Looking Back on the November 11^th Chapter Meeting

On Thursday, Nov. 6^th, there was a volunteer catch-up rehearsal for holiday show music – with emphasis on the songs we sang last year.  Assistant director Terry Reynolds facilitated the rehearsal at Durant for a couple dozen members.

Tuesday was a busy day for the Harmonizers. About 30 of us sang a morning concert at Oakton Elementary School in Oakton, VA. We were part of a school program to honor Veterans and help students in grades k to 6 understand the importance of the day. About 800 children were seated on the floor in the gym – they were amazingly quiet and seemed to really love hearing us sing. There were some military folks present as guests and each class had a VIP veteran to come to the classroom after the assembly. Assistant director Terry Reynolds was in charge. This was about our 5^th or 6^th year for this great event. It is a moving experience for all of us singers. Thanks to the early morning riser crew and to all the guys who make plans to attend. Several of us were in uniform as active or retired military.

Then Tuesday nite the guys managed to get thru the massive DC traffic issue (there was a free concert on the Mall near the Capitol) and filled the risers when the evening’s welcome song was played by the AV crew – this week the new song we are learning, “Alleluia” by Randall Thompson.

Choreographer Carlos Barillo and associate director Tony Colosimo did the warm ups for us and welcomed director Joe Cerutti to the front. He wasted no time in getting right to work on the many songs for the Nov. 23^rd show and the Dec. holiday shows. Joe did welcome home David Hood who was deployed for eight months – great to have him back safe and on the risers!!

We worked fast and furious in order to get in all the songs we needed to work on. Midway, operations vp Bob Blair conducted the chapter meeting.

Dave Reyno promoted the Calvert Co. MD show and extended an invite to guys to an afterglow at his home over there. He also has tickets for any Harmonizer family or friends who want to attend. NOTE: this show will now be at Huntingtown High School, 4125 Solomons Island Rd., Huntington, MD. The venue was changed recently to give us a better stage situation. Thanks to Bruce Lauther for flushing out these details. Everyone needs to be on the lookout for an email with call times, uniforms, song list, etc. We have sung over there in years past, so it will be great to see old friends and customers.

Shows vp Nick Leiserson made several important announcements about the busy holiday show season for the Harmonizers. There is a gig for about 35 guys on Saturday and they met after chapter meeting to settle on details.

We are singing at the Alexandria City Tree Lighting event on Friday eve, Nov. 28^th at Market Square in Old Town.

Nick gave a quick overview of the week of our holiday shows: the Tues. Dec. 2 rehearsal will be at First Baptist; everyone needs to bring two wrapped boxes, the size of cases of copy paper, wrapped in bright colors without bows; Thursday Dec. 4^th is a dress rehearsal at the church; each member is asked to bring three dozen holiday/decorated cookies that nite; then the shows are Friday nite and Saturday afternoon and Saturday nite. Stay tuned for emails with exact times and details.

NOTE: the committee is not distributing the tickets to customers in advance of our holiday shows, so EVERY ONE of the customers must report to will call when they come to the show. So, if you have sold a bunch of tickets to people, you will need to provide the committee the name and table number of each of your customers. These messages must go to Scipio Garling.

Also each singer must have an approved costume for the shows. Be sure to follow instructions announced by the committee.

Nick reported again on the successful Harmony on the Harbor show on Nov. 3^rd. There was a particular thank you given to the riser crews for that weekend.

Carlos did a presentation about costumes for our package in Pittsburgh. Expect emails about it soon and begin to work on your costume. There will be ten “wranglers” who will assist or coach about 10 members and finally approve your plan for a costume. The deadline is to submit your idea by Dec. 9^th.

President Terry Reynolds reminded everyone of the all-sectionals this Saturday at First Baptist from 9-12. He also introduced new board member Steve Sutton.

Rich Hewitt introduced this week’s guests.

There was only a short break time this week, so it was hard for everyone to get off the risers and pass thru the kitchen area, buy things and take a bathroom break. Thanks to the FRIENDS IN HARMONY for cleaning up the kitchen each week. And thanks to the folks who brought left over Halloween candy!

The FRIENDS also had a meeting this week.

Don’t forget to be thinking of buying scrip cards from the FRIENDS too—get that Honey Baked Ham, or groceries or holiday travel or gifts and use a card. The chapter gets income and you have your shopping done.

In other news, our modern a cappella subgroup, TBD, has been invited to join local a cappella favorites VOX POP and THE DISTRICT for a joint concert. The concert will be in Chinatown at the First Congregational United Church of Christ on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 8 pm. Tickets are now available for purchase online. TBD would certainly appreciate your supportive attendance at this event, which is part of the chapter's strengthening ties with the broader a cappella community.

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 during the 66^th year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. —YeEd.