Sixteen year-old magician is called a “Teenage Talent” by the IC South London newswire today.

Troy von Scheibner recently picked up a well-deserved Mark Leveridge Close-up Trophy from the Young Magicians Club, a junior branch of the prestigious Magic Circle.

Inside Magic Favorite and Contributor Mandy Davis works with the Young Magicians Club extensively and should be congratulated for her dedication to the next generation of great magic.

Mr. von Scheibner is already working professionally in area restaurants and is known for his excellence in close-up magic.

He prefers the close-up magic; perhaps because of his early influence from David Blaine. He recalled seeing Mr. Blaine perform on television when he was just 12. He sought to develop magic that share the “close-up ‘how?’ factor of the US street magician.”

Mr. von Scheibner notes, “Stage magic can be very impressive but people in the audience can think, ‘oh, it’s all done with mirrors.? But with close-up magic people can’t explain what they’ve just seen happen in front of them.”

His classmates at Crofton School, Brockley, serve as the young master’s test audiences for new effects. His specialties include rubber bands, ropes, and cards.

His short-term goal? He intends to audition for the Magic Circle when he turns 18. “That’s tough because you have to do a routine in front of a panel of older magicians.”

Good luck to Mr. von Scheibner and thank you to the IC South London editor who is apparently a magic fan. This one news wire produces more stories about young magicians than any other around the world. We have to think the editor of the newspaper/syndicate service is a magician. The article was originally written by Charlotte Tamvakis of the Greenwich Mercury.
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Halvdan with the CDs – Better Times

As many of you have already heard, Larry Halvdan has announced he will step down from the Fraternity of Magic Brethren. This was not a surprise to most following his case and his campaign to stay in office.

Although Mr. Halvdan has denied the charges brought by his accusers and "rubber stamped" by the Fraternity's Executive Board late last week, it seemed inevitable he would have to resign. We did not take a position on the case. There did not seem to be a need to insert our opinion into a very divisive feud between the old school and the new wave of magicians and magic teachers.

Mr. Halvdan's background in magic is lengthy and rich. He worked five years as a demonstrator for Charles Champs' Magic Lane in St. Petersburg, Florida. Before long, he was an assistant manager of the store — at 17-years of age. He gained some reputation in the local magic community for his quick wit and deft sleights before attending Alachua Community College in Gainesville, Florida, on his way to the University of Florida.

Mr. Halvdan earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Florida, and First Place prizes at the Florida State Magician's Association and the Hank Lee's Magic Cape Cod Conclave in Stage Magic. He worked school assembly shows, trade events, performed twice at the Magic Castle, and wrote a well-accepted treatise on palming techniques, Magic within Reach.

We have elected to republish Mr. Halvdan's resignation speech here not to take sides in the argument but to give this gentleman his opportunity to be heard. There is no reason to continue fighting but it is important to hear what the fighting was about.

Delivered March 28, 2005 Pensacola, Florida

Thank you for coming. I have asked members of the local press and our few distinguished magic journalists to attend this press conference to announce I will resign effective immediately my position as President of The Fraternity of Magic Brethren. I will simultaneously resign my position of Regional Governor for the Brethren, and will resign from the organization as well.

This was a difficult decision for me to make. I believe in fighting for those things that matter. I love magic in all of its forms and at all levels. I have been honored to represent the wonderful members of this organization in events around the world. I will continue to be proud of the position to which the membership elected me six years ago. I had anticipated I would be in this role for four more years before being put out to magic pasture.

I want to thank my wife for standing by me through not just this situation but also for the last fifteen years of our marriage. She was and is always a fair and candid counselor. She is an example of what an "Assistant" can be. They are not merely more animated props.

Now, let me turn to the issues that caused me to resign. It was clear the Executive Board — or at four of the six members — were going to ask me to step-down before they heard a scrap of evidence or considered any contrary positions.

This is unfortunate. The Executive Board…

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