LEONARD GRAY

HAHNVILLE – Drop by Ochsner Hospital some Saturday and you may notice a 12-year-old boy playing the lobby’s grand piano, and playing pretty well, too. He should play well, he’s Kyle Roussel of Hahnville, and he’s already quite accomplished musically. “I play for hours at a time,” he says. Roussel, a seventh-grader at Eual J. Landry Sr. Middle School, plays organ at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Luling and also plays various instruments in the school’s jazz combo, concert ensemble and marching band. Kyle, 12, is the son of Donna Roussel, and he got his musical start when his mother gave a keyboard to his sister, Tiffany, three years ago. Tiffany didn’t take much of an interest in the keyboard, but Kyle certainly did. Private lessons with Frozine Francis of Killona soon began, and he began also taking an interest in the organ at church, where he now plays at mass on Saturdays and at some Sunday masses. Roussel has also gotten encouragement at church, where retired organist Lena LaCroix, now 102, has passed along music for him to practice. The church even gave him its old organ on which to practice, filling his home with music. Kyle has also performed at music festivals at Nicholls State University and recently came in second place on a gospel radio station’s talent contest, winning a $300 prize. However, it was at Ochsner where he got some of his greatest encouragement. Kyle began playing the piano at the hospital while his grandmother received periodic medical treatments a year ago. Not long ago Kyle was playing on the lobby piano when a man in a wheelchair approached, listened awhile and struck up a conversation with him. The man asked Kyle if the boy had a piano at home on which to practice. When Kyle said he didn’t, the man promised to stay in touch. What resulted three weeks later was a $1,000 gift from the man, for purchase of Kyle’s own upright piano. “That was an inspiration in itself!” he said. Now, Kyle has hopes for a double-major in college, in music and (his second love) architecture. He also enjoys basketball, is learning guitar and has even composed some short piano pieces which he only plays while at Ochsner. Counselor Sue Landry at Landry Middle School added that Kyle is eagerly awaited at Hahnville High School, as their band director has heard him and can’t wait for his arrival. Meanwhile, Kyle’s free piano recitals at Ochsner still entertain staff and visitors alike.