Imagine

In which this very ALT agrees to do a Q and A onstage at a school assembly and then burst into song.

Yes. Burst into song. With a backup chorus. Of 10 Japanese high schoolers.　

You might be wondering, how and why, and what song? Every school in Japan has a 文化祭、a cultural festival. Ours happens to be right after the fall semester opening ceremony, so, next Tuesday. Usually at cultural festivals, classes and clubs put together food stands, activities, or little shops. Before this, there is an assembly where the clubs introduce themselves and perform or show off what they do. One of the clubs is the English Speaking Society, and their options for performance are limitied pretty much to skits.

However, this year, they discovered that they have a singing ALT. So, one of the students came to my desk the other and asked me to help them practice. I had no idea what I was in for. As a group, they asked if I would sing as part of the club activity. I thought this meant singing in the background of their exibit, kind of like a party performer. I said sure, of course. Then they started talking about an assembly, and it was too late to back out because they were so excited. I did refuse to do it alone--if there as a chorus, I told them that they were singing too.

Then I found out that there was more. I wasn't just singing in front of 956 students and 70 teachers. Nope. They were going to ask me questions on the stage, game-show style. Then, they would ask what I like to do most, but they scripted this one out. I'm to answer "I like singing" and then cue the piano player.

Most of the students play at least one instrument, so they combed through their sheet music for a piece for voice, piano, and violin that students would be familiar with. They found Imagine, the one by John Lennon. We rearranged it a bit, and I sing the first verses alone, and the whole club steps forward and joins me on "you may say I'm a dreamer..."

And that's how I came to agree to burst into song in front of 1,000 Japanese High School students. It's like Glee and a Japanese variety show have been conspiring against my dignity.

Let's just hope I can pull this off.