Looking Back on Fall Contest and Oct. 7th Chapter Meeting

Looking Back on M-AD Fall Contest and Oct. 7 Chapter Meeting

(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. —Ye Ed.)

This week the set up crew added a screen, projector etc. in prep for the meeting. Business was brisk for Lands End Harmo merchandise, script card sales, White House Ornaments, 50/50 tickets.

Will did the warm up. Chuck did a barbershop craft session (our word for a mini class).

Director Joe introduced guys to the “trophy” again – our 21st district championship. He took a seat in front of the chapter to chat. He told of his excitement and positive feelings about our contest success.

Then he shifted into a preview of our new contest uptune. And then a peak at next year’s music leaning season – more songs so customers, and the chorus, get some new tunes to enjoy.

Before break, Ken White recognized the quartets who competed in Wildwood and presented the traditional checks as chapter support.

President Stamps announced the board meeting date change to Sat. Oct. 25th. Old and new boards meeting together.

Bob Wells and Ned Duffey from the DC chapter came by to offer congrats and to plug their Harvest of Harmony, Nov. 1 at Lisner.

Roger introduced four guests.

After break, Dan O'Brien plugged the Oct. 28th guest nite and told about the chapter’s efforts on FaceBook to promote attendance. He suggested we all us emails to invite friends or FaceBook, if you use it.

Brian Ammerman thanks several guys for their work in helping him as business manager for the fall show: ad buyers, sponsors or benefactors, ticket salesmen, JP for help with program book, and Bibens for behind the scenes support.

Gary Bibens announced our participation with the Woodbridge Dance Troop for a holiday concert, Dec. 20th, at 5 pm. We report at 3:45. And also our plans to do a show on Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11th.

He also announced some plans for the upcoming Holiday Show, Dec. 4 and 5. Mark your calendars. And be ready to buy you table.

Then it was back to Joe and a long session on new show songs. And then on Holiday songs.


Report about the Fall Contest in Wildwood, Oct. 3 and 4.

Harnonizers were everywhere. We had a couple displays in the convention center lobby – from BACHELOR PARTY and for the chapter’s Youth Harmony Festival.

Erin Odell did a terrific job as MC for the quartet prelim round on Friday nite. Mike Pinto carried the MC ball for the chorus contest. And Dennis Ritchey was MC for the Saturday nite finals and show.

If you’d gone to the M-AD board meeting, it would have looked like a chapter board meeting. Same with the team that runs the convention and back stage such as sound, lights, back stage, contest, judges.

At the end of the quartet contest, we had six quartets in the top ten.

OLD SCHOOL - first
LAST KIDS PICKED - second
FULL TILT -third
CRUNCH TIME -fourth
BACHELOR PARTY - seventh
PRIME TIME - tenth

YOUTH RECLAMATION PROJECT were Saturday nite mic testers as 11th place quartet. They also were named Senior quartet winner and will go to the midwinter conest in CA.

DOWNTOWN was 18th. FRiDAYS! had to scratch – Bob Caldwell had not voice.

The chorus won its 21st district contest with 1530 points. The troops performed well and made a good strike at the International level contest in July. We were 112 points above second place Dundalk. Manhattan was third. A brand new chapter in the district, Hell’s Kitchen, NY, were fourth with 20 guys.

The Harmonizer’s new ballad was well received. How about that thorough booklet Joe prepared to help with musical and visual interp. And how about the chorus for making it work, in just 5 days!

I won’t try to recall all the names here, but there were a lot of former members in the other choruses on stage. Our past president, Alan Wile, who is a member of the BHS board, was the official rep to this convention for the International president and board.

LAST KIDS PICKED announced their retirement at the afterglow. They really surprised all of us with a terrific parody – “We’re Gonna Loose to Joe” which was a spoof about knowing ahead of time that they would likely loose to Joe Connelly in OLD SCHOOL. Tony and all did great impressions of Rick Taylor and Joe C.

The extra rehearsal on Friday nite for our chapter was a warm gathering of the Harmo family and a launch for a good job Saturday. The audience got a taste of pure Harmo style on the Sat nite champs show with “Great Day.” Drunken Sailor,” and “Clap Your Hands.”

A highlight of the convention was a tribute to recently deceased Fred King – 150 or more guys sang “Auld Lang Syne.” Our own Bill Clark was narrator.

Hurray this was our last contest in the Wildwood convention center. I hear we will be going to Lancaster, PA, in 2009.

Thanks to Bob Rhome for organizing things for us – rooms, etc. Bill DePuy was Harmo truck driver.

And what a great weekend for our youngest guy, Ben Nelson, who competed and did the Sat nite show!!

Until next time – editorjack!