Friday, August 11, 2017

Looking Back on the August 8th Chapter Meeting
It didn’t seem like there was any summer slump in attendance at chapter meeting.  Everyone is eager to prepare for the fall district contest, our appearance at Carnegie Hall, our summer show for the City of Alexandria on Market Square, and getting our softball team organized for the battle with Hershey Parkside.
Associate director Tony Colosimo did the warm ups and was musical director for the nite.  His first task was to voice place another 15 guys for their position on the risers – a continuation of the work from Harmony U and from last week’s meeting.  In the end, we all got new positions for the coming contest season which includes a row on the floor plus another row of dancer performers.
While Tony and assistant director Terry Reynolds worked on deciding the riser line up, Chuck Hunter worked with the chorus on the new ballad and taught us the change in the arrangement from Brent Graham for the transition between the two songs in the ballad medley.
Before the nite ended, we also sang thru some of the songs we will be singing Friday nite Aug. 11th at Market Square.  Great to see our guests getting on the risers and learning the new songs.
Membership director Dave Kohls announced plans for a practice quartet to work with the guests as they prepare for their audition.  Rick Wagner made introductions of our singing guests.
The chapter meeting was conducted by executive director Terry Reynolds
NOTE – there will be a regular chapter meeting at Durant on Tuesday Aug. 22nd and no gathering at a church on the 23rd.
Bruce Roehm is retiring from the military and has asked the chorus to sing at this ceremony on Sept. 8th – chorus members can sign up to sing on Groupanizer.
The Market Square Show is Friday, Aug. 11th – chorus call at 6:30 pm, show at 7:30 pm. Report to the square near the fountain on King Street. Be sure to bring your parking receipt if you park under the square so it can be validated for you (YeEd assumes that will be possible again this year.) Uniform is black camp shirt, jeans and black shoes. It will be possible for new singers to step off the risers if they don’t know one of the songs we end up singing. Invite your family and friends – suggest they bring a folding chair too.  Many guys go out to eat afterward there in Old Town.
Dog Days is Tuesday Aug. 29th at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Manassas.  More details to come.  Any former member of the chorus is welcome to join us on the risers for “Armed Forces Medley” and “I’ll Be Seeing You.” Dog Days is a summer annual event when choruses in the area gather to sing for each other, visit and enjoy refreshments and share the hobby.  Director Joe encourages all singers to join in this fun. 
President Randall Eliason reported some family news items: former member Ben Smith died..  He was a member from 1989 – 2012 and commuted from Lynchburg to sing with us. He was 87, He is father-in-law of Steve White – sympathy to Steve and Jerri and the family; Carl Kauffmann’s wife Kathy has an appendicitis attack; and Terry Jordan is home from the rehab facility.
Private Voice Instruction sessions will resume next Tuesday nite. See Keith Jones to schedule an appointment with Vickie Dennis for the PVI.
Ian Poulin is our chairman for hosting the district fall contest and convention in Reading PA Sept 15-16.  He asked for some volunteers who could get up to Reading extra early on Friday and he got all he needed!!  Great.  As a reminder, each singer needs to have gotten a room at the Crowne Plaza.  As YeEd understands it, there is a Harmonizer block of rooms.
Secretary Chris Buechler reminds all members that they must have all dues paid in order to compete on the stage in Reading.
Members should also respond immediately to the Groupanizer request about bus transportation from Alexandria to Reading and on to Carnegie Hall and back home.  There will be stops in Maryland too.
After break, we were back on the risers for more singing and work on our music.
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 70th year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. —YeEd