“Amy Wiley!”
My choir instructor’s bellow reached me over the heads of the milling choir members and their families, preparing for the concert. I pushed through the crowd to find him, premonition making my heart jump into my throat. I knew I should have practiced for the solo, just in case.
Sure enough. Mr. Schmitt explained, “Anna has the flu. You get to sing the soprano resistive.” He smiled reassuringly at me.
It was a dream come true. But not an hour before performance! The song was Hyden’s The Heaven’s Are Telling and we were singing with a full orchestral accompaniment, just for this special song. Two college students had come to sing the bass and tenor parts of the resistive, but our high school homeschool choir was providing the soprano part.
So there I was, tiny Amy, standing between two huge guys. I literally came up no higher than the middle of their chests. It didn’t exactly help my self confidence. Not to mention the fact that there were two pesky notes in my part that I couldn’t for the life of me hit, hence the reason I didn’t get the solo in the first place.
“Why do you look so nervous?” my brother-in-law wondered, as I took a break from practicing so I could greet my family. “You are usually excited to sing.” I explained and he laughed. “You’ll do great.”
Back up on stage, Mr. Schmitt introduced the song, then asked the audience to say a prayer for Amy Wiley. I much appreciated it. I was so nervous I was about to cry. Singing and crying at the same time…doesn’t work.
The song went beautifully. I skipped the “pesky two notes” altogether (thankfully it was a time when all three of us were signing and no one noticed) and sang the rest loud and clear. My family and the choir beamed proudly at me. My sister enthused that petite me held my own with the deep voices of the college men.
Yes, it was the most nervous I’ve ever been. But it was one of the most wonderful times I’ve ever had, too. I love to sing!
Monday, May 29, 2006
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7 comments:
Yeah, I love stories with happy endings. How smart were you to skip the notes ......! God is good and what a wonderful thing for your instructor to do (pray for you!) always in style and always appreciated. Great story.
What a delightful story. I've recently joined the choir, and although I'd never be asked to sing a solo, I've seen the look on the faces when the soloist is sick.
Thanks for visiting my MM.
That sounds like a very exciting and happy memory. Oh, how lucky you are to be able to sing like that. I always wished for a good voice. You have your instrument with you, how practical isn't that?!
more and more in common, ;) writing, singing, faith...hmmm
What a neat story! How exciting to be in the spotlight. I remember in highschool, we had a girl a year older than me who could have been an operatic soprano, just the depth, pitch and timbre of her voice. We were doing a musical production of "A Christmas Carol," and the drama teacher - snobby, elitist, belonged at NYU theatre guy - told me, "You're the only one up here who can give J a run for her money - you better be trying out for Belle." *That* was a compliment I never expected from him. I did try out, but got a lesser part b/c the choir and band director outvoted Mr. S, but how confidence inspiring that moment was!
I never thought about you being able to be in a choir, being homeschooled and all. But you do have a good singing voice and I can just picture you up on that stage! Great memory. Thanks for sharing it. :)
I sure wish I could share in that memory. :-( Having surgery was not as fun as it would have been to be there so I could see you do the solo part.
I'm glad you were able to do it!
Mom
I remember that!
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