Looking Back on the December 13^th Chapter Meeting

First off, YeEd offers a few notes about the caroling sing on Saturday, Dec. 10^th in Old Town Alexandria.  The chorus gathered on a sunny but cold busy shopping day around Market Square.  We sang all the holiday songs we knew, based on what the 4 or 5 baris new!  But the crowds loved us – seemed to really react to the “Hallelujah” and “Drummer Boy.”  Thanks to the soloists and emcees who did us proud. Jeremy Richardson had his first time as emcee. Glad that we invited any men in the audience who like to sing to come join us.  This is one of the gigs we do as payback to City Dept. of Rec for their support. Joe and Will were directors.  A quartet sang “Grinch” and Bob Rhome brought the box of Santa hats for guys to wear.  Greg Tepe was show producer.

When you arrived on Tuesday nite, you wondered where everyone was.  Well they were in every breakout room and office and store room in the Rec Center practicing for the Put Together Contest.

The usual set up work was done early and sales operations continued as usual.  Ian Poulin had a lively business selling scrip cards to guys who need them for gifts for family members or office crew, stocking stuffers, or to buy holiday groceries and treats.

Will Cox conducted the vocal warm ups and got the guys singing well.   Director Joe Cerutti was full of excitement to help the guys discover the contest songs we will sing in Roanoke for the 2012 Southern Division contest.  We have to compete there in order to qualify to sing in the district contest in the fall and earn the right to go to the International contest in Toronto in 2013.

Joe worked hard on introducing the chorus to vowel sounds, taught new guys how to detect an overtone, revealed some of his musical goals for 2012, and helped us to understand the slogan, “I give my best, not my all.”

Music vp Terry Reynolds used the projector to have the music on the screen so Joe could coach with it.  Scott Kahler had the sound system set up too.

Joe also stressed how singers will benefit from quartet singing.  Why not form a quartet for the division, since we are all gonna be down there that weekend.

We ended chorus rehearsal a little early in prep for the quartet contest.

Ops vp Mark Klostermeyer conducted the chapter meeting period. Chapter secretary Chris Buechler gave out new names tags to newest guys – TJ Donahue, Randal Eliason, Ross Felker and Gerry Fuller.

The chapter’s musical section leaders make up a registered quartet with the BHS.  This is the 25^th year for our chapter’s HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES – Rick Savage, Tony Colosimo, Ken Ives and Mike Kelly.

Chris presented membership renewals to Lew Klinge for 10 years, Brian Ammerman for 18 years, Troy Hillier for 21 years, Bob Sutton for 28 years (great to have Bob visit tonite), and Chuck Harner for 44 years. Ken White was given his card for 13 years last week.

Dr. Put, Eric Wallen, offered any last many quartet entries to sign up for tonite’s contest.  He is chapter quartet promotion chair.

Terry Reynolds recognized the new guys who sang with the chorus for their very first time on Sat at Market Square – Ross Felker, TJ Donahue, Mike Vlcej.  He also announced the music and performance committee meeting this weekend.

There is a board meeting on Wed. nite this week.  China trip deposits are due this week – note the address is in Canada so use the right amount of postage.

Membership vp Phil Ashford introduced another applicant with us.

After a coffee break, we held this Wilbur Sparks Memorial Put Together Quartet Contest.

Eric had collected 16 entries for the nite.  Lew Klinge was emcee again and made his usual “call” to talk to Ev Nau. 

Judges for the contest were Erin Odell, Tony Colosimo, Wayne Adams and Joe Sawyer.  They sang for us too – THIS OUGHT TO BE LEGAL.  Great fun to hear Erin keep up with the guys when she sings tenor! Jack Pitzer was judge official.

The judges recognized the top three winners in two categories – comedy and regular.  Trophies were presented to each guy.

Comedy Quartet winners were:

First – MASTER DIRECTORS – Savage, Wallen, Hillier, Dillingham

Second – OUR BASS IS DREAMY –  Cerutti, J George, Hillier, Wallen

Third – GIVING IT OUR ALL, NOT OUR BEST – Garling, Cerutti, Reynolds, Evans

Regular Quartet winners were:

First – FAST & SHARP – Garling, Roots, Richardson, C Clark

Second – OCCUPY DURANT – Savage, Kujuwa, Cameron, S White

Third – WINGIN’ IT – O’Brien, Eliason, Ives, Wallen

The chapter also had a trophy for the guy who sang in the most quartets in the contest.  The George Azzam trophy went to Eric Wallen who sang in five quartets and sang all parts at some point.

After the presentation of trophies, the chapter materials put away and the hall closed.

Next week, Dec. 20^th, we meet at Durant and then will go down into Old Town to sing carols at restaurants and bars.  Always a fun nite. Wear a warm coat with scarf for this one.  Everyone come out and join in the fun. There will likely be a gathering place after we have sung around.

K12 also passed out flyers about the Blast on Tues. Dec. 27^th – instead of our own chapter meeting. A good nite to go to meet and sing and celebrate with other barbershoppers from our DC Metro and Baltimore Metro areas.  (Also a good way to represent our chapter!)  Mark your calendar too for the BLAST in Glen Burnie. Usually some top quartets make the stage plus a bunch of put-together type quartets. Maybe our chapter winners will go represent us.  Form a car pool and lets all go.  Last few years a huge crowd of us took in the fun, chow and cold drinks.  Ask Steve White or Jack Pitzer about going.

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. —YeEd.)