Looking Back on the May 1st Chapter Meeting
First off, here is important info from Alan Wile and Mike Kelly
about this year’s educational weekend for all barbershoppers in the area.
Immerse
Yourself in a Weekend of MAD Barbershop!
Jun 14-17, 2012
Salisbury, MD - Salisbury State University
The May 1st Harmonizer meeting was a full and busy session in
prep for our many shows plus contest. A
good crowd of singers was on the risers too.
The evening started with a listening session of an awesome new
arrangement by Jim Clancy in TX of “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.”
Assistant director Will Cox did the vocal warm-ups and turned over
the “ready” chorus to director Joe Cerutti. Before we started singing, tho, all the guys
who have joined the chapter since last year’s International contest went to a
“boot camp” or orientation session with Will Cox, some officers and
board members to help those new guys catch up on being an active Harmonizer.
Joe and the
visual team worked on “Jersey Boys” with some hiccups and the evidence that we
need to work on it at home. After that session, we worked on reviewing and
teaching “Hello My Baby” including teaching the newer members.
Then we jumped over to sing “I’m The Music Man” and it was fun to see how
much progress the chorus has made to learn that one so fast. Now to add the visual plan to it.
Both “Jersey Boys” and “Music Man” are gonna be needed for the many
upcoming shows in June! So there is no
time to waste.
The chapter meeting session was conducted by operations vp Scott
Kahler. First up was chapter
secretary Chris Buechler. He
presented new member materials to Tom Frederick and Bob Griesemer. Austin Cotton was presented his 37
year renewal card, and Alan Kousen was presented his 45 year renewal
card and lapel pin marking his longevity in the BHS.
Next Mary Anne Cleaveland,
representing the Pride of Baltimore Sweet Adeline Chapter, invited us to buy
tickets to, or sponsor a table for, their annual tea, Saturday, May 12th from
12-3 pm. For ticket info call Jackie at 410-789-7172. Good way for us to support their chapter like
they do by coming to our holiday show every year.
Membership vp Phil Ashford introduced our guests this week including Ron Rogers, a former member who is
active in Texas these days. We have seen
him recently on stage at the international contests.
We had a good long break, then back to
chapter meeting time. Mike Kelly plugged attendance at the
Harmony College East in June (see info above).
Shows vp Brian Ammerman and show producer Nick Leiserson gave us more details about the major spring show on
June 9th at George Mason Perf Arts Center. [First off, it appears there is a good chance
Erin Odell’s quartet will be able to
perform!!! Hurray. And our congrats to Erin
for all of her miraculous successes in the last few weeks with her quartet,
chorus (with Joe filling in as
director), and progress in getting better.]
Secondly, everyone is asked to sell or
buy an ad for the program. See Chris Clark (clark.christopher.j@gmail.com). Idea: YeEd bought an ad to promote another group in the community as a
donation to that group.
And of course, sell tickets. Get out the
flyers. Tell your friends you are
singing and to come see you and enjoy the great music. 7:30 pm show.
Finally, prepare yourself for the songs
on that show. As a reminder, besides the contest set we will be performing: “I'm
the Music Man” (with choreo!); “Ob La Di;” “Hello, My Baby” (with choreo!); “Summertime”
(with choreo); “Stars and Stripes;” “Jersey Boys” (with choreo); “Great Day”
(with choreo); and “Music of the Night.”
Brian also reminds us of the show
we have on Sunday, June 10th in MD.
And the major show at Constitution Hall on June 19th (for
those old timers around who read this column, it is like another Kennedy Center
Honors show.
Another item from Brian was a shout out to Len
Dornberger for telling a meeting planner he knows thru his profession about
the Harmonizers as entertainers. May
yield a show. All of us should follow
his example.
Scott Kahler used the emergency
text messaging system for the chapter to alert us all about the change in
meeting location tonite. If you did not
get a text on your cell phone about 5 pm or so on Tuesday nite, email Scott to report. You should have gotten one. As they say,
“This Was A Test.”
Brad Jones, China trip
coordinator, reports that the agency is making flight arrangements. But each traveler should be careful in making
any preliminary flights and check first.
Bob Blair reported a fun story
and a nice income source for the chapter. He and Howard Nestlerode and Carl
Kauffmann did the work for a couple riser rentals to local singing
groups. Their motto – U Call, We
Haul! Earned the chapter a little over
$1000.
Tony Colosimo announced the release
of the new DA CAPO cd titled “Beginnings” which you can order online or get
from Tony next week. $15.
Then it was back to singing on the
risers with associate director Tony
conducting another excellent barbershop craft session. This week’s theme was
“your voice matters” and he had us demonstrate a number of ways that is
true. It led to some great singing of
the contest songs too!
He actually directed the package and Joe coached – always a very successful
exercise. The good singing also meant more emotion and story-telling.
YeEd also reports that Bob Sutton is listed as one of the
editor in the BHS magazine, PRESERVATION
which deals with all sorts of barbershop history and trivia. You can get it online, free. Just ask to be added to the list.
Great to hear the chatter around the
halls at Durant of quartets gearing up to compete at Southern Division in
Roanoke. Talk of uniforms to wear. When
to arrive. Forms to be submitted in
order to enter. Who is well this week. When to practice next. This is so good to see. YeEd has asked around and finds there are some guys in a couple
quartets too.
The members of the chorus worked hard to
hurry and get the rehearsal equipment put away so tag singing could happen. And
a nice big crowd made it over to the Hilton for the afterglow. Come just us next week. As weather gets nice, we will likely be out
on the patio.
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 at an Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter meeting. —YeEd.)
Looking Back on the May 1st Chapter Meeting
First off, here is important info from Alan Wile and Mike Kelly
about this year’s educational weekend for all barbershoppers in the area.
Immerse
Yourself in a Weekend of MAD Barbershop!
Jun 14-17, 2012
Salisbury, MD - Salisbury State University
The May 1st Harmonizer meeting was a full and busy session in
prep for our many shows plus contest. A
good crowd of singers was on the risers too.
The evening started with a listening session of an awesome new
arrangement by Jim Clancy in TX of “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.”
Assistant director Will Cox did the vocal warm-ups and turned over
the “ready” chorus to director Joe Cerutti. Before we started singing, tho, all the guys
who have joined the chapter since last year’s International contest went to a
“boot camp” or orientation session with Will Cox, some officers and
board members to help those new guys catch up on being an active Harmonizer.
Joe and the
visual team worked on “Jersey Boys” with some hiccups and the evidence that we
need to work on it at home. After that session, we worked on reviewing and
teaching “Hello My Baby” including teaching the newer members.
Then we jumped over to sing “I’m The Music Man” and it was fun to see how
much progress the chorus has made to learn that one so fast. Now to add the visual plan to it.
Both “Jersey Boys” and “Music Man” are gonna be needed for the many
upcoming shows in June! So there is no
time to waste.
The chapter meeting session was conducted by operations vp Scott
Kahler. First up was chapter
secretary Chris Buechler. He
presented new member materials to Tom Frederick and Bob Griesemer. Austin Cotton was presented his 37
year renewal card, and Alan Kousen was presented his 45 year renewal
card and lapel pin marking his longevity in the BHS.
Next Mary Anne Cleaveland,
representing the Pride of Baltimore Sweet Adeline Chapter, invited us to buy
tickets to, or sponsor a table for, their annual tea, Saturday, May 12th from
12-3 pm. For ticket info call Jackie at 410-789-7172. Good way for us to support their chapter like
they do by coming to our holiday show every year.
Membership vp Phil Ashford introduced our guests this week including Ron Rogers, a former member who is
active in Texas these days. We have seen
him recently on stage at the international contests.
We had a good long break, then back to
chapter meeting time. Mike Kelly plugged attendance at the
Harmony College East in June (see info above).
Shows vp Brian Ammerman and show producer Nick Leiserson gave us more details about the major spring show on
June 9th at George Mason Perf Arts Center. [First off, it appears there is a good chance
Erin Odell’s quartet will be able to
perform!!! Hurray. And our congrats to Erin
for all of her miraculous successes in the last few weeks with her quartet,
chorus (with Joe filling in as
director), and progress in getting better.]
Secondly, everyone is asked to sell or
buy an ad for the program. See Chris Clark (clark.christopher.j@gmail.com). Idea: YeEd bought an ad to promote another group in the community as a
donation to that group.
And of course, sell tickets. Get out the
flyers. Tell your friends you are
singing and to come see you and enjoy the great music. 7:30 pm show.
Finally, prepare yourself for the songs
on that show. As a reminder, besides the contest set we will be performing: “I'm
the Music Man” (with choreo!); “Ob La Di;” “Hello, My Baby” (with choreo!); “Summertime”
(with choreo); “Stars and Stripes;” “Jersey Boys” (with choreo); “Great Day”
(with choreo); and “Music of the Night.”
Brian also reminds us of the show
we have on Sunday, June 10th in MD.
And the major show at Constitution Hall on June 19th (for
those old timers around who read this column, it is like another Kennedy Center
Honors show.
Another item from Brian was a shout out to Len
Dornberger for telling a meeting planner he knows thru his profession about
the Harmonizers as entertainers. May
yield a show. All of us should follow
his example.
Scott Kahler used the emergency
text messaging system for the chapter to alert us all about the change in
meeting location tonite. If you did not
get a text on your cell phone about 5 pm or so on Tuesday nite, email Scott to report. You should have gotten one. As they say,
“This Was A Test.”
Brad Jones, China trip
coordinator, reports that the agency is making flight arrangements. But each traveler should be careful in making
any preliminary flights and check first.
Bob Blair reported a fun story
and a nice income source for the chapter. He and Howard Nestlerode and Carl
Kauffmann did the work for a couple riser rentals to local singing
groups. Their motto – U Call, We
Haul! Earned the chapter a little over
$1000.
Tony Colosimo announced the release
of the new DA CAPO cd titled “Beginnings” which you can order online or get
from Tony next week. $15.
Then it was back to singing on the
risers with associate director Tony
conducting another excellent barbershop craft session. This week’s theme was
“your voice matters” and he had us demonstrate a number of ways that is
true. It led to some great singing of
the contest songs too!
He actually directed the package and Joe coached – always a very successful
exercise. The good singing also meant more emotion and story-telling.
YeEd also reports that Bob Sutton is listed as one of the
editor in the BHS magazine, PRESERVATION
which deals with all sorts of barbershop history and trivia. You can get it online, free. Just ask to be added to the list.
Great to hear the chatter around the
halls at Durant of quartets gearing up to compete at Southern Division in
Roanoke. Talk of uniforms to wear. When
to arrive. Forms to be submitted in
order to enter. Who is well this week. When to practice next. This is so good to see. YeEd has asked around and finds there are some guys in a couple
quartets too.
The members of the chorus worked hard to
hurry and get the rehearsal equipment put away so tag singing could happen. And
a nice big crowd made it over to the Hilton for the afterglow. Come just us next week. As weather gets nice, we will likely be out
on the patio.
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 at an Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter meeting. —YeEd.)
