Looking Back on October 28^th Chapter Meeting

 

Chuck McKeever was on the stage early for anyone who wanted to work on the “Glenn Miller Medley” but he had few takers. 

 

Riser team (Ryktarsyk, Kauffmann, Gilmore, Quick, Ritchey, Tallant and one/two others) put ‘em up in the configuration we’ll be using Monday night for the Harmony on the Harbor show.  Tables and chairs for members/guests … and Harmonizer Hero books were set up.  Bob Blair and a helper picked up the end caps from storage and delivered them to Durant.  The result was a riser setup that nearly filled the length of the room.

 

Some members parked away from Durant to ensure the POB members would find convenient parking.

 

Sandy and Mick Stamps had WHOs for sale.  Christina Ammerman had scrip for sale.  Carolyn and Dick Hall had 50-50 tickets to sell.

 

At 7:00 p.m. members were invited to take the risers and listen to the “song of the week” which turned out to be “Someone Like You” from the just completed M-AD Fall District Contest.

 

All the while members of POB and, perhaps, a few from Greater Harrisburg kept arriving.  Rich Hewitt kept bringing out more chairs for our guests, and they were to the right and left of the center table.

 

Joe reported that Terry Jordan noted that this was our 25^th District Championship, to which Terry Reynolds added that it was our 22^nd consecutive championship.  Joe also announced that two current members participated in all but one of the championship choruses:  Steve White and Randy Lazear.  Members were encouraged to download and view the video of our contest set from the M-AD website.

 

Carlos Barillo conducted the physical warm-up; Tony Colosimo the vocal warm-up before turning the chorus over to Joe.

 

Off the bat, Joe had the chorus sing through “Undecided” before asking POB members to join us on the risers.  He also briefed us on arrangements for the start of the show – that after the combined choruses performed “Undecided” we’d vamp while all the quartets that would appear later in the show would be introduced and come on the stage, after which we’d repeat the last part of the song as a finale.

 

With Tony coaching, Joe rehearsed the following songs we’ll be singing at other upcoming shows:  “I’ll Walk With God” and “Miller Medley.”  Chuck McKeever coached us through the choreo for the latter song.  Then the women were asked to join us on the risers for our joint rehearsal of “Undecided.”

 

HOH Show Producer, Ken Fess, provided information on the riser setup at Meyerhoff and other show-related arrangements.  And then we were back rehearsing.

 

Prior to the break, POB performed “Yes Sir That’s My Baby” for us and we reciprocated with “Someone Like You.”

 

Bob Blair conducted the business portion of the meeting. 

·        President Terry Reynolds announced that all four of the prospective community board members would be attending the board retreat on Saturday:  Josh Roots’ father, Steve Sutton, Liz Birnbaum (Dave Kohl’s wife), and Paul Dolinsky (election to follow soon after).

·        Terry also announced that our presentation score for our contest set on Saturday was not the highest ever received – our 1997 package took that honor.

·        Terry also announced a special rehearsal Thursday, November 6^th, to go over/refresh the songs for the holidays.

·        Jim Lake asked for a round of applause for Shawn Tallant’s work in arranging our hotel and afterglow accommodations.

·        Secretary Chris Buechler presented Shawn his new membership card recognizing his 8 years of membership.

·        Rich Hewitt announced our next round of “open auditions” would be November 17^th and introduced Walt Page and his daughter and Steve and Nick’s mother, Pam.  After Will Cox directed us in the “Harmonizer Welcome Song,” Joe Cerutti introduced Eric Wallen’s mother, Joan, who came hoping to see Eric in action … but, alas, Joe informed her that we rarely see him.

·        Joe explained that a new song for our Holiday Show, Randall Thompson’s “Alleluia,” will present a challenge for us … but asked that we be prepared to “nail it to the wall” at the chapter meeting on November 11^th.

 

At the break we enjoyed some of the goodies left from the afterglow.

 

Back on the risers following the break, we worked “Thriller,” “Fa La La,” and “Welcome Christmas.”

 

As new member Nathan Ritter is leaving the area to seek his fortune in Chicago, we gave him “the chair” and sang “There Will Always Be A Place On The Risers For You” to him.

 

50-50 was won by Jacob George … but Bob Blair asked Nathan to “take us out” with “Keep The Whole World Singing,” which he did.

 

All the risers, etc., were then loaded on the truck in readiness for the HOH show next Monday night.

 

Until next time – editorjack@aol.com (Alias YeEd)