Looking Back on the September 15, 2026 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Meeting
This week’s meeting was at Fairlington Presbyterian Church and both ensembles worked on holiday music for the 2026 holiday show. The early word on a date for the show is that there will be two shows (late afternoon matinee and night) on Saturday, Dec. 12 at the Fairlington United Methodist Church (where the chapter had its holiday shows in 2023 and 2024). Music team leaders asked members to work on the holiday songs at home and sing along at the meeting, or else just listen and learn until ready to sing. Many of the songs are repeats from past shows so some members have an advantage to knowing the holiday repertoire.
Chapter leaders have encouraged members to support the silent auction at Fairlington Presbyterian Church which will help the church renovate their kitchen.
The recent 9/11 tribute by the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) used the recording of the Metro Voices performance of “Me and the Sky” (from “Come From Away) which they sang at the 2026 International convention. It was a perfect way to recognize the occasion and the emotion of that important date!
Also, BHS CEO Robert Rund recognized Joel Golden’s article from the July-August issue of The Harmonizer in the e-blast LiveWire report. Good job Joel!
Warm ups this week were led by associate director of the Harmonizers, Tony Colosimo. His session included a fun tag for the combined ensembles to ring – “I Don’t Know, I Don’t Know, I Don’t Know.”
Membership triad team member, Jacob Broude, invited any new members to join him for an orientation session, led by Terry Reynolds, in a break out room.
Meanwhile, the AACC chorus worked with artistic director, Joe Cerutti, on “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and “Welcome Christmas.” Joe announced there will be two new combined songs coming soon. One is “Tribute to World Peace” and work on it will start next week.
Calendar notes: the chapter meeting will be at Fairlington Presbyterian Church on Sept. 22. Then on Sept. 29, Metro Voices will meet at the church while the Harmonizers will be singing in Old Towne that night. And then on Oct. 13, the Harmonizers will rehearse at the church and Metro Voices will sing in Old Towne. (The church has a conflict those weeks so that meant a change in location for the ensemble rehearsals.)
There will not be a sing-out on Oct. 14.
The fellowship event with the Harmonizers and the Alfred Street Baptist Men’s Gospel Choir will be held at the Fairlington Methodist Church and fellowship hall on Oct. 20. Metro Voices will meet at Fairlington Presbyterian Church.
Joe took a minute to tell the many new members how the AACC chorus supports an Honors flight at National Airport. There are two coming up – Oct. 10 from 7-10 am, and Nov. 7 from 8-11 am. E.J. Herold organizes these service projects to welcome military veterans to the Nation’s Capital. Watch for further details. All AACC singers are welcome to attend as there is printed music available for the basic patriotic songs that will be sung. Attire will be the black t-shirts.
Matt Darouse, from the Culture Team, has sent out messages and registration forms for a social event at Cox Farm on Sunday, Nov. 1 from 11 am to 4 pm. Members interested in attending should contact Culture Team members and make a reservation/payment of $30 by Sept. 30!. Don’t pay or register with Cox but with a Culture Team member – Becca Williams, Kellen Hertz or Matt Darouse. The chapter will have the pavilion there as part of the fall festival for friends and family of AACC - at 15621 Braddock Rd., Centreville, VA 20120, at the corner of Braddock Rd., and Pleasant Valley Rd.
Members who ordered t-shirts can get them from the Culture team now. And any member who didn’t pay for their registration for the chapter retreat, should speak to a team member also.
The team also brought cookies to share at break to celebrate September AACC birthday! They were good!!
Jacob Broude recognized the most recent AACC member added to the roster – Anne Lefeuvre.
Then he welcomed eight retuning guests who were back this week: Jamie Bazen, Mason Meiners, Amanda Ridlington, Naomi Takagi, Serena Davis, David Strasser, John Ferri, and Carl Pankin. There were also three first-time guests this week: Ethan Hattingh, Stuart Conrad and Sam Rose. Tony directed the chapter welcome song. It was great to have Janet and Joe Cerutti Sr. at this week’s meeting! It was also announced that Kathy Kauffmann has fallen and broken her arm. Everyone sends her good wishes and a speedy recovery!
He also alerted the chapter to the re-start of Capital Force youth ensemble for the 2026-2027 season on Sunday, Oct. 18, from 2;30 – 4:30 pm with Tessa Walker as music director. All AACC members are encouraged to invite potential youth singers in rising 7th-12th grades. Watch for details.
After the AACC rehearsal, the Harmonizers continued to work on “Hanukkah in Santa Monica” in sectional breakouts in various rooms in the church. Tony, Joe, Michael Berkson and Lance Fisher led those sectionals. Then they all gathered in the basement hall with artistic director, Joe Cerutti, to sing together. Joe thanked the men for their apparent extra work on the song at home! Next they worked on the “Silent Night” arrangement that includes two quartet spots and some solo spots. Harmonizers interested in doing those spots should speak with Tony ASAP. Finally, the chorus worked on “Here Comes Santa Claus.”
Likewise, Patricia Chow reports that Metro Voices practiced “Auld Lang Syne” in various quartet configurations and then transitioned to working on “Stop the World.” This is the second song from the musical Come From Away. arranged by Maggie McAlexander for Metro Voices (the first was “Me and the Sky”) and will be performed at Midwinter. The chorus then started work on a new holiday song, a medley of two songs from the Disney film Frozen, also arranged by Maggie. The two songs in the medley are “Queen Anointed” and “Vuelie.”
The two ensembles met together for a wrap up of the rehearsal. Serena Davis directed “Keep the Whole World Singing.” There was a good crowd at the HarmoHouse for afterglow, with many members enjoying the outdoor patio and the great September weather. There were several guests who made it to the afterglow too.
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 78th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)
The Chapter Mission Statement Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.
