I was auditioning for the Chicago Children's Choir at Casa Central in Humboldt Park. That Thursday was one of the most thrilling Thursdays in my life. I didn't have any time to change my clothes. My audition was at four thirty and my mother picked me up from school at about three fifty. I gulped down a cough drop on the way, thinking it would help, but it obviously didn't since I almost choked on it. On the outside, I was a pale, unmoving statue. On the inside, I was running around in circles screaming " OH MY GOSH! I'M GONNA DIE!" at the top of my lungs. Not a very pretty picture. I gave myself a mental pep talk as I walked up to Casa Central, but the sight blew it to smithereens. Now, I am going to tell you the truth. I am pretty short. ( I don't mind. I actually LIKE being short. SO THERE! :D ) I'm four foot six and I have to look up at things all the time. When I looked up at Casa Central. I couldn't decide whether it was one of those scenes where a person looks at a heavenly palace and hears a chorus of angels singing, or where a poor soul is being dragged to a dark, looming castle with thunder and lightning in the background. As I climbed to the third floor with my mother, Cecilia Obras, I remembered all of the things my friends and teacher told me when I sang ' What A Wonderful World' a capella in front of the school. I know it sounds EXTREMELY conceited, but it made me feel better. I opened the door and walked in. A lady with light brown hair tied back in a ponytail and blue eyes smiled back at me. "Are you here to audition?" she asked. I said yes and then she asked me my name. "Viper." I said quietly. To hide her expression, she ducked her head as she read the list of names. Viper.... Yes! Here you are!" We shook hands and she told me her name was Ms. Cole and she was one of the teachers. I also met Ms.Fowler, another teacher with short blonde hair and brown streaks. I became comfortable while taking to them and relaxed. While my mother filled out some papers, I paced back and forth, waiting for my turn. BAD IDEA. It only made me nervous. Anxious. Terrified. Any title for " I fell like I am about to have a heart attack, scream, and jump out the window." My mother tried to comfort me by saying I would do fine and I was great and BLAH BLAH BLAH. It didn't really help.
Suddenly, I heard a loud, cheerful voice saying " And the next one up is... Viper!" We both walked toward each other. The voice belonged to a man with gray hair and large, expressive brown eyes framed by thin wire glasses. " Hello, Viper! My name is Mr. Wallenberg! Shall we begin?"
I wondered what he saw when he looked at me. A short girl with shortish brown hair and brown eyes wearing a Navy polo shirt and khakis? Or did he see something else? I'm still wondering...
Mr. Wallenberg did some tests. He played notes on the piano and asked if I could echo them back, determined the range of my voice, and we sang 'Twinkle,Twinkle, Little Star' together. Then he sat down and smiled. " Are you going to sing for me, Viper?" he asked. I nodded. "Yes." He leaned forward excitedly. "What are you going to sing for me?" ONE THOUGHT RAN THROUGH MY HEAD FOR THOSE THREE SECONDS: GOODNESS GRACIOUS ALIVE!! WHAT ON EARTH AM I GOING TO SING?!
"Ummm. I'm going to sing 'What A Wonderful World'". I had no other choice. It was the only song I knew by heart. (No offense, Louis Armstrong, but after singing it SIX TIMES it gets bit old.) He nodded, still smiling, and I took three steps back. " So...yeah." WHY DID I SAY THAT?! SOOO STUPID! (IF YOU AGREE WITH ME, I DO NOT BLAME YOU.)
I sang.
PICTURE IF YOU WILL: You are singing in a dead silent room with a bunch of strangers and they are all staring at you. You want this more than anything and the idea of messing up could make you go into cardiac arrest. The sixth stranger's eyes are very wide and he is staring at you with a blank look on his face the whole time you're singing with a blank look on his face as he leans back and covers his mouth.
I finished singing and laughed nervously as I felt myself turn red. "Uhh... I finished." Mr. Wallenberg, the blank look still on his face, clapped three times and stared at me. "That... was beautiful!" I thanked him and we did some more tests-higher up on the ladder of difficulty. He told me to call my mother. "LOOK!" he exclaimed. He played three notes and I echoed them back. He looked at my mom and his eyes said " ISN'T THAT AMAZING?" my mom's eyes said "So?"
" That was a very difficult test." he stated. "She has a good ear." The he started talking a thousand miles per hour about Allegro*-the beginner level- and Vivace*-the advanced level.
'Wait." I stopped him. " Am I in?!" My level of stupidity seemed to be at an all time high/ "YES! YOU'RE IN!" I immediately burst into tears. "Thank you so much!" I sobbed. " You don't know what this means to me."
"Aw! You're the first one to... aw! So cute! Come here!" He gave me hug and I cried even more.
The dust has settled. I am in Vivace. (VEE-VAH-CHEY) I will have to learn to read music on the way, so I will have to work very hard. "Are you up to the challenge?" he asked. I nodded and almost jumped as I clenched my fists and shouted "YES!" He told me I looked like a hard worker-I AM-and that I had lots of spunk-I DO. " I like people like you!" He said. WHAT THE HECK IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN? To this day, I haven't the slightest idea what he meant. Leave comments. Help me decipher the message! :)
When it was all over, I ran down all three flights of stairs- almost tripping down the way- jumped out the door and shouted "I DID IT!!!! I'M IN!!!" I got a lot of weird looks.... haha!
I didn't tell any of my friends until the very next day. (I like to leave people hanging, remember?) My teacher congratulated me. And announced it to the class. And made i tone of the announcements on Friday assembly. So now the whole school know I'm in the choir. That's.... great?! (I don't want to sound conceited again.)
Mr. Wallenberg left me with a mission:BRING PEOPLE. So can you guess what I did? Stay tuned!!!
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