Looking Back on the Dec.15th Chapter Meeting & Put Together Contest

Another nite without risers! The set up crew was at work early to set up a theater setting facing the stage for the quartet contest.

Last minute sales of ornaments and scrip cards were conducted. Special orders of scrip cards will be delivered at the Hospital Sing next Tuesday nite.

Many guys were trying to find the guys they were gonna sing with in the competition and checking the Order of Singing posted on the wall by the coffee table.

Will Cox did warm ups and got every one singing. Director Joe made some announcements to recap last week’s word about the busy January schedule with the contest package. He confirmed that guys had gotten the learning materials made available by the music team. He reminded all that Geri Geis will be in to work on the ballad and Cindy Hansen to work on the up tune early in January.

The Abe Lincoln painting made for the chorus during the holiday show dress rehearsal was put out as a silent auction item. It went for a heft sum and included a gift card to sue for framing. The artist made it for the chapter.

Membership VP Dan announced the next guest nite to be January 19th. Start lining up your guests who will want to join this exciting chapter.

Dan also welcomed several guests, several former members in for the contest, as well as some members we don’t see too often who were also singing in the contest. He also welcomed our judges – YOUTH RECLAMATOIN PROJECT, Hardman Jones, Mike Wallen, Roger Tarpey, Vic Owen. They are current district senior’s quartet champs and will represent us at the mid winter convention in FL.

Everyone was glad to hear that Maxx Factor did well the first nite on the TV special. (Word came in at the afterglow that they had made the second cut.)

Secretary Buechler presented a Man of Note award to Dan O’Brien for sponsoring Andrew Plocher. Chris also gave out membership renewal cards to Scipio Garling for 14 years, Vince Cazenas for 23 years, Mark Klostermeyer for 29 years, Steve White for 33 years, and Chuck Harner for 42 years.

Then the gang took a half hour break. The coffee was ready, and thanks to Bob Blair who saved the nite by driving all the way over to the Harmonizer truck parking lot and getting the supply of goodies from the truck to go with the coffee.

At 8 pm, the bell rang and the guys all took seats. This year there was quartet on deck while a quartet sang. So there was always a nice crowd to cheer (and laugh). Lew Klinge kept us all laughing as mc and also kept things rolling. He also presented a lot of great history about the contest and its founder, Wilbur Sparks.

Dr. Put, or event chairman, Eric Wallen, did a great job in promoting to get the 20 entries, and all the behind the scene planning. Thanks also to the sound guys, photo guys listed in the report or score sheet printed here.

Congrats to all. There was some great singing, many great laughs and some good parodies. There were surprises like when a quartet set off a flash or spark and had not told the tenor! Also there were a couple quartets who got to laughing so hard that they almost had to toss in the towel. It was a great nite.

Results of winners are below. Eric instituted a new award to recognize a guy who sang all four parts in the contest. Since no one managed to copy that trend set in the past by George Azzam, we recognized the guys who sang in the most quartets. Joel Golden and Bob Mattes each sang in five! Bob will get his trophy next time.

December 29th there is no a Harmonizer meeting at Durant. BUT all of our chapter, and especially the quartets from our contest, are invited to go over to the annual BLAST hosted by Dundalk. 7 – 11 pm. At Michael’s 8th Avenue, 7220 Grayburn Drive, Glen Burnie, MD. More info from blast.dundalk.org. Let’s send at least our winning quartets there to compete. Food and brews included in the small entry fee. Joe gave it a plug last nite too.

To confirm, the chorus will sing carols next Tuesday, Dec. 22, at Alexandria Hospital on Seminary Road. Meet in the lobby at 7 pm. Wear a Santa hat or scarf. New members and guests are welcome, as well as old timers who have not been singing a lot lately. After we sing we will all go to 815 Southside for an afterglow.

Here is the report from last nite’s contest.

Contest Competitors and Scores (names listed tenor, lead, bari, bass):
1. Chopped Liver -- 274
(Colosimo, Grant, Mattes, Yates)
2. Audacity -- 258 Comedy
(Kousen, Dangel, Golden, Wachter)
3. Patapsco 4 -- 213 Comedy
(Cameron, Depuy, Ashford, Kelly)
4. PBQ (Paper Bag Quartet) – 223 Comedy
(Cerutti, Ferguson, Fess, Stamps)
5. Classic Crooners -- 264
(Kousen, Martin, Mattes, Yates)
6. Down Two Wholes -- 284
(Kelly, Caldwell, Cerutti, Ives)
7. Just In Time -- 293
(Savage, Colosimo, Ives, Dillingham)
8. Golden Oldies -- 269
(Kousen, Fedarko, Barnes, Golden)
9. Alien Autopsy Review Board -- 289
(Garling, Martin, Cerutti, Kelly)
10. La-La Land -- 255
(O’Brien, Ferguson, Mattes, McFarland)
11. Four Queens -- 310
(Garling, Van Gilder, Rub, Reynolds)
12. Prince (Formerly 50% Off Quartet) – 279 Comedy
(Berman, Smith, Stamps, Guy)
13. Last Note Singers -- 249
(Kieba, Kahler, Golden, Huber)
14. Atom Smashers -- 30
(O’Brien, Martin, Colosimo, Yates)
15. The Droids – 217 Comedy
(Ritchey, Ammerman, Golden, Wallen)
16. AWOL -- 244
(Fuller, Dangel, Mattes, McFarland)
17. Present Company – 277 Comedy
(Van Gilder, Knobel, Blomgren, Wallen)
18. Classic Connection – 256
(O’Brien, Fedarko, Mattes, Martin)
19. Mixed Nuts -- 232
(Miller, Dangel, Blomgren, Golden)
20. Superbad -- 267
(Sawyer, Ferguson, Cerutti, Wallen)

SPECIAL AWARD: The George Azzam Award -- there was a tie with Joel Golden and Bob Mattes both singing in 5 quartets!

WINNERS:
Comedy:
3rd -- Audacity
2nd -- Present Company
1st -- Prince


Traditional Category:
3rd -- Just In Time
2nd -- Atom Smashers
1st -- Four Queens

Judges: Youth Reclamation Project from Richmond (Hardman Jones, Mike Wallen, Roger Tarpey, Vic Owen)
Master of Ceremonies: Lew Klinge
Sound: Dennis Richey, Scott Kahler
Photography: Ike Evans, TJ Jones
Contest Administrator: Jack Pitzer
Dr. Put: Eric Wallen
Refreshments: Bob Blair, Terry Jordan

We all headed over to the afterglow and there was another big crowd to continue the fun we had had at the chapter meeting.

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. —Ye Ed.)