Helen Eugenia Hagan (Portsmouth (NH), 1891- New York City, 1964) was an extraordinarily gifted pianist and composer. She is the first known African American Woman to ever received a Yale degree. Around the age of nine she started playing organ for the Dixwell Avenue Congregational United Church of Christ.

When Dixwell Church was organizing the 200 Anniversary of its foundation, Mo. Anzolini was planning the composition of his Dixwell Cantata: he acted as choir director/pianist/organist for the Church during his first two years of Masters at Yale (1987-1989).  He recognizes that without the Church, it would have been very hard to finish his studies. When he found out that Mrs. Helen Hagan had been working at the same Church while at Yale, he stopped his work on the Cantata, and decided to make a tribute to Dixwell Church through working for Mrs. Hagan’ memory.

Acquiring the manuscript in January 2019, thanks to the generosity of Natalie Tsaldarakis, member of the Ivory Piano Duo Ensemble. He worked during his busy schedule as a Music Director in Guayaquil, including the concerts given at the pandemic as conductor and pianist.

His orchestration was premiered on Friday, May 12, 2023 under the guidance of Alasdair Neale, with the New Haven Symphony, and Mrs Michelle Cann as soloist.

The piece has been under thorough revision, thanks to the help of Mr Carlos Ávila who took all pains to correct several misprints that occurred in the first transcription.