Chuck Hagel looked at his watch impatiently as he waited for the school orchestral club to begin the holiday show. His son played the cello, so he felt obligated to join the spectators, but he wasn't a fan of orchestral music—especially amateurs. He was more into sports, but he always supported his son's passions, even if they were completely alien to him.
There were a few dozen parents interspersed throughout the auditorium with the high school students. Very few of the parents attending didn't have a child in the orchestral club. He had recognized the look of resigned boredom on the faces of many of the other parents, which made him feel slightly less guilty about his own less than enthusiastic interest in the night's show.
The lights finally went dark, with a single spotlight illuminating the front of the stage. Principal Wiley stepped into the spotlight, looking far too enthusiastic.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," Principal Wiley said with a wide smile. "We hope you enjoy tonight's performance. Please turn off the flashes on your cameras if you plan on taking pictures. I would like to congratulate Miss Devons on the amazing progress she's made with her students this year. Please welcome Miss Devons and her class of talented musicians."
There was a smattering of applause throughout the audience that quickly died out. Chuck let out another sigh as he looked at his watch again. Half an hour to go.
The lights slowly brightened over the orchestra as the cellos and basses made a powerful introduction. Chuck had to admit, it was far more to his liking than he had expected. The rhythm and beat were almost like rock and roll.
As the rock drum kit joined into the mix, Chuck began absently tapping his foot to the beat. A moment later, several electric guitars joined in, adding an edgy power to the orchestral ensemble. Chuck was impressed—he actually really liked this music.
A tall blonde girl playing the guitar began singing in a powerful soprano. Her voice was beautiful and artfully expressive. Her voice took a good song and made it amazing. This was radio quality stuff. A short red-haired girl playing another guitar sang a counterpoint harmony, adding even more depth to the song. When they reached the chorus, a dark-haired girl began singing and Chuck had to remind himself how to breathe. Her voice was so powerful that it commanded immediate respect. He lost track of the half hour as he became fully immersed in the amazing music. While the first two singers were amazing, he found himself looking forward to each moment when the dark-haired girl would add her surreal voice to the melody.
He wasn't sure if it was part of the special effects for the holidays or something else, but there seemed to be some kind of red and green lights arcing throughout the members of the orchestra.
When they finally finished, Chuck was on his feet with the rest of the room, shouting for more. He felt a rush of excitement when they conceded to one more song for the night. He would never underestimate his son's love of music again. This was pure magic.