LOOKING out the window of the coach and admiring the scenery helped settle the anxious Hillvue students on their way to Tamworth Town Hall to perform for the Tamworth eisteddfod.
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Within minutes, the bus came to a halt and the door swung open and realisation set in. This was it.
Outside the town hall parents waited, waved and chanted names of their children. They got busy tying ties, shoe laces and neck bands, combed hair, did makeup, fixed uniforms and wished their child well.
Practises now turned into presentations and on the stage stood an amazing sight.
Students dressed in the same attire, echoing the same words, moving the same direction.
The teacher out the front was conducting the chorus and a beautiful song of words filled the charming hall.
The audience clapped. Lights came on and then it was our turn.
Reality hit. Butterflies settled in.
Standing in our elevated positions facing the audience and judges we waited patiently for the bell.
When the bell rang, our teacher gave us the cue to present; and present we did. We let the audience have it. We held nothing back.
We kept in time with our conductor and we filled the hall with a melody of recited words, using expression.
No sooner had we got onto the stage than we had to leave. We had just warmed up and were primed to do more.
The crowd clapped in unison and stood with pride, an acclamation telling us that we had done well.
Would we do this again? Certainly and without hesitation. Standing up in front of an audience builds confidence, self-esteem and provides opportunity to work as a team.
Presenting to an unknown audience is also a time of giving and a moment of expressing thoughts and ideas.
It is also an opportunity to bring about laughter, sadness and compassion.
Ask us to do this again and the overwhelming response would be yes.
