When most people think of "composers" they envision Bach, Beethoven and Brahms; not a kid from Atlanta, Texas, who has played the marimba on the sidelines of many football games. But Hayden Davis has some pretty lofty goals and is on his way to achieving them. Right before high school graduation this year, he received his acceptance letter from the Boston Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts. Hayden is one of only 19 students accepted this year from around the world.
"I got the email on April first and thought maybe it was an April Fool's joke," Hayden said. "But it wasn't. I couldn't believe it."
Hayden's love of music started with films and video games, and his goal is to one day write scores for movies and the tunes that get stuck in our head as we play our favorite video games. Just this year he has written two compositions: "Infiltration" was performed by the Atlanta Middle School Band at the Texas Music Education Association in San Antonio when they were chosen as a State Honor Band. Hayden was allowed to go and experience his piece being performed. The other was a collaboration with Hunter Hale, the percussion director at Atlanta High School. "Freed From the Arena" was part of the AHS percussion show this year.
"It was really great to have both of them performed," said Hayden. "I performed in the percussion show, so that was even more special. It had like a gladiator-type theme to it."
The self-taught composer also scored and composed the entire One Act Play for the AHS Theatre class.
The young musician picked up his first instrument in his 2012 sixth grade band, and chose the marimba, which put him in the percussion ensemble that stands at the front of the field. "It really took off in 2014-my eighth grade year," he said. "I started writing and composing music for the marimba."
Danny Hawkins, the AHS Percussion Director saw something in Hayden, said Hayden's mom, Andi. "He's no longer here, but he said to me 'he's a special kid.'"
Hayden counts Hawkins as one of his inspirations, along with AHS Head Director Keith Sanders, Hale, and former English I teacher Katelyn Davenport.
The Texas UIL Marching Contests trips to San Antonio in 2014 and 2016 hold special memories for him. "I was in the eighth grade for the first trip, and it was a lot of fun," he said.
So, now that we know what's so special about Hayden Davis, we can ask what's so special about Boston Conservatory?
Acclaimed Program
In 1867, Julius Eichberg, a gifted violinist and composer, founded the school as a professional training academy and community music school. He built the curriculum around the greatest conservatories of Brussels, Paris, Prague, London and Vienna.
But the school was groundbreaking in a way no other music schools were at the time-from the moment it opened, women and African Americans were welcome. At the start of the 20th century, the Conservatory incorporated dance and theater training, and created the first "grand opera" department in the U.S. Today it offers fully accredited programs in dance, music, and theater, with access to the resources and programs of the great Berklee institution, to which it is attached.
The Conservatory has only 612 students with a student to faculty ratio of 5:1. Of those students, 190 of them are in the music department, where Hayden will be. Currently, 69 international students represent 23 countries.
How to help Hayden
While Hayden's acceptance came with a small scholarship, it's up to his family to raise the rest of the money to get him there. So far, Andi, a single mom with two other children-Zoe, a culinary arts major at Kilgore College, and little brother Memphis, an 11-year old trombone player in the Atlanta Middle School band-has maxed out on student loans.
"He's had so much support from Cass County, but only the first year has been covered," Andi said. "We've got one more fundraiser coming up before August, and that's a 5K fundraiser we call Hayden't Opus Run 2019.'"
The fundraiser is set for 9 a.m. until noon on Saturday, July 20, starting at the Price Hardware Parking Lot at 302 N. William Street in Atlanta. To register for the 5K Run or donate go online to Runsignup.com/Race/TX/Atlanta/HaydensOpusRun2019 .
"I feel like with the first year taken care of, I'll be able to get more loans if necessary for the next three years," Hayden said.
As all mothers do when their kids leave the nest, Andi had reservations about her son going so far away.
"I consider him a Momma's boy," she said. "When he was first accepted, I was scared about leaving him there; but now I've been busy getting him there. I'm so happy for him, it outweighs my own selfish wants."
Hayden, however, has no trepidation. "I'm excited to be among all the different cultures," he said. "I'm excited about the big city!"