Thursday, December 9, 2010

Looking Back on the Dec.7th Chapter Meeting

It was freezing cold in Alexandria Tuesday nite, but we had a good crowd of guys come out to sing more and practice on contest and other music – after our really successful and fun-for-the-singers-and-the-audience show over the weekend.

Director Joe was feeling better after being really sick all weekend, and making it thru all three shows. He was proud of the gang and please with the singing and production and dedication.

More than one person has observed that it was a great Harmo success because all the guys and many of their family members chipped in to get all the jobs done. Show chair/producer was inspired by the dedication and contributions. Record keepers report we had over 80 singers on the show. With the non singers in the kitchen and back stage and such, there were 100 of us on duty. And six guys sang their very first show with the Harmonizers this weekend. Welcome aboard, gents.

Joe was tickled that after the Fri nite show, we made virtually no adjustments to the shows for Sat. Tho the addition of the actors for the radio commercials was a great idea. And fun.

Tonite, after Tony Colosimo did the warm ups, he turned the chorus over to Joe for work on the contest uptune. But Joe was like a little kid with a new toy. He had gotten the contest ballad and played it for all to hear and savor. YeEd reports there were a lot of smiles on the faces of the men and an excitement to start learning and singing it.

Joe also reported that Cindy Hansen and Geri Geis (who were both at the show on Saturday nite) worked with our musical and visual teams on Sunday afternoon to create the full contest package. It will be fantastic. They make a powerful team!

During the business section of the chapter meeting, Secretary Buechler presented membership renewal cards to Bert Phillips for 2 years; Jeremy Richardson for 14 years; Matt Kahn for 22 years; and Vince Cazenas for 24 years.

Ken White introduced our guest and prompted all to bring Harmo business cards to the show on Saturday at Market Square.

We are due there at 12:45, wearing caroling outfits for warmth and color. We will sing songs from the show.

Alan Wile explained that he has begun collecting Harmo Heroine stories and has them in a pink binder for all to view. All will also be on the website.

Alan also gave his annual plug for Tuba Christmas at the Kennedy Center on Wed this week.


Director Joe gave a strong plug for the Put Together Quartet contest next Tues nite at Durant. He urged guys to get things prepared in advance. And then he asked for hands of guys who wanted to be in a quartet but were not. He asked them to come down front. And he formed quartets on the spot from among those guys or with volunteers off the risers. It was a Harmo moment of togetherness.

Ken White proudly reported that we had collected about 700 emails addresses from show patrons who might be interested in more info about Singing Valentines. He and Joe Wagovich, who is heading up the SV program, asked for helping in entering the emails. Hands went up right away and the job is underway to get them info. We did a drawing from the pink slips we used to collect the emails, at each show, and three people won a SV performance.

A fun left-over from the show was the huge supply of those chewy chocolate brownies we served. Plus the cupboard is stocked for the next few weeks for coffee break time! Mike Stamps sold a few left over lasagnas too. And there was big pile of lost and found things from the show for guys to retrieve.

Since it is so close to Christmas, White House ornament sales were brisk as were scrip card sales. Also it is time to wind up sales of Entertainment books with Chuck Harner.

After the meeting period, we worked more on our contest songs and even took a stab at the tag on the new ballad.

Then we put things away early so quartets could prepare for next week’s chapter contest. If you are not a regular, come out for the fun next week. Then join us over at Theismans after chapter for an afterglow time.

Until next time – editorjack!

(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on each week at an Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter meeting. —Ye Ed.)