A shared moment of spontaneity between a visiting group of singers and musicians from black churches in Harlem and children in Hawai'i showed how music can bring people together.

"We knew they were going to give us leis but the kids (chan-ting) was a complete surprise," choir member Kenton Rogers said later, before expressing his feelings with a Hawaiian word he learned at Waiau. "It was beautiful. All we can say is mahalo."

Waiau was selected for an appearance because of its cultural and arts program — which includes "The Sound Machine" percussion group and a performing student violin group — and its ties to the University of Hawai'i-Manoa Statewide Cultural Extension program, said principal Judith Elliott.

"Children make meaning of their world through their arts," Elliott said. "We have a peace theme at our school and our curriculum centers around peacemaking."

It fit with the choir's music and message.

"It's special, their gospel music," said fifth-grader Ridge Frank. "I like the beat. In my heart, I felt it. It's about peace and love."

Alexis Glisson, a sixth-grader, said Harlem Gospel Choir's version of R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" performed by Craig Stagg was meaningful and stirring. "I like to sing, too, and they get you excited and you want to get up and sing with them," Alexis said.

It doesn't matter if they are children or adults, the audience connects quickly with the singers.

"When we were in Poland," said singer Anthony Morgan, 40, who has been touring with the choir for five years, "they told us not to be offended if the people don't clap until the end. Within five minutes, they were clapping with us. They were up and down, dancing. They told us later they've never seen anything like it in Poland."

Melissa Tatro, 23, the youngest choir member, has been on tour since February. "We love what we do and put our all into it," she said. "It's all about feeling."