Looking Back on the Feb. 27, 2024 Alexandria Hybrid Chapter Meeting
A large crowd of singers were back at AlexRenew this week after meeting last week at
The Bike Club. As it turns out, next week’s meeting will be back at The Bike Club and both ensembles will have a rehearsal that evening.
This week, the Harmonizers launched their first run of one of the contest songs and Metro Voices worked on a new song for their ensemble. Both groups had a period of small group sessions this week.
Associate director of the Harmonizers, Tony Colosimo, conducted the warm up session this week for the combined ensembles. Artistic director, Joe Cerutti, welcomed all the singers and guests and reported that 83 individual interviews have been completed with just a few left to be done at the Harmo House on Thursday of this week.
He was excited to report the plans for the chapter’s work with DC Public Schools (DCPS). We have a contract with them to provide something like an all-state choir experience. The event will be on Friday, March 8. We have invited gold medal Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) quartet, SIGNATURE, to be the guest quartet for the event. Tessa Walker will be the clinician for the large number of youth singers who will attend at a venue in DC. There will be a 4 pm show but the venue is small and so neither of our chorus ensembles will sing, but interested members are encouraged to attend and support the event. Joe indicated that the DCPS has totally endorsed the formation of Capital Force too.
Chapter members are asked to support providing a supply of bottled water and snacks by donating cash (give it to Dean Rust next Tuesday night - he will purchase the supplies and bring them to the venue on March 8), or by bringing cases of water to next week’s meeting.
Looking ahead – spring2ACTion will be on April 24th. It has become our chapter’s largest fundraiser in recent years. It is organized by the City of Alexandria for not-for-profit groups. Last year we broke all records and we had a fun watch party to keep track of donations that came in. The party included a cabaret with a dozen or so talent acts from with the chapter family. The event will be at The Bike Club again this year and will be live-streamed for our donors to watch and enjoy too.
So, this is the call for talent. Any combination of members or their family is great: solo, duet, trio, instrumental, standup. It will be a non-barbershop night. An accompanist will be available for the rehearsal and cabaret night. Members interested should let Joe know.
After the two ensembles practiced a while, they gathered for an ice breaker event which was coordinated by Turner Arndt and Becca Williams. It was a fun chance for members of both groups to get to know each other more. Following the fun, communications director, Steve Murane, conducted a business session. President Noah Van Gilderreported that Ken Ives is doing well after a recent surgery.
Chapter development director, Ken Rub, updated members that ticket sales for the Gala on March 2 are going well. Tonight was the cut off though for ticket sales so food could be ordered by the caterer. The long list of impressive silent auction items for the Gala was sent via email blast to members and chapter patrons.
Locations for upcoming meetings are as follows: Mar. 12 – AlexRenew; Mar. 19 – singing in Old Town Alexandria; Mar. 26 – AlexRenew.
Ben Watsky managed guest registration this week and we welcomed back William Vesilind, Jared Liscinsky, Kar Medero, Hanna Nesisch. Dave Ermlick brought his wife, Anne, and their son, Billy, who was in the baritone section. First time guests were Callie Cirillo and Md Fardous – both guests following Metro Voices promotional efforts. Benalso welcome back members Calvin Schnure and Geoff Berman. Assistant director emeritus, Will Cox, directed the chapter “Welcome Song.”
The evening wrapped up about 9 pm with an invitation to guests and members to come to the Harmo House for an afterglow, and then Samantha Tramack directed “Keep the Whole World Singing.” There was great celebration at the afterglow to learn that William and Kar both passed their auditions after the chapter meeting this week! Welcome to them.
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 75th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)
The Chapter Mission Statement Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.
