Carol Abernathy – Violin Prodigy 1920
Missoula Girl a Musical Genius – 1920
A picture of Miss Carol Abernathy appeared in the Missoulian on August 20, 1920 with the following caption:
Miss Carol Abernathy, little daughter of Prof. and Mrs. Austin Abernathy, shows unusual musical talent. And it is prophesied by her teacher of violin, Prof. Weisberg, that she will reach the height of the musical world. She began to show her unusual talent at a very early age and is the composer of many melodies.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/349062306/
An article in the Music News in 1922 also had this to say about Carol Abernathy:
“Carol Abernathy, aged 12, is a daughter of Austin Abernathy and shows unusual musical talent both as a singer and violinist. She is pronounced a child wonder and musical genius by musicians of Chicago and elsewhere who have heard her.
“Her program would tax the strength of a mature artist. It includes selections from the operas, which she sings in three languages, and her violin numbers are those that appear on the programs of the leading violinists. She has composed her own violin obbligato to the “Indian Bell Song” (Lakme) and also a violin obbligato to the “La Perle du Bresil” (David), which she plays when she sings these selections.
“She has a voice of unusual volume and range, reaching the highest notes on the piano with a quality of unusual sweetness, and her trilling rippling, in imitation of bird songs in such numbers as Bishop’s “Lo, Here the Gentle Lark” is a revelation of musical ability. This little lass of 12 summers is a grammar school girl who carried off the highest honors in her room during the past year, showing that music, or the serious study of music, is usually a help instead of a hindrance, as is commonly thought in school work. Carol began to show her unusual musical talent almost before she could walk. At the age of 2 years she could play on the piano almost anything she had heard, as well as working out original melodies, and as she grew older she went to the piano to express her every mood.
“She made her first public appearance at 3 years of age in a church program and attracted so much attention that the local paper asked for her photograph and commented on her talent enthusiastically. Since that time she has attracted much attention as a child prodigy.
“She began the study of the violin two years ago and made such rapid progress on it that her teacher, who had taught in Europe as well as some of the larger cities of this country, pronounced her a musical genius, saying that in all his teaching experience he had never seen such talent, and predicted that in a few years we would all be listening to her records. She has wonderful ability to memorize, also retaining what she memorizes.
“With her father, a music teacher and singer, her constant adviser and instructor, and her brother, a talented pianist of 15 years, this group of three, called the Abernathy Trio, is giving many concerts, which their press comments show to be splendidly successful. B.C.”
Reference to Carol and the Abernathy Concert Trio can be found in newspapers from many locations over several years following the above article.
An article in the Des Moines Register in 1928 noted that she was the winner of the state high school violin contest:
Carol Abernathy Wins Violin Contest
Carol Abernathy of Fairfield, daughter of Dr. Austin Abernathy, dean of college of music at Parsons college at Fairfield, was winner of the state high school violin contest at Iowa City last week.
In 1926 and 1927 Miss Abernathy won second place in the state high school violin contests. George Dasch, well known violinist and conductor of Chicago, was the judge this year.
For the last four years, Miss Abernathy has been a pupil of Arcule Sheasby at Drake university. She plans to continue her study under Mr. Sheasby at Northwestern university next fall.
From that point on there is very little public information about Carol Abernathy. In the 1940 census she is found living in Evanston, Il., with her parents, Austin and Evelyn, and brothers Hadley and Brooks. She died in Illinois in 1998 as Carol Battistelli.
Brooks Abernathy, Carol’s brother, was born in Missoula in 1918. He had a successful career with Brunswick corporation, becoming its CEO and Chairman and retiring in 1983. He served on boards of several companies and endowed a chair at Northwestern University where he graduated in 1941.