Biography:Michael Higgins

MICHAEL HIGGINS. Almost nothing is known of Michael Higgins, save what can be observed or inferred from his one published volume, Original Dances, Waltzes & Hornpipes for the Violin (1829), issued by New York music publishers Firth & Hall, 1 Franklin Sq. The music contains some pieces that require skill in position playing on the violin, and we can assume that Mr. Higgins was a professional violinist or an accomplished amateur. His volume contains many place names from New York City and environs, including "Mount Vernon Waltz," "Bloomingdale Waltz," "Hackensack Reel," "Bushwick Reel," "Middletown Hornpipe," "Yorkville Waltz," etc., but he also seems to have named tunes for places he visited, such as Saratoga, NY, Pittsburgh, Pa, Rhode Island, Boston, Delaware and Cincinnati. A few tune titles are political (Van Buren, Jackson).