School of music and magic opens doors
Have you ever wondered how magicians and mentalists perform their tricks? Have you ever considered learning a few tricks of your own?
The Hatch Academy of Magic and Music, a unique blend of instruction in magic and music performance, opened its doors to the Logan community on Friday, Jan 14.
Located in the Thatcher-Young Mansion, a historic landmark behind the Eccles Theater on Main Street, the Academy offers not only performances of magic and the violin, but group and private lessons in these areas as well. Richard Hatch and his wife, Rosemary, founders of the Academy, moved to Logan in 2010 in search of a place to open their new school. Hatch said they decided to move to Logan to be closer to his parents, and afterwards decided to start a school that would combine their careers. He said he discovered from a newspaper article that the mansion had been remodeled and reopened for use, and he had many competitors for the building.
“As soon as I saw the mansion, I wanted to open the school there. It has such charisma, and such charm,” he said.
Hatch teaches the art of magic and sleight-of-hand tricks in the loft of the Thatcher-Young Mansion, while Rosemary instructs private violin lessons in the second-floor studio. Hatch said the school could be described as a combination of “Hogwarts and Julliard.”
Hatch, son of long-time Logan arts patrons Anne and Eastman Hatch, said he graduated from Mt. Logan Middle school and Logan High and has deep family roots in Cache Valley. Although Hatch studied physics at Utah State University and Yale, he said he discovered a passion for magic tricks in his youth when he was mentored by a magician while living in Germany.
“I would rather violate the laws of nature than discover them. It turns out to be much easier!” he said.
The Academy held a grand opening last Saturday, which included a public tour of the mansion, a display of Hatch’s collection of magic posters and a performance of magic and music performed by the Hatches.
“We were expecting 100 people to come, but there were almost 600 who came for the grand opening. I was very pleasantly surprised by the turnout,” Hatch said.
In February, Hatch will be offering both private and group beginner’s courses in sleight-of-hand magic and mentalism, and starting April 9 the Hatches will offer matinee programs of magic and music one Saturday a month. Hatch, Rosemary and their son Jonathan will also be performing at the American West Heritage Center Feb. 11-12 as part of their Valentine’s Day dinner. In the performances, Hatch said they try to choreograph the music with the magic.
Hatch said he has been performing magic since 1983. In 1985, he won first place in the annual New England Close Up Competition in Worcester, Mass. and afterwards moved to Houston, Texas with his wife. He performed for several years at the Houston’s Magic Island Nightclub, then began traveling internationally for his private and corporate work. Hatch is a member of several organizations, including the International Brotherhood of Magicians, the Academy of Magical Arts, and the Society of American Magicians. He said he is also known for translating German books of magic into English.
Rosemary, who teaches private violin lessons at the Academy, says she has a master’s degree from Yale School of Music and her bachelor’s from Eastman School of Music. She said she has performed in symphonies for several states, including the New Haven, Hartford, San Antonio and Houston Symphonies and with the Houston Grand Opera.
For anyone interested in improving or developing their magic skills, Hatch said he has started a group called the Cache Valley Conjures, where people from any place at any level of skill can meet for free to trade magic tricks and critique each other.
“We welcome anyone who has a serious interest in magic,” Hatch said.
The next meeting will be held Feb. 22, and more information can be found at www.meetup.com.
– chari.a.i@aggiemail.usu.edu