By Liesbeth Van Emmerik
Hugo Hess, a Year 9 Victory Christian College student, has been awarded the Aspire Cultural and Charitable Foundation’s Eileen Denton Scholarship for 2023.
The scholarship includes weekly organ lessons at Sacred Heart Cathedral with internationally renowned Australian organ virtuoso, Mr Thomas Heywood.
Hugo started piano lessons in 2017 and soon discovered that he loved learning the piano and classical music. In July 2022, Hugo’s family moved to Bendigo to be closer to family, a move which presented Hugo with fresh musical opportunities. He competed in his first Eisteddfod in Bendigo this year and his piano teacher, Mrs Katie Kim, recommended him for the Eileen Denton Organ Scholarship.
Hugo started taking lessons with Mr Thomas Heywood earlier this year. Hugo says he thoroughly enjoys his organ lessons with Mr Heywood and embraces the challenge of learning technically difficult pieces. He also has the rare opportunity to play Sacred Heart Cathedral’s majestic organ, built by Bishop & Son of London in 1904.
Hugo is thankful for the opportunity offered to him through the Eileen Denton Scholarship. He was officially recognised as recipient of the Scholarship after the 11.00 a.m. Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Sunday 8 October, where he was joined by members of his family.
About Eileen Denton (nee Hains)
Eileen Denton was the organist at Sacred Heart Cathedral from 1920-1931 and Choir Director from 1941-1948.
She was born in Seymour in 1895, five years before Australian Federation and was the only girl in her family among five brothers. Eileen’s primary education was in Seymour and her secondary education at the Convent of Mercy in Shepparton, where she was its very first boarder. Eileen learnt the piano in Shepparton under the tutelage of Mother Aquinas O'Driscoll RSM and did exceptionally well. In 1912, aged 17, Eileen received the first gold medal from the Australian Music Examinations Board, or the AMEB. She was also appointed as an Associate of Trinity College, London.
Eileen’s family moved to Bendigo and some years later, Eileen became Organist at this Cathedral at a time when the Cathedral had an organ, choir, and orchestra under the leadership of Dr Alan Bindley, and the whole music production led by conductor, William Frasier. While Eileen was organist here, she was also accompanist for the Bendigo Choral Society of over 100 members and conducted by Mr Frasier. Throughout her years as organist, she gave regular organ concerts here, with the proceeds going to St Aiden’s Orphanage.
In 1932 Eileen married James Denton and retired from the Cathedral choir, but continued teaching from home. After James died in 1939, she came back to the role of Director and conductor until finally retiring in 1948. However, Eileen kept teaching until she was 91!
Eileen died in 1994, aged 99 and was buried from this Cathedral. This organ scholarship was initiated by John Hogan, former Organist and Director of Music, as a tribute to the contribution Eileen Denton had made in her many years in Bendigo.
