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Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2015, 26 February 1907, Page 1

AN INFANT PHENOMENON. A sturdy little boy, ]list three years old, conducted for the band playing before tlie bain entrance of the Exhibition on Tuesday evening. A largo crowd gathered round and watched him with amazement. With tiny arms lie beat time vigoroussly and perfectly. Correctly bis small bands moulded the music. As it fell bis bead moved first to this side, then to that. The absorbed expression of bis face showed that lie wa: oblivious of everything but the performance of the band. His entire body swayed to the. movement of the music. Throughout a long selection lie conducted the band with all his musical soul, and all bis physical strength, his right band moving as though it held a baton and had wielded one for years.

The crowd formed a large ring round him to give liiin room. The tiny conductor had drawn more spectators than the band iutd attracted listeners. There was something strange and unusual in seeing such a child conducting like a veteran. It. was noticed as the performers proceeded, that liis actions formed a perfect imitation of*,those of Mr. Alfred Hill, conductor of the Exhibition orchestra. Mr. Hill’s most individual motions wore copied to the life. It was himself in miniature, but the young conductor did not know that lie was imitating anything; all liis consciousness was plainly sunk in

Master Horace Bissell, for that is the young musician’s name, will soon be well known at tlie Exhibition. His performance of Tuesday- evening was not a uoveltv: -He -lias behaved the same way several times. When the orchestra used to play in the corridor this precocious child used to conduct the orchestra as a completely seriousunderstudy of Mr. Alfred Hill. He was stopped after a time, because, altogether unwittingly, he created too vreat a diversion. Now lie lias come down to the conducting for brass bands. .The bandsmen watch him with a wondering amusement. Tlie child’s love of music is bred in the bone, bis father, who belongs to Sydney, being a member of the Exhibition orchestra, and his mother is a skilled musician, while tlie musical talent of tlie family goes further back on both sides. He is a very lively, sturdy boy, big and thick set for his year. “lou’d think lie was a farmers son,” remarked his father. “Whenever Horace hears a hand, piano, or oven liis father whistling the musical passion seizes him, and. he is constrained to beat time, and enter into the performance with his whole soul and strength. Frequenters of the Exliiliition know him well. Some of the spectators of his conducting have taken to giving him pennies, a practice which his father discountenances strongly, as tending, together with too much attention, to spoil the boy.