BOY WONDER.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 4 January 1924, Page 7

BOY WONDER.

AMAZING PIANIST

HIS OWN CONCERT AT 11

SYDNEY, Dec. 20. In little Jimmy Walker, who fe only 11 years of age, Sydney li^s an amazing young musician. Mr Stefan Polotynski, a Polish musician and composer now in this city, is going to take young Walker to England and Europe early in the New Year, .and have him stamped with the hallmark of Paderewski. That, with his great brilliance, should assure his future.

Recently young Walker took part in his second big concert, and, incidentally, made, his debut as a band conductor. He nlayed Beethoven's Sonata Pathetique with great feeling, although the Adagio was more within the compass of his small hands. He rendered other items, including "A Dream Prelude" by Polotynski. He played at the concert-, from memory, and showed that he has technique, the power of expression, sympathy and confidence. Already a wondesr, he bids fair to become' a genius. At the age of four, Jimmy, who hails from Ashfield. one of Sydney's inner suburbs, made his first acquaintance with the keyboard. His parents thought him too young to learn, so he taught himself for a few years, and gained more than an edementary knowledge. Then came Mr Polotynski. "As I didn't kick up a row," says Jimmy, "he allowed me in the room while he was giving lessons. j I watched all the time, and learnt a ! good bit that way." • Observing that the boy was rapidly assimilating anything about the piano, Mr Polotynski took him in hand about 18 months ago. Seven months later Jimmy appeared in public. Even on that occasion he played difficult old classics and modern works in a manner which astonished his hearers. With all this praise, Jimmy is . still a "boyish boy."" As he seats himself at the piano with all the deliberation of a veteran, a tuft of hair stuck out in front, he looks round at his audience to command silence. When his small hands begin to play he passes into the realm of magic*. Off stage be talks of marbles, football, and cricket, and incidentally mentions, with humorous seriousness, that he likes a cle-air platform while playing. He has the professional temperament. At his last concert he could hear, while playing, a good deal of noise from people- in the - waiting-room. When he finished, he shed some tears behind the curtains; but. after a pack on the back from Mr Polotynski, he returned for an encore, remarking about a parcel which had been giveii him, ''Don't yon to-i7ch my chocolates, then." Mr Polotynski ha? alrady arranged a number of concerts for Jimmy in Poland, after they visit London during the Empire Exhibition. It is bis wish to amass sufficient money on the Continent for his youne charge to settle down and study hard. He wants him to become a composer and conductor as well as a player.