Looking Back on the Feb 11^th, 2020 Put Together and Chapter Meeting

The chapter meeting place was full of singing from about 6:15 til we left at the end of everything.  All the quartets planning to sing in the 46^th annual Put Together Quartet Contest were meeting (some for the first time) and going thru their songs.

Associate director Tony Colosimo did warm ups on the risers to kick off the nite.  Then there were sectionals to work on a new song “Never Fully Dressed Without a Song.” The chorus had gotten a copy of the song with notes and markings from the music team via Groupanizer. The section leaders all had a lesson plan determined by the music team to cover the same parts of the song – Brian Ammerman for the tenors, Reed Livergood for the leads, Jason Lee for the baritones, and Tony for the basses.

After this work period, the chapter meeting time was conducted by communications director Steve Murane.  He reminded all members that our Youth Harmony Festival will be on Saturday, March 28^th at Scottish Rite Temple. Members were asked to use social media to spread the word to prospective student groups.

President Stan Quick reported that Frank Fedarko’s sister died recently, and that Krissi Folsom fell this week and broke her arm at her chorus meeting.

He also reported that Clyde Crusenberry, Calvin Schnure, and Dean Rust have set up the plans for the Singing Valentine quartets to make appearances in the greater Metro area.  Three quartets will be making the appearance for citizen groups, Alexandria officials, senior centers and retirement places, schools and public events.

Finally, Stan reminded members to consider submitting nominations for the BHS new awards to be presented at a Gala at the International convention in LA in July.

Secretary Chris Buechler presented membership renewal cards to Dylan Smith for 2 years, Ben Roberts for 7 years, Tyler Carpenter for 9 years, and Kevin McKenzie for 21 years.

Membership director Jacob Broude announced plans for the “first of monthly recreational events for Harmonizer Friends and Family” to be held on Friday, Feb. 21^st at Caboose in Merrifield. From 6 – 8:30 pm or so.  2918 Eskridge Rd., Fairfax, VA 22031. Stay tuned for more details.

 Ben Watsky welcomed back Michael Berkson for his third visit, and then the nine members of the Georgetown Chimes for their first visit who came to help us with the quartet contest.

After a break time (used by many of the quartets for another run thru) and some time to set up the sound equipment and judges table, the chapter members reassembled in the auditorium of the SRT for the 46^th annual Wilbur Sparks Memorial Put Together Contest.  Troy Hillier was emcee for the event and shared stories about Wilbur (often called Dr. Put for his fun approach to organizing a chapter quartet contest and for getting new guys singing in quartets that had not done so before.  Wilbur’s fun approach to create crazy names for the quartets seems to carry on as some of this year’s were wild – Dave’s in Charge of That, Per Four Mens, Ives Gotta Plan, We Probably Shouldn’t Do This, and Whisky Switch.

There were two categories and prizes for top three quartets in each – comedy and regular. Judges were Georgetown Chimes singers Chase, Jack, John and Dylan.  Jack Pitzer was panel chairman. We even had a mic tester quartet.

When all 17 quartets had finished, the whole crowd adjourned to the cafeteria for refreshments and announcement of contest winners by Troy and Matt Doniger, who was ‘Dr. Put’ for this year’s event.  Each singer in the top three quartets in each category received a plaque.

COMEDY QUARTETS Winners
Third:
JOCKULAR STRAPS - Ammerman, Eliason, Hillier, Chesser
Second:
ADAM SHEPARD AND HIS LITTLE LAMBS - Gerzof, Shepard, Lee, Carpenter
First:
FRONT ROW OLD GUYS (FROG) - Reynolds, Eliason, Rub, White

REGULAR QUARTETS Winners 
Third:
ALEXANDRIA COMMON - Gerzof, Livergood, Schnure, Peacock
Second:
AT EASE - Lazear, McKenzie, Cameron, Golden
First:
42^ND YEET - Gerzof, Roberts, Colosimo, Peacock

To finish up the nite, the Chimes sang several songs for us and were cheered loudly by the men of the Harmonizer chorus.

We concluded the fun nite with “Keep the Whole World Singing.”

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 71^st year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. —YeEd