The popularity of Maud Powell, the violinist, amongst musically
inclined people is not altogether due to a recognition of her genius.
Those who know her life story know, too, that the place which she now
occupies in the eye of the public has been obtained at the expense of a
tremendous amount of work, in the face of many obstacles. Besides that,
she is a typical American girl, which means that she is the possessor
of the pluck independence and perseverance which are supposed to be
characteristic of the citizens of the United States. Miss Powell was
born in Peru, Illinois, August 22, 1868. She studied in the common
schools at Aurora, Illinois, and, after some preliminary instruction
on the violin in this country, took an advanced course of study in
Leipzig, Paris and Berlin. As a pupil of the famous Joachim she gave
promises of a brilliant future. Miss Powell is best known to the
American public through the medium of her solos given in connection
with orchestral concerts of Thomas, Seidl, Gericke, Nikisch, Damrosch
and others. In 1892 she toured Australia and Germany with the New
York Arion society, and, in 1896, on the strength of the popularity
which she had established in her preceding tour, made another and most
successful visit to Europe. She has contributed liberally on musical
topics to a number of periodicals. Yet, as far as the American public
is concerned, the fame of Maud Powell is permanently identified with
her violin, rather than with her pen.