Looking Back on the April 25^th Chapter Meeting and Community Sing on April 19th

Last week on Wed, April 19th, over 70 Harmonizers and some family members joined in the fun community sing hosted in SE Washington DC by Dr. Ysaye Barnwell.  What fun.  Harmonizer Dave Branstetter reported the event this way: “The Community Sing was different – no written music, no precisely defined harmonies, no judges, and frankly no audience (we were ALL chorus and audience at the same time!). Taking those components out of the equation reminded us of something we might otherwise lose sight of – the pure, simple, unadulterated joy that comes from JUST SINGING! People of different backgrounds and different abilities coming together to experience the simple joy that comes from singing together.”

The Harmonizers wore their black camp shirt outfits and at the invitation of Dr. Barnwell, sang “Rock My Soul” and “I’ll Be Seeing You.” Joe was pleased and spoke briefly to the other 100 or so singers present explaining our current work project with the spiritual music.

This week’s meeting on April 25^th  was a repeat of last week’s format – warm up, sitting in chairs around the keyboard with Joe working on new music.  We concentrated on the melody for “I Was There” and polished on “Roll Jordon Roll” and we worked hard on our “Chicago” medley.

Tag time at 6:50 pm was taught by Mike Kelly.  Secretary Chris Buechler presented membership renewal cards to Dean Sherick for five years and Alan Kousen for 51 years!

The chapter guys had fun talking to Dick Hall when many of them called him on his 85^th birthday on Saturday.  It was a small token of thanks for his having called every member on his birthday for many, many years.

Joe also reported the news Bob Austin died unexpectedly on Monday.  He was a former baritone in the chapter and in several important chapter quartets such as CAPITOL CHORD AUTHORITY and the original COPYRIGHT ’86 with Bill Colosimo, Mike Wallen and Steve White. His wife and daughter sing with Pride of Baltimore SAI chorus.

Joe thanked all the workers and singers for a successful and high energy Youth Harmony Festival.

Joe was excited to remind the chorus of another community sign event Wednesday, April 26^th at Convergence. We will join the men’s choir from Alfred Street Baptist Church in Old Town Alexandria. Thanks to Dr. Joyce Garret for the invite. We will wear black camp shirt and jeans. Warm up at 6:30.

Saturday nite many members and family friends will attend the Little Theater of Alexandria performance of “The Fabulous Lipitones” as a group and organized by Clyde Crusenberry.

Here are other events on our calendar in the weeks ahead:

- Tues. May 9^th with Dr. Sheila Peters working with us on an inclusion workshop.

- Southern Division contest for quartets and choruses will be May 26-27 in Reston. Our chorus will compete Saturday afternoon.  YeEd hears that several quartets are working to enter too.

- We will co-sponsor a Gospel Fest at Durant on May 19-20.

- And in middle of that event, we will have our Armed Forces Day salute show at 3 pm on Saturday.

- June 7 we will sing at Casey Belzer’s school where he is music teacher – George Washington Middle in Alexandria. About 7 pm as part of a fund raiser event.

Operations team directors met at Durant after our meeting ended this week. Executive director Terry Reynolds encouraged each many to carefully read Craig Kujawa’s newsletter about travel to Harmony U.  Make plans and respond as needed.

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 during the 69^th year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. —YeEd