A Valentine for Music Hall
Music
in Cincinnati received a beautiful letter from Greenup County, Kentucky
resident Vera Virgin, who accompanied her music teacher to Cincinnati
in the 1930s to hear the great violinist Fritz Kreisler perform at
Music Hall. Vera, an accomplished pianist who still plays for church
services at Oldtown Church of Christ in Oldtown, Kentucky, was a
teacher and school
administrator in the Greenup County schools for 42 years.
Feb. 6, 2008
"Your picture of the big Concert Hall in Cincinnati brought back some pleasant memories to me. I was at Morehead from 1931 to 1935. I took piano and other music, too. My piano teacher Miss Riggs liked me. She must have. She and Dr. Welter, who was a good friend of hers. and Amy Irene Moore, another of her good friends, went to your Music Hall to hear a concert by Fritz Kreisler. He was a great violinist, as you know. Well of all her many music students, who did she choose to take with her? You would certainly not guess ME. Well I was the one and to this day I wonder why she chose me. I wonder what I wore.
Miss Riggs told me Fritz Kreisler
took care of a lot of little orphans in Poland, I think (I'm not
sure). Dr. Welter drove. He and Miss Riggs were in the front and
Prof. Moore and I occupied the back. It's funny in a way -- little me
and three college professors. They were so nice to me. They went all out to make me feel so wanted. He [Dr. Welter] sat next to us to dinner, and all I remember about it was that we had blueberry pie. Anyway, I thought the music hall was the biggest and finest thing I had ever seen. It was one of the best memories of my life.
I wrote a letter to Miss Riggs telling her how much I appreciated what she had done for me. I was teaching my first year at Oldtown [Kentucky] with my 52 children in 8 different grades. I certainly hope the great hall will be preserved.
Vera L. Virgin