Colors Read Online Free Page B

scrambles to find the sheet music in the folder for me to use. I’m still stuck on CD . Amazing. They’re making a CD? Wow .
    After about twenty minutes, Kenny says, “Glorious. What praise. We’re going to be awesome when they come in to tape our performances.”
    “No tape, Brother; it’s all digital these days,” someone in the back shouts, ignoring Kenny’s nod to adolescence, awesome, and latching onto the second half of his remark. The entire group breaks up at Brother Kenny’s bewildered look.
    “Don’t plague me with the details, brothers and sisters, just sing as heavenly the day of the recording, no matter how the miracle is accomplished. Now, look in your folders for a new piece, ‘How Lovely Are the Dwellings.’ We want this to be letter perfect on Sunday morning so Melissa and Neil’s solos will shine and be an offering for the Lord.”
    We spend the next twenty minutes going over the choral parts of the piece. These people are fantastic. They pick up the parts instantly, sight-reading like pros. This is a top-notch group. I begin to relax as my attention flows more and more into the music.
    “Great,” Brother Kenny peals. “ Wondrous praise . ” He turns to Melissa and me. “Ready to add your solos?”
    We nod and stand.
    Brother Kenny’s hands beat a classic four/four rhythm and then he gestures; the pianist begins the magical intro. The familiar melody fills the room. Melissa waits for her cue, and at Brother Kenny’s sign, her bell-like soprano soars with the first phrase. Brother Kenny looks at me, nods, and the countermelody swims from my throat. As we weave the two melodies together, Brother Kenny brings in the choir, with their lovely contrapuntal harmonies. The flood of glorious music swells and recedes until Brother Kenny conducts all the singers to a close, almost a whisper.
    I am awestruck. What a rush. The school’s choir does a great job with this piece, but this group puts us to shame. This is what performing is all about.
    Brother Kenny has a huge grin on his face. “And the Lord said, ‘Make a joyful noise.’ Surely, he is smiling in his heavens tonight. Thank you for lifting your voices in praise. Can I get an ‘amen’ for Melissa and Neil?”
    And again “Amen!” tolls loudly through the room.
    “Ready for a surprise?”
    The choir looks at the Cheshire-cat smile on Brother Kenny’s face and roars, “You bet,” in unison.
    My eyes widen. Obviously, this is a common occurrence for this group. They’ve got their reaction down to a science.
    “Well, fellow Christians,” Brother Kenny says, like a kid in a candy store, “I just knew this was going to be a moment of splendor for this group, so I’ve asked the church orchestra to join us. Steve,” he points to the man sitting next to me, “would you go fetch them, please?”
    The man leaps up and lopes from the room.
    “Okay, choir, take ten while the orchestra sets up,” Brother Kenny orders. “Could some of you guys help carry in chairs and stands?”
    I don’t know what to do as most of the men follow Kenny from the room. Do I help or do I stay and play first-timer rookie?
    The choir members left in the room stand, stretch, and visit.
    Melissa turns to me. “You won’t believe your ears, Neil. This is awesome.”
    Orchestra members file in, carrying their violins, cellos, basses, horns, clarinets, etc. The men of the choir follow with stands and chairs. In a flurry, the room is ready.
    “Okay, gang,” Brother Kenny bellows over the cacophony of the instruments tuning, “take your seats.”
    The choir reassembles.
    “Let’s do a run-through,” Brother Kenny commands, raising his arms, one hand now holding a baton.
    The choir rises, and Kenny gives the downbeat.
    Glorious music engulfs me. My soul expands as the strings play the intro to the piece. That’s the only way I know to describe what I’m feeling. Kenny gives the signal for the tenors to come in. It’s like the heavens open and angels