The cold steel railing on the seat did very little to stop the 3-degree chilly wind through the pair of jeans. Anna Maria was an hour away from giving her first solo performance at the church. All of 21 years, Anna was waiting for her train from her city. She had practiced Requiem in D Minor, OP: 48 Pie Jesu every day for the last week. Therefore, she was confident of giving a stellar performance. Although it was a free concert for Good Friday at a local church, she knew she was ready for the big league. She had done exceptionally well at voice practices. This was a chance to be at the invitational exchange program at Julliard’s this year. All she had to do was stay composed and focused.

“I’ve come a long way,” she said as an affirmation when the train arrived at her station. It was only a 30-minute ride to Ludwigsburg. 30 kilometers away, at the Evang. Kirchengemeinde Stadkirche, the most prominent church in the city, people were already gathering. In train, Anna remembered her dad and his guitar. Her dad was an American, who used to take Anna camping and play his guitar through the night. He was a big fan of Bob Dylan and country music.

Anna grew up listening to all of her dad’s music. She mostly joined in on vocals. High Gs and F# notes came very naturally to her. She had picked up how to replicate notes by ear. It was just sad that her dad couldn’t make it for her big performance. Julliard’s wanted the exchange student to have played for over 100 people to qualify for the program. Anna knew it was her big night.

One time, she particularly remembered her dad strumming his Taylor guitar. Singing Mr. Tambourine Man for her mother and friends on a sunny day in the hills. Some of her father’s friends joined. The friends played professional music in bands back in the US. “Rob, you should quit with Mr Dylan and start singing for our band. We could cover Anthrax and write new music. Think about it,” said Tim. When Tim visited Germany, he always stayed at Rob’s place. Anna Maria lived with Tim as he got her toys that were not available in Germany. They always went on hikes and camped in beautiful mountains.

Rob always took his trusted Taylor guitar with them in the car and they played Bon Jovi, Bob Dylan, Pearl Jam and many other Rock classics. Anna knew the lyrics and joined her dad on vocals. She always knew she wanted to be a singer. At the age of 8 and 9, she knew the basic major chords and could sing over 20 rock classics. But what was a surprise for her even, was when she first heard classical music. She was sold. It was Hallelujah by Handel. She knew she had to be sing praises of the lord. Her father was very supportive. He learnt to play classical guitar and helped her practice while she was in school, which has brought her to this day, and he couldn’t make it. He was stuck at work in the US.

She just heard the announcement on the train say that her stop is the next one and made her way to the door. She had visited the church at Ludwigsburg once before and found it very beautiful. It was a Baroque-styled built church with a pink façade. Rob had told her, “Anna, wusstest du, dass die Orgel hier 51 Register und pneumatische Trakturen hat?”. Anna had already mastered English and translated it to, “Did you know that the organ here in Ludwigsburg has 51 registers and pneumatic tractors… Aber Papa, was ist Pneumatic tractors?” “They are what makes the organ sound beautiful, my baby.”

Anna’s dream had almost come true when she knew she will be singing at the beautiful church, complementing one of the most beautiful sounding organs ever built in the 19th century by Eberhard Friedrich Walker. The church was a quick 15-min walk from the train station. She was calming her nerves while walking through the city. It was a bright sunny day. Tourists and residents were thronging as it was the day of Easter. German people love good weather. If it happens to be a Sunday or a holiday, all the cycles, motorcycles, and convertible cars come out. She walked on to the stage set in the centre of the church with a nervous shiver. She could hardly look up from her singing notes.

As the organ started playing, she looked up and into the crowd. Words would not come out of her mouth. She missed her cue to sing. The organ player was hinting her to start at the next beat and the next. And then it happened. A man stood up in the crowd and called out – Anna Maria, Sing. She saw him. Her father. He was standing in the crowd looking at her. Her heart was inflated with joy. She sang the most beautiful words in an emotional voice. Soon, the whole church was mesmerized in the echo of her velvet voice. Her father sat proud with a smile on his face.