The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1901-07-27
WILLIAM HAYDEN.
To give an Organ recital at the
Catholic Church Monday
Evening

+. l.. Stevens president of the In
dustrial Institute at Lafayette, will
give an organ recital At the Catholic
Church Monday. Young Hayden a
Louisiana boy yet IN hls teens has
for the last three years been stu
dent cf the New York conservatory
of music and will complete his
course the comming year.
1t ls for the purpose Of raising
enongh money to defray his ex-
pene that the recital will be given.
The recital wall rclude organ,
piano and violin selections, taking
place Morday evening July Goth,
abundance 25ct. Interviewed by a
Picayune reporter, Professor Ste
vens gave the following account of
his protege's history.
"Iou will he interested to learn
lhat young Mr.. Hayden, of New
York, who is Stopping with me, is a
Louisiana boy Of the very greatest
promise as musician, although he
has been totally blind almost from
birth.
"My attention was first drawn TO
him through Miss Mary Cross, his
teacher. some years ago, IN the lns.
titute for Blind at Baton Rouge.
Being in New York at the time, |
responded to her request TO en-,
deavor to obtain for the young
man a free sch olarship IN the Nat
lonal Conservatory tf Music IN that
city. Miss Cross was sue cesss fal In
this attempt, and IN obtmnlIg a
comfortable place for him in the
New York Home for the Blind, at a
moderate expense. And his means
of subsistence IN the city materially
increased through concerts given
among my fellow students IN vari
Gus colleges and universities in aad
near New York MIR. Hayden be
ing everywhere recognized as az
advanced student Of far more than
ordinary ability. In fact, l was as
sured by Heinroth the distinguished
organi.t of the Church Of the
Ascension on Fifth Avenue, that
Hayden was the strongest student
of the pipe organ iu the conserva
tory.
"Mr. Hayden's blindness, though
1t greatly multiplIes the difficulties
of his study, seems to be no ban
whatever to his excelle ce as an
artist. He is exceedingly intelligent
and well read, having learned to
read and write the raised plnholt
system of the blind while student
IN Baton Rouge. In working uI
a piece of music, he gets reader
| to dictate the musical notation To
HIM, which lie transcrlbes into
spolnts.' lie then inverls the sheet
reads the raised points with has
finger and commits the entire piece
TO memory. He Is then ready to re
produce the music accurately oI
piano, violin or organ.
"Mr. Hayden IS nov visiting hl
home in the south Tor the first time
since he went to the conservatory
three years ago. He is a native o
, Caddo parish and his father, Mi
H. w. Hayden, now dead, was
Confederate soldier during tt'
whole four years's confitct. Hl
mother and younger sisters nv
near S,onewall, IN De Soto parIsf
s.His friends over all the state ar
greeting him vi b much congra.l
lations upon the marked improve
ment TO be observed III what W.
already his splendid musical abllit'
for now his own compo itlon an
splendid improvisation seem quit
/, as excellent as some Of the best r
cogniz d pieces of merit. lie h;
just given a very successful conce
| in Lafayette, where he has been ii
g guest Of DR.. Girard, and will gi'
another during the present week
Opelousas. After this he will prot
bly, give concert IN Baton Roue
at about the the time of the 90
lederate reunion here, the first we
" in August.
At Ocean Grove, N. j., is stirred