Looking Back on August 11th Chapter Meeting

Looking Back on August 11th 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.)

YeEd was glad to be back and see everyone. The set up was well underway when we arrived after our usual 5 pm dinner at Hard Times. The big screen was up again and used to show new song later in the evening.

Gary Plaag did some body warm up and Will Cox did the vocal warm up. He was using the “Gug Gugs” as we used in the past.

Director Joe took the helm and, as promised, selected an octet to sing out front. He said he would and he did! He also had the chorus do a lot of small group work – assigned them into chorus thirds or into octets or the like. Had each smaller group sing a song and other rate them as to intonation, visuals, mouth postures, best selling. It was fun and for sure helped men know what songs they needed to work on personally. Later in the nite, there was a push out quartet exercise with the whole chorus participating.

If you were not there, you will be surprised to see Mike Kelly’s new “doo” – or is that “no doo” since he is shaved!!

Before break, Joe had the big summer crowd on the risers sing the contest package.

At break time, Mark Klostermeyer announced some calendar reviews and birthdays. It would have been Bud Arberg’s birthday this week. He died at 91 recently.

Dan O’Brien plugged the Sept. 15th guest nite and offered several tools for members to use in recruiting and bring in another crowd. Joe made a special appeal for guys to get bring prospective singers – now is the time vs. next spring, if the new person can be ready for Philly. Dan introduced 6 guests – almost all were basses!!!! Steve Power, Victor Hills, Bert Phillips, Thom Faircloth, John Sogn, Anthony Bartholomew (who has gone back to his chapter in TX after a summer internship in DC).

After the break, Bob Rhome reminded all those planning to attend the district contest in Lancaster in Oct. need to get the room requests and ticket orders in to him.

Craig Kujawa plugged the 10 for 10 weight loss program. One team captain tried to lure guys from other teams to stop by his car for cupcakes!!!

President Brad presented Achievement Star pins to the visual quad leaders – Jack Cameron, TJ Jones, Bob Blair and Chuck Powell.

Before closing for the nite, the chorus did a contest package run thru so guys could do their self evaluation tapes and turn them in to section leaders. And everyone was reminded of the Market Square show coming up Friday nite, Aug. 14th. Chorus at 6:30. Show time is 7:30. Official travel uniform for chorus. Lots of guys were talking about going out to dinner either before or after the show. Usually the singers can park under ground and bring up the parking ticket to be stamped to avoid paying.

We had fun with Edris Q7 directing “Keep the Whole World” – a new guy who hardly new the song – to close out the nite.

Until next time – editorjack!