The question posed by the Director of the American Boychoir to the audience on Monday night was whether such a young choir could legitimately sing African American Spirituals.

Judging by the applause after each of the three pieces sung by the 40-strong group of American children, the answer to Dr. James Litton's question was a resounding yes.

The opening blast of `Wade in the Water' pushed the packed hall at the Ruth Seaton James Centre back into their seats, and soloists JJ Luff and Devon Grant carried their parts with clarity, soul and depth.

It made the audience, who had mainly came to see their sons, daughters and grandchildren singing in the 32-strong St. John's Youth Choir and the Cathedral Boys' Choir, sit up and take notice.

Not that the locals did not prove themselves well against the American child superstars. After initial stage fright had passed in their opening `Quando Corpus' and `Amen' from the `Sabat Mater' by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, the combined choir's sound grew in strength and confidence.

And at the ballad `I Would That My Love', a duet arranged for four voices, sung by Fiona Lee, Jessica Frith, Rebecca Faulkenberry and Jocelyn Powell, the surprise at the high level of singing was evident even on the faces of the professional boy's choir.

Under the artful hand of the St. John's Youth Choir's director, Marjorie Pettit, the girls proved that they are headed for a career in professional singing.

As the two local choirs sang, the Americans sat in their full red and white choral robes dotted around the stage.

And their appreciation of the Bermuda youngsters was evident -- their gazes full of praise appeared to help the youngest and most nervous of the locals stand tall in the face of such stiff competition.

But if that was not enough, the proud beaming faces of the audience would have been enough to bring them back to the task at hand.

After the triumph of `I Would That My Love', the baton was handed to Dr. Gary Burgess, the director of the Cathedral Boys' Choir, who was heartily welcomed on stage.

`Flying Free' gave all the local children the chance to sing again, this time accompanied by Nancy Smith on the flute. Then the sound of the trumpet, played by Timothy Richards balanced with the sweetness of the young voices in `Sing a Joyful Song' to produce a hearty and much appreciated piece.

But it was when the locals teamed up with the boys that the hall shook under the blast of young voices. Dr. Litton took over and pulled out the notes from even the most stage shy.

And the sweet sound of the soloist singing Mozart's `Laudate Dominum' had audible gasps come from the parents. American Alex Cook's voice pierced the soul and tears sprang to the eyes of the tender hearted.

His voice weaved between the 82 others, strong and soft at the same time. A hard act to follow, but follow on they did with the well-known psalm `The Lord's My Shepherd'.

After this taste of fame, the young locals were let loose at the interval and chatted excitedly with parents and friends in the foyer, their task for the day over.

And so as not to break the spell after the interval, the Americans took centre stage and showed they could walk and chew gum at the same time.

The moved on to popular world songs, starting off with the American folk song `Cindy', followed by two German pieces.

The lively old American songs that captured the hearts of the audience young and old, were the old Shaker song `Simple Gifts', the `Southern Hymn At the River' and the show stealer, the humorous ditty `I Bought Me a Cat'.

In the second half of the concert, two performers stood head and shoulders over the others. One was Michael Maliekel, whose clear high voice could be heard at all times over the others, and the cheeky chappie in the front row, the young TJ De Paola, a young Donny Osmond who could not resist tapping his feet and swaying his hips through the second half.

But by far the most popular songs of the evening were the African American Spirituals.

Dr. Litton said to the audience: "A very important part of American music has to be the African American Spiritual. It has been very difficult to pick one song among so many and then you have to ask, do they work well with a choir of children. I will let you decide.'' And if `Wade in the Water' was spectacular, the next `Hush! Somebody's Callin' My Name' and `Praise His Holy Name' were each greeted with added enthusiastic applause.

No one expected the variety in the young boys' voices. `Hush! Someone's Callin' My Name', cleverly used the volume and range of the choir to its full effect, gradually getting quieter and quieter until the whole choir was all but a harmonious whisper.

The all-singing, all-dancing George Gershwin medley that followed showed that many of the boys' true love is the musical.

But I think it is the African American Spirituals that will stay with the audience for the longest time.

Hitting all the right notes: Members of the American Boychoir have been wowing audiences at the Ruth Seaton James Centre this week as they performed alongside the local and equally impressive St. John's Youth and Cathedral Boys' Choirs.