Saturday, May 8, 2021

Looking Back on the May 4th 2021 Virtual Chapter Meeting

      Looking Back on the May 4th 2021 Virtual Chapter Meeting

 

The Harmonizers virtual meeting this week was a busy one with lots of music work for the singers.

 

Artistic director Joe Cerutti couldn’t say enough about his pride in the chapter and its successful efforts during spring2ACTion on April 28th. He shared how happy he was that chapter members pulled together during our Covid situation. Joe invited Randal Eliason, who coordinated our campaign again this year for the event, to report on the final numbers. Our goal started out at $30,000 which had to be increased early in the day – especially after the “power hour” when we especially asked our prospects to donate. (Big thanks to Randall for his leadership.)

 

Joe thanked again those who stepped up to the plate with matching dollars such as Steve and Jerri White did with a donation of $10,000, and as chapter leaders and community board members did and created a $6,000 matching amount.  The final as of 8 pm tonight (funds are still coming in) was $48,702 – that is $31,452 in donations, $16,000 in matches, and $1250 in prizes that we won on spring2ACTion day.  This year’s total was our highest ever.

 

Joe also thanked Mick Stamps and his family for their donations in memory of Sandy. The amounts they donated as well as other amounts donated in her honor will be used to support funding an original musical work for our 75thanniversary celebration.

 

The contest between sections helped build totals. The captains were Doug White for tenors, Noah Van Gilder for leads, Frank Shipp for baritones, and Matt Doniger for basses. The basses won the contest again this year and will be given a party one of these days!

 

In his wrap up comments about our success, Joe spoke about the need for a chapter director of development ASAP.

 

Before moving on to singing, Joe asked members to consider offering to do an elective on a Tuesday night – that means to speak passionately for about 30 minutes on any topic. Let Joe know if you will do one. 

 

He reports that reference materials for guys to use when preparing a self-recording on “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” are nearly ready.  He thanked his fellow music team members for their work on this! Deadline to make that submission in May 22.

 

Finally, singers should look for the new song, “Sing,” on Groupanizer. It will become our show encore piece.

 

Associate director Tony Colosimo did a ten minute warm up session and used some of the vocal warm up suggestions from recent guest speaker, Keith Harris

 

Small groups were formed for work with music team leaders – volunteers sang and others in the group offered comments. 

 

The music team used Jamulus again this week and a quartet to demonstrate “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (Doug White, Tony, Jacob Broude, and Steve White).  Joe suggests this song will be a private tribute for our major efforts to make it through this period of virtual meetings.

 

Communications director Matt Doniger conducted this week’s business session.  Purchases of reusable shopping bags at the Bailey’s Crossroads Giant earn cash rewards for our chapter. Matt has the details.

 

Joe paid tribute to former Harmonizer, Michael Calhoun, who died in his sleep on April 27th in FL where he resided with his wife Nancy.  Michael joined our chapter in 2000 after having been a major force in the leadership of the Westchester NY Chapter.  He also was a member of the Manhattan NY Chapter. He left our chapter after eight years having competed with our chorus and having serving in a number of leadership positions. He helped form the Harrisonburg VA Chapter where he was active after leaving our chapter.  He was inducted into DELASUSQUEHUDMAC, the district honor club, having served in a number of leadership positions in the M-AD. 

 

Membership chairman Jacob Broudy reminded attendees about the chapter social event for a Poker Night coming up on May 15th.

 

President Stan Quick thanked the large number of members who submitted a reply to the survey about Covid vaccinations. It revealed that 100% of the respondents had gotten their vaccinations.  Stan reports that we are getting close to meeting in person and that members should send a photo of their vaccination card to covidinfo@harmonizers.org. The advisory committee to recommend how and when to meet face-to-face includes Jason Lee, Randall, Steve White, Frank Shipp, Chris Huber, Bruce Roehm and Stan

 

In other news, the M-AD has announced plans for a virtual Harmony College East over Fathers’ Day weekend, June 18-19, 2021. Get info at HCE@midatlanticdistrict.com. Our own Sheryl Berlin is one of the deans for this educational program for barbershoppers and their quartets.

 

Alan Wile did another interview of a Harmonizer who has submitted a Harmonizer Hero form for inclusion on Groupanizer. This time he spoke with Rob Barnovsky.  Alan was excited to show how Rob developed a career within the realm of his hobby.  Rob likes animals and creatures of all kinds.  He likes to teach.  He loves the outdoors.  And so his career as Natural Resources Specialist is a perfect transition.

 

He grew up in Ohio and sang in school choirs all the way through college. He even appeared in some school musicals. In college he studied biology and then embarked on working in parks, nature centers and outdoor education centers.

 

Currently Rob is stationed at Riverbend Park on the Potomac in the Great Falls area.  (BTW – this has been a great season to go to that Fairfax County Park to see the huge area of VA Bluebells that grow along the bank of the river in the sandy soil there.)

 

He credits Bill Colosimo for encouraging him to sing barbershop in DC and to get into quartets.  Rob joined our chapter in 2016. Rob’s teaching skills with students has prepared him to be a key player in helping with our chapter youth harmony festivals. 

 

Before the interview ended, Rob showed us his snake, Slither, and shared with us his work at “talking with owls” in nature.  (Joe suggests that sounds like an elective sometime!!). Rob demonstrated his ability to make the necessary sounds. Alan was proud to also point out that Rob is another Harmonizer who has earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

 

Our next  Harmonizer Tuesday meeting will be via Zoom again at 7 pm on May 11th, 2021. 

 

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 for the great things going on each week during the 72nd year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. - YeEd)