the College of |
Music of Chicago. From there he went |
to eBrlin, where he spent three years |
under the leading artists.
year ago he became a student at
Brussels.
At the closing contest of the students
on violin of the Royal Conservatory of
Music, of Brussels, Belgium, held july
LIST and End, Francis Rea McMillen was
awarded the second prize of distinction,
his grade being AZ which is two less
held in the very large auditorium of the
Conservatory in the presence of an i'm
mense audience. and the jury of six
of the first musicians of Belgium head
ed by President Gevaert, of the Royal
Conservatory. Twenty-Five students
participated in this contest, most of
whom, including McMillen, were stu
dents of the great Caesar Thompson.
Each student played three times; the
first forenoon a separate etude and in
the afternoon the first movement of the
Winiarvo-Ki Concerto No. 2 and on the
second day a separate concerto,
McMillen rendering the Paganini Con-
certo in D Major. Most of the students
were men of twenty-five years of age
and none less than 81 years, except Nc
Millin, who is only fifteen years old,
and he has only been a student in the
Conservatory for one year. McMillen
played with wonderful success and was
greeted with long and enthusiastic ap-
plause Prof. Thompson predicts that
next year he will easily win the first
prize of past grand distinction, which
carries with it quite sum of money.
The musical public and the press We're
completely captivated with the great
playing of this wonderful young tAm
erican genius, as they call him. The
papers speak of the spirited, brilliant
and finished Interpretation he gave his
numbers. Professor Morceau, Ysage's
first assistant was delighted with him
and said ne played best of all the con-
testants. His prize this year places MIN
at the head of the Royal Conservatory
Orchestra for the coming year and ell
titles him to free tuition in the Con-
servatory.
LETTER FROM HIS MOTHER.
The following letter, written from
Brussels under date of July 4th by Mrs.
McMillen to her parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
E. F. Hill, gives an accurate account
of the contest:
My Dear Parents: The exciting days
have passed, and Francis has won the
second prize of distinction. Things
have terminated to our great and entire
|
tions in every way. In the first place
the playing of Francis was simply mar
velous, and has been recognized by the
musical public, the papers and the jury.
will say at once that the first prize
is prohibited by President Gevaert for
students only being in the conserva
toire one year upon the grounds of
which | have mentioned in my former
letters. And to repeat, when student
enters the conservatory and contests
the first year, which is very rare, espe-
said at once that he could not have
accomplished so much in one year, con-
sequently he must have been an artist
before he entered, so saying tie jmy
awarded Francis with second prize OF
distinction, giving him forty-eight
points-two points more would have
won him first prize. This was done tn
hold him in the conservatoire another
year, which will place him in line as
the first student of Caesar Thompson IN
the Royal Conservatoire of BruXelles,
where his chance for winning the first
prize OF pre- grand distinction next year
| is vastly superior to any other student.
This is the opinion of the entire musi
cal community. Had he received the
first prize he could not have continued
his studies in the Conservatoire as first
prizers are debarred. This prize of dis"
tinction gives him free scholarship and
exempts him from all examinations and
places him as first violnist of the large
Conservatoire orchestra We have been
busy receiving congratulations both
in person. and by letters. among them
one from Mr.. and Mrs. Lawrence Town
send, the American Ambassador to Bel
GUM, who were present at the concour.
BY the way Francis and | called there
yesterday by request of Mrs Townsend