"I feel that this evening should be for enjoying our children's singing abilities"
By the time of the concert it seems that there was no choice and it had to be this way. It was a lot of power to place in the hands of an eleven year old, I'm thinking. Can't help feeling sad about the future for singers.

"Pick a bale of cotton" is hardly a symbol (like the swastika - especially not like a swastika) any more than "Shear a hundred sheep in a day" is a symbol of convict labour. Cheers, Joy