Helen Eugenia Hagan facts for kids

Helen Eugenia Hagan (born January 10, 1891 – died March 6, 1964) was an amazing American pianist, music teacher, and composer. She was a pioneering African American woman who achieved many firsts in the world of classical music.

Helen Hagan's Early Life and Education

Helen Eugenia Hagan was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Her parents were John A. and Mary Estella Neal Hagan. Helen started learning piano from her mother. Later, she continued her music studies in public schools in New Haven, Connecticut. When she was about nine years old, she began playing the organ for the Dixwell Avenue Congregational Church in New Haven.

Studying at Yale and in Paris

Helen went on to study at Yale University. Her teacher there was Stanley Knight. In 1912, she earned her bachelor's degree in music. This was a huge achievement! She performed her own piece, called Concerto in C Minor, as a solo pianist. The New Haven Symphony Orchestra played with her, led by Horatio Parker. By doing this, Helen became the first known African American woman to get a degree from Yale University.

After Yale, Helen received a special scholarship. It was called the Samuel Simmons Stanford scholarship. This allowed her to study music in Paris, France. She learned from famous teachers like Blanche Selva and Vincent d'Indy. She graduated from the Schola Cantorum in 1914.

Her Career as a Concert Pianist

Helen returned to the United States as World War I began. She started her career as a concert pianist. She toured and performed from 1915 to 1918. In 1918, she became the music director at Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State College. This meant she was in charge of the music department.

In early 1919, she went back to France. She entertained African American troops of the AEF (American Expeditionary Forces). She traveled with Joshua Blanton and Rev. Henry Hugh Proctor. The YMCA helped organize these performances. General John Pershing, a very important military leader, personally asked Ms. Hagan to entertain the soldiers.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1920, Helen Hagan married John Taylor Williams. She continued her concert career. She also had her own music studio in Morristown, New Jersey for over ten years. She was the first African American woman to join the Morristown Chamber of Commerce. This was a group of local business people.

Helen also taught music at the Mendelssohn Conservatory of Music in Chicago. She worked towards a Master of Arts degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. In the 1930s, she served as the dean of music at Bishop College in Marshall, Texas. She also continued to direct choirs and play the organ in churches. Helen Hagan passed away in New York City after a long illness.

On September 29, 2016, a special monument was unveiled for Helen Hagan. It was placed at New Haven's Evergreen Cemetery. People raised money to create this monument for her previously unmarked grave. On that day, New Haven's mayor, Toni Harp, declared it "Women Making Music Day." The New Haven Symphony Orchestra also performed a concert in Ms. Hagan's honor that evening.

Yale University's School of Music is working to bring Helen Hagan's Concerto in C Minor back to life. They are re-orchestrating it based on her existing music scores. They plan to have the Yale Philharmonia perform this resurrected work.

Helen Hagan's Musical Works

The only known musical piece by Helen Hagan that still exists today is her Concerto in C Minor for Piano and Orchestra. Sadly, her other compositions, including some piano pieces and a violin sonata, have been lost over time.

The New Haven Symphony Orchestra is very active in promoting Ms. Hagan's musical legacy. They encourage anyone who might have a score or manuscript of her music to contact them through their website, www.NewHavenSymphony.org. They hope to find more of her amazing music!