Looking Back on the February 21^st Chapter Meeting and February 22^nd Show

Our meeting this week was at the George Washington Masonic Temple in Alexandria.  It allowed the chorus to see and sing in the space at the venue where we will be performing on Wed. eve, Feb. 22^nd for General Washington’s birthday.

For most of our guys, it was the first time inside the Temple, let alone in the elegant 400-seat theater. (Some believe we have sung there before, but we have no proof.  YeEd and Dick Hall  do not recall singing there, but do recall taking a chorus photo with the Temple in the background in the ‘60s when Oz Newgard was our director.)

Parking was good and most guys had fun discovering the entrance driveway. Thanks to the riser crew who had to really “haul” them into the building and up onto the stage.

After warm ups with Will Cox, the chorus worked hard to sing with soprano Alessandra Marc.  She will sing “Battle Hymn” with our arrangement, and the chorus will sing in Italian for the Verde piece, “La Vergine degli Angeli.” 

The risers were set on the stage with the grand piano used for the Ms. Marc and her solo appearances. There is also a classic pipe organ in the theater that was installed in about 1953.  The pipes are all located above an elaborate artistic grate in the ceiling.  The organ will be used for the Verde accompaniment with the chorus and Ms. Marc.

Paul Dolinsky with the Masonic Foundation, the group hosting the George Washington Birthday celebration and our concert in the theater at the Temple, was also present

Associate director Tony Colosimo, and the assistant directors Terry Reynolds, Will Cox and Mike Kelly were up front the whole time this week, as they will be directors for the show on Wed. Director Joe Cerutti will be on travel. He was able to coach and help them prepare the chorus for the show including conduct a complete run thru.  Producer is Greg Tepe.  Mike Kelly was helping the sound and light crew. John Pence had the song boards for the show in place.  The quartet for “God Bless The USA” will be Rick Savage, Tony Colosimo, Steve White and Ken Ives.

It was great to see some of our recent chapter guests present including John Greene and Doug White. Chad Hoseth was in town from CO for work, Chuck Hunter was in town from Baghdad for a conference, and Tim Buell was back on the risers after some knee surgery.

There was a brief break for guys to relax before the final drill and mapping of the show.

Everyone was asked to review the ’95 contest package in order to be prepared next week when Geri Geis will be with us to work on the visuals for “Sweet Georgia Brown” that we will do in at the division contest in May. Take a look at this You Tube video to familiarize yourself with what we did in 1995 … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3AHJQPAjY&list=UUdR_5d9Fx_M8oAxfnaV_16w&index=1&feature=plcp.

Good to see the spring show committee meeting last nite before our rehearsal and meeting started. Nick Leiserson is producer.

It was great to see some references to our guys in the Nov/Dec 2011 issue of The Harmonizer, official publication of the BHS.   Big story about DA CAPO singing at the lighting of the National Christmas tree in DC.

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.)