Looking Back on the May 23^rd Chapter Meeting

The chorus arrived ready for hard work on the contest music and other new songs we have in our repertoire to learn for Harmony University. (Interesting what a large crowd of Harmonizers had dinner at Hard Times Café this week – there is always at least one booth of guys there at 5 pm.  Come join in the fun.)

The weekly “tag sing” at ten minutes before chapter meeting drew a big crowd with associate director Tony Colosimo.  Then when we all took the risers at 7 pm, Tony continued to do the vocal warm ups.

Director Joe Cerutti introduced special guests with us for the evening from the Harmony Foundation.  Harmonizer and HF staffer Rick Taylor and his wife Sue were with us as was new staffer Janet Wiley and relatively new CEO Dr. Perry White. Dr. White spoke to the chapter to thank them for their support of the Foundation and for their support of the goal to build singing opportunities in our nation. He expressed his appreciation to visit our chapter and get to see some chapters in action during these first few months of his tenure.

The musical work for the nite included solid reviews on the two contest songs for Southern Division this weekend in Reston. Bari section leader Chuck Hunter coached us again on reconnecting with the messages of the songs in new and fresh ways. Some experienced members worked with new guys to help them too.

We did the contest set several times after break as well and revised riser placements a little to incorporate the new contest singers with us.

Chapter executive director Terry Reynolds conducted the chapter meeting.  Main topic was the contest weekend.  Call time is 9 am – arrive dressed in black suit, white button cover shirt, thin black tie, and black shoes.  We sing about 11 am.  Singers need to get a contest ticket too when they arrive at the Reston Hyatt. Word is that the non-hotel parking garage is now a pay lot on week days but free on Saturday.

Singers should note that if the chorus wins the contest, we will sing on the Saturday nite Jamboree and sing “Rock My Soul” and “All You Need is Love” for the contest audience. We will assemble about 6:15 Saturday evening.

Chapter leaders are seeking responses via Groupanizer as to who will be available for singing at George Washington Middle School where Harmonizer Casey Belzer has organized an event for June 7^th.

Chapter secretary Chris Buechler presented membership renewal cards to Rob Barnovsky for 8 years and Kellen Hertz for 9 years. President Randall Eliason reported that Dick Hall has had a little set back and is still in the hospital but expecting to be moved to a rehab facility soon.

Randall also thanked Mick Stamps and Todd Ryktarsyk for their extra efforts and hard work in making the past weekend GospelFest and Armed Forces shows with THE FAIRFIELD FOUR such a success.

Randall will also host a hospitality room at the Hyatt this weekend for those staying around.

After the break for refreshments, the meeting resumed and we were entertained by a new foursome that will début at the contest as a senior quartet: SILVER ALERT. Everyone is urged to go out Friday nite for the quartet contest that starts at 4:57 pm at the Reston Hyatt and cheer for the seven quartets with at least one representative from the chapter.

Randall presented checks of financial support to representatives of each of our seven quartet entries contest (in their singing order listed as tenor, lead, bari, bass):

Singing 4th

CAPITAL CITY CLOSE HARMONY CLUB

Mario Sengco; Jordan Haedtler, Chuck Hunter, Ken White

Singing 5th

YOUTH RECLAMATION PROJECT (Senior)

Mike Wallen, Roger Tarpey, Hardman Jones, Vic Owen Jr.

Singing 6th (Senior)

OLD TOWN SOUND

Carl Kauffmann, Randall Eliason, Bob Mattes, Dave Welter

Singing 9th

NATURAL SEGUE

Scip Garling, Noah Van Gilder, Jeff Burkey, Terry Reynolds

Singing 13th

MISFIRE

Jay Sorenson, Brian Ammerman, Litic Murali, Matt Doniger

Singing 14th (Senior)

SILVER ALERT

Rick Savage, Mike Edison, Will Cox, Steve Murane

Singing 21st (Senior)

FOUR IN THE MORNING

Mike Geipel, Ron Nichols, Gene Thompson, Emmitt Totty

Good luck to all our competing quartet members!

Alan Wile and Walt Page continued the push to get everyone in the 50/50 and they were successful as ever this week. Winner Matt Doniger didn’t get to do the usual directing of “Keep the Whole World Singing” tho because Joe thought we should sing one of our spirituals for our guests from HFI.  Matt gets another chance this weekend. We sang “There Must Be a City.”

YeED reports that the recent “Looking Back” for the GospelFest was in error about the source of the chapter’s grant for that event – it was actually received from the Barbershop Harmony Society.

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