Our Soloist

 It just so happens, the music director of our church is a former Carnegie Hall bigshot. Why he landed in Texarkana is beyond me. The same guy also happens to teach music at Texarkana College. And if that weren't enough, the Maestro just happens to run the local community choir (which is called the "Corale" in these parts). Anyway, the man is talented. Every two years he takes the Corale to Carnegie Hall and they perform for a week. This tradition has been going on for years. 

So, if there is anywhere Polly should be to sing, Texarkana just might be it. On the third week we were in Texarkana, she joined the church choir. She also was his music student this past semester. And, she didn't have to formally audition for the Texarkana Corale. Either in the first month we lived here she had sung enough for the Maestro, or she's that good. Probably both. 

At any rate, Polly's mad vocal skills have taken off. In Mesa, she had a voice coach and dabbled here and there with singing. But this past six months, she's truly grown as a musician. She received a standing ovation for her duet last April. And, this past weekend, she sang the Pentecostal solo at church for all three masses. It was quite beautiful, but don't take my word for it. The priest already sought her out, asking her if she would be the soloist for our next holy day, coming up in August. 

In addition to all that, while Marty and I were waiting for her in the vestibule after mass, we saw two young men rush up to meet her, congratulating her on her performance. Marty raised an eyebrow, informing me neither were good enough for his daughter. I knew about one of the young men, "a friend," she has repeatedly told me, though by the look on his face the guy didn't agree with that assessment. Either way, in a city of 60,000 Polly has already gotten a fan base.