Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Looking Back on the August 29th Annual Dog Days Multi-Chapter Event
The annual gathering of Northern Virginia choruses to sing for each other and share a nite of fun barbershop was hosted for the 37th time on Aug. 29th by the Prince William County Chapter at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Manassas.

The Harmony Heritage Singers from Mount Vernon were the first to perform, directed by Drew Fuller. One of their songs was "Old Bones" with Bob Wachter doing the solo that Bix Doughty had sung for many year. Bob received a standing ovation.

Fairfax chorus had Drew Fuller, Art Medici, Bruce Minnick and Sam McFarland singing with them.  Former member Richard Lewellen directed.

Loudoun County followed with a full set of chorus songs and chapter quartets

Prince William County, directed by former Harmonizer Glenn Williamson, performed a set with chorus and chapter quartets. Bruce Lauther sang in both the chorus and one of the quartets. Their chapter provided refreshments.

Our chapter riser crew brought the risers and the host chapter’s crew set them up. Mike Kelly set up and monitored our sound equipment.

Harmonizers were the last group to perform and received a standing ovation at the end of the set.

The group sang "Happy Birthday" to Tony Colosimo at the suggestion of director Joe Cerutti. One of the quartets saluted former member Larry and Cathy Silva on their 37th anniversary (a couple of months in the future). 

We had 57 active chorus members onstage and performed the contest set (without choreo) and two gospel numbers.

Joe also invited any former members interested to join the chorus on the risers to perform the "Armed Forces Medley" and "I'll Be Seeing You." Nick Murane, Keith Jones, Bruce Minnick, Bob Wachter, JT Price, Lew Klinge, Mike Everard and Austin Cotton (hoping we didn’t miss anyone) came up and sang with us.  

Dog Days was well-attended by families and friends of the various chapters.

(Thanks to Keith Jones for reporting the event for these notes.)

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