Looking Back on the April 30 , 2024 Alexandria Hybrid Chapter Meeting

 Looking Back on the April 30 , 2024 Alexandria Hybrid Chapter Meeting 

It was a busy meeting for the Alexandria A Cappella Collective (AACC) ensembles at AlexRenew this week as they were preparing for their appearance at the Northeastern District (NED) barbershop convention in Lake George, NY, this weekend. The rehearsal started at 7pm with artistic director, Joe Cerutti, leading the warm up session for the combined ensembles.

He used this time to include work on “Down Our Way” and “First Hello/Last Goodbye” which the combine chorus will use as a mic testing appearance for the NED chorus contest on Saturday.  Other barbershop singers at the convention will join the Alexandria singers for this event as part of the outreach for traditional songs that members can sing with fellow barbershop singers anytime and anywhere.

Joe welcomed University of Maryland student, Lenna, who is working on a field work project for one of her music classes.  

He also thanked a mixed ensemble who sang over the past weekend at an arts festival in Old Town.  They sang some of the old songs too.  Singers were Patricia, Elizabeth, Heide, Ken, Jared, Dave W. and Dean.  Thanks to them all, and especially for new member, Jared, for stepping up to help.

The Metro Voices and Harmonizers then worked on three songs they are singing together in the weeks ahead – at Lake George and/or at Wolf Trap: “I’m Still Standing.” Defying Gravity,” and Why We Sing.” 

Joe invited Becca Williams to explain this week’s ice breaker event which got all singers up and moving and meeting other members. 

Chapter executive director, Stan Quick, conducted a brief business meeting.  He started off with latest details about the bus taking the singers to NED on Friday. The bus will depart exactly at 2 pm from 305 Hoffs Run Drive with possible parking for those who need to leave a car in the lot of the Patent and Trademark building - $10 per day.

It is an 8-hour ride so members should bring what they will need including food for dinner. Casual attire for the weekend for the bus and at the convention will be black camp shirt for the Harmonizers or any black short sleeve shirt for those who don’t have one of those shirts, and jeans and black shoes. Singers will wear their approved uniform/outfit for the show

There will be two quartets competing Friday night representing our chapter – FIRST TAKE (with Tony Colosimo andAndrew Havens); and SWEET AND SOUR (with Samantha and Mert Tramack).  Both quartets are hoping to qualify for the 2024 International convention in Cleveland in July. Unfortunately, the bus won’t get us there in time to cheer for them in their first round appearance, but likely both quartets will make the finals round on Saturday night.

Stan also reminded all members that the sign up deadline for the Ireland trip in 2025 was extended to the end of June. It was stressed by president, Noah Van Gilder, that the trip is only a go if adequate numbers of performing members decide to go so that the chapter can perform in Ireland. Many questions that were asked by members where promptly answered on SLACK by trip coordinator, Brad Jones, after the meeting. 

Membership director, Jacob Broude, welcomed two returning guests: Brenden White and David Eckersell. Will Coxdirected the chapter “Welcome Song.”  He also directed Happy Birthday for Joe and Ashley.

Both ensembles then went to work on their songs for the NED weekend. The Harmonizers also worked on their contest songs including a helpful review of the choreography for “Lullaby” with Turner Arndt helping with prompts. They will work with Cy Wood again next week on their contest choreo.

Joe invited the guests and members to come to the Harmo House for the afterglow before they sang “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 for the great things going on each week during the 75^th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)

 

The Chapter Mission Statement Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.

 

oking Back on the April 24 , 2024 Alexandria Cabaret Celebrating Spring2ACTion

 Looking Back on the April 24 , 2024 Alexandria Cabaret Celebrating Spring2ACTion 

Alexandria A Cappella Collective (AACC) singers presented quite a fun show for this year’s cabaret to celebrate another successful fundraising drive as part of the City of Alexandria’s spring2ACTion campaign. It is designed for non-profit arts groups to raise funds for their programs.

A good crowd of members from both Metro Voices and the Harmonizers attended, enjoyed some refreshments and clapped loudly for the cabaret performers. It was also live on Facebook. There were also a large number of chapter patrons at the cabaret. 

The donations are still coming in as we write this, but as of 10 am on April 26 the total was $27,185 from 241 donors,  Thanks for our many donors in the chapter and friends of the chapter, we also won some prize money for things like the most donors in our 3-4 pm power hour.

The chapter had several members and friends who contributed funds prior to spring2ACTion that allowed the chapter to match the first $6750 received on the big day.  Thanks to Randall Eliason, David and Jeanne Hillinck, Ellen Dellert, Dean Rust and Terry Reynolds.

The daylong competition between Randall and Joe Cerutti continues – but as of now, Joe has pulled ahead of Randall’s $2750 with a $3239 total dollars raised from other donots.  He actually first pulled ahead near the end of the cabaret when Joe asked for his friends to help him go ahead.  Joe Cerutti Sr. (who was watching on Facebook) came to the rescue and donated enough at that point to make it happen – actually in honor of Joe Junior's birthday on the 24^th.  And donations have continued coming.

Zak Sandler was accompanist for all of his fellow singers from the chapter. The cabaret acts included the following:

Lance Fisher who sang an aria in German

Clyde Crusenberry who entertained with a show song

Charlie Rothermel sang and accompanied himself with guitar

Heidi Krukowski sang a Whitney Houston  song

Joan Wolford, wife of Frank Shipp, sang a fun show song. (She was the caterer for the recent gala.)

Sophie Clarke sang a solo – she recently completed her voice recital for her Master’s Degree

Terry Reynolds sang “Trouble” from The Music Man with the chorus members filling in the responses 

Becca Williams and Ben Watsky sang a duet from High School Musical

Joan and Frank sang a fun duet of a John Prine song with Frank accompanying on the guitar

David Breen with Zak did a great jazz work on “Without a Song”

Devin Gerzof and Matt Ambler each did a song from Les Misérables

Joe felt like he should do a song, and so he decided to replicate performance of Tony Colosimo singing “Bring Him Home” also from Les Misérables. (It worked ok until Joe got the words mixed up and revealed he was not singing – Tony was on a mic in the back of the audience.) 

Tessa Walker sang a song from Dogfight, and then Samantha Tramack and Maggie McAlexander sang a show song duet to put a finale on the cabaret show.

Joe was emcee for the night, welcomed all the guests and donors both in the house and on Facebook, and thanked the development team of Randall, Ken Rub, Susan Fitzpatrick for their leadership in stimulating participation in spring2ACTion and for hosting the cabaret night.  There were drinks and goodies for guests to enjoy all evening.  Mike Kelly was on-hand to do the tech and sound in cooperation with the staff at The Bike Club. 

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 75^th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)

 

The Chapter Mission Statement Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.