Looking Back on the Jan. 15^th  Chapter Meeting

Well, YeEd says there is a whole new dimension to a chapter meeting and rehearsal with 100-120  people.  We may have to start setting up a coat rack, no more space to pile coats.  Gotta make a larger pot of coffee – the pot was empty after break!!  Gotta get on the risers early to get a space – well not really, but it is full. And it took a couple membership greeters to sign in the many guests, former members and audience fans who came. ALL WONERFUL PROBLEMS.

This week was a good work session on a cold rainy nite. Assistant director Terry Reynolds kicked off the nite with our weekly listening session as the signal for “Harmonizers on the Risers.” Terry helps operations vp Bob Rhome with conduct of the meeting regarding music and performance time.

Assistant director Will Cox conducted the vocal and physical warm ups.

Since our director Joe Cerutti was co-host of a post midwinter convention BHS cruise with Cindy Hansen, he was not back from FL.   So associate director Tony Colosimo was up front the whole nite.  He worked us hard and efficiently and we made musical progress.

There was some news reported from midwinter, and YeEd and his reporters will have a special edition of Looking Back soon. Watch for it.

One comment was to extend congrats to our youth chorus – CAPITAL FORCE.  Several of the guys who sang in FL with the FORCE were on the risers and their director, Tony, thanked them for their hard work.  The group earned an Excellent rating at the convention.  Tony also gave a plug for any other under-30 singers to speak to him about joining too.  Or if you have relatives who are eligible, invite them to check it out. AND if you are over 30 but have some time to offer admin support for the FORCE, also speak with Tony.

Before we launched into work on rep songs and contest package, the music team shifted the chorus positions – basically putting the basses on each end of the risers.

One chunk of time was used for musical and visual review of “Jersey Boys” – especially helpful to many new members since we learned the piece.  And we also did “Georgia Brown” with SP.

Then as promised, we were introduced to the 2012 gold medal quartet winners, RINGMASTERS.  They had just gotten off a plane from Atlanta where they had been visiting our barbershop friends there after singing at the midwinter.  They sang two great songs for us and raised the excitement level for the special black-tie fundraiser on Wed. nite, Jan. 16^th at the George Mason Masonic Temple, at 7:30.  Shows vp, Ken Rub, has done the yeoman work to pull off this special event. It is also a start at raising funds for our trip to Normandy France in 2014.

A good number of folks came to Durant to get a sneak preview of the champs.  And many of our new members were able to hear a gold medalist, up close and personal. The quartet took off right after they sang to get some rest for a busy day on Wednesday.  They are staying in the home of Lew Klinge and they are making an appearance at Carlos Barillo’s music/performance department at Winston Churchill Hi School in MD.

Before we went to break for refreshments, Bob Rhome conducted the chapter meeting period. There were reminders about getting registrations for the Intl contest and convention in Toronto this summer.  See Bob, cause there have been some members who have ordered more than they will need, so those are available at the lower rate.

Steve Murane extended an invite for all members and their significant others to attend the Chapter Awards Nite dinner evening, Jan. 26^th at Durant. 

(This is a message from your Mother – we want the whole family to be there. We might take a family pix!)  It is just $15.  Here are the details:

From 6-10 pm at Durant. It is the nite we honor those who worked hard all during 2012 and we present several long-standing chapter awards. There will also be installation of the 2013 officers and board. 

It is a potluck event – the main course will be provided by the chapter and then everyone brings food to share: leads and basses bring sides, baris bring salads and tenors and Friends in Harmony bring desserts.

The chapter will provide wine/beer/sodas/mixed drinks and coffee.  Dress is casual. Everyone is welcome – especially former members and chapter friends.  Please RSVP with numbers of attendees directly to Steve Murane.

Speaking of Normandy, Ken Fess is collecting the deposits all of us are supposed to get in. It is also key to let Ken know if you have not reported to him of your intentions to go on the trip.  He needs to know this month. He and his Harmo team are going to France next week to clarify details.  You can also help the team by giving emails of all trip participants to Mick Stamps.

Chapter secretary Chris Buechler presented membership renewal cards to: Jacob George for 3 years; Michael Vlcej for 5 years; Ken White for 15 years; and Chuck Harner for 45 years.  (It is the Harmonizer custom to present membership pins to men who make it to milestones years, and so Chuck was given the appropriate label pin.)

Membership vp Mark Klostermeyer, with help from Jeremy Richardson and Ken White, welcomed a huge long line of guests.  Many were first-timers and got the special “I Sang With the Harmonizers” button.  And there was another big group of applicants who are in the que. Many family members were in house too – always great to have family and co-workers on Tuesday nites. It was also great to see a lot of familiar Harmonizer faces – Doug Smith, Bob Caldwell, Craig Odell – back in the hall.

After coffee and goodies, there were a few more announcements.  Community services chair Clyde Crusenberry asked us all to watch for an email about “liking” our group. 

Tony Colosimo conducted a barbershop craft session again and that moved right into musical work on the new contest uptune, “Anything Goes.”

We had some sectionals during the nite too on the uptune, plus some clean-up work on “Stars and Stripes Forever” music.

It was a busy nite, so no major push was made about our Singing Valentines project.  But please consider taking the day off so you can help sing in quartets to deliver them, maybe drive a quartet around, or fill other needed tasks. Calvin Schnure is chair of this event.

At 10 pm we closed the hall after putting risers and AV equipment and coffee supplies and furniture all back into their storage places.  A good crowd made it over to the Hilton for an afterglow too.

Recently results of the 2012 White House Ornament sales was reported. Many thanks to the top salesmen Dave Reyno who sold 398 and Roger Day who sold 203.  Thanks too go to Sandy Stamps who is the honcho for this annual major fundraiser.

 

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.)