Imperial Valley Press

SUPER-NORMAL BOY WONDER HAS ABNORMAL VOICE

(By Associated Press)

TACOMA, Wash., Nov. 30. - Elected to a place among the child prodigies of the day and to a seat among the marvelous singers of the land, Robert Murray, age 12, of Tacoma, is a robust, healthy boy and normal in every way except in music. There he is "super-normal."

The youth, who startled New York opera stars and critics recently by sounding the highest note ever recorded by the human voice and by interpreting arias from grand operas like a professional, has been regarded as a musical genius by his parents since early childhood. He showed an instinctive musical taste and understanding before he was old enough to go to school, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Murray, early placed him under the training of the best teachers here. The father is a well known Tacoma attorney.

A year ago Madame Frances Alda, the grand opera singer, heard Robert sing while she was on a tour of the west. She was enthused with his voice, and it was largely her commendation that led Mr. Murray to send his son to New York last January. He has been studying in the metropolis since last March under Polak and Haywood.

"The specialists tell us that Robert's throat is very extraordinary," his father says.
"The nasal resonating chambers are unusually large, and the voice is of exceptional quality and range. The boy has always had a real genius for music. He has an intuitive feeling for interpretation and a remarkable, almost photographic, memory for all compositions that he studies."

Dr. F. E. Marafield, Caruso's voice builder, has devoted much attention to the boy, and he recently wrote the father as follows:

"Your son has the qualifications as to musicianship, artistic temperament, vocal organs and voice of the highest order, so that I am able to say that he will be a dramatic lyric tenor of the first rank. Caruso heard your son for 40 minutes, and he confirms my judgment. I consider his future career 99 per cent of a certainty."

"It has been my privilege to train some of the great American voices," wrote Frederick Haywood, "and I am convinced that your son is destined to be one of the great."