CHILD PRODIGY

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 October 1929, Page 2

CHILD PRODIGY

SKILL AT THE PIANO. MELBOURNE, Sept. 27. Phillip Hargraves, aged 7% years, who has been studying the piano for only 15 months, has attracted the attention in Adelaide of Professor Laver and the elder Professor of Music at Adelaide University (Dr. Harold Davies). Dr. Laver has just reurned to Melbourne from Adelaide, where he examined with Dr. Davies and others for the Australian Musical Examinations Board. “I have been associated with the University since 1894, and in the whole of my experience I have never encountered such a remarkable- child,” said Professor Laver. “He plays both pianoforte and violin, and Dr. Davies agrees with me that he is one of the most wonderful child executants which Australia has produced. He was brought to us one afternoon by Mr. W. Silver, of the Adelaide Conservatoriuni, who had been examining him for the pianoforte. There are six grades in the examination, and the sixth is the lowest. The boy presented himself for the first, and Ills musicianship was so extraordinary that we simply did not award him marks. It would have seemed an anti-climax. His memory is prodigious, and physically he is a fine healthy type. I am convinced much will be heard of him, and I only hope that he will not be exploited, and so possibly spoiled by the impressarios.”