Looking Back on the May 27th
Chapter Meeting
This was our last time
together before gathering for rehearsal again in Normandy France!!
Earlier this past weekend,
associate director Tony Colosimo,
president Terry Reynolds along with Kellen Hertz and Troy Hillier appeared on the Ch. 5 Fox News morning show telling
about our trip to France. Part of the time while they were answering questions,
there was footage from our Toronto contest performance, a plug for our
Crescendo show, and pictures of us with the WWII Veterans from our recent
Tribute in Alexandria. The four guys
sang “God Bless America” before the sign-off. Good job by all and thanks to them for getting
up so early on a holiday Monday, AND wearing the black suit and new tie (which
the news broadcaster complimented).
Marketing vp Noah Van Gilder thanked Chris Huber for doing a ton of legwork
to help him with this coverage,
The risers were crowded this
week at Durant even with some guys already headed to Europe. Director Joe
Cerutti attended the British Association of Barbershop Singers 40th
anniversary convention. He will meet us
in France.
The AC was working again
this week and then about 7:05 pm there was a huge rain storm with thunder and
wind and lightening. There was even some
roof leaks in the stage area in Durant. But everyone had pretty much made it in
before weather got bad.
Great to see our friends Ross and Susan Johnson in the hall.
They never miss a show or convention and represent us often.
Chuck McKeever gave the guys one more refresher
session for stage moves and then at 6:59 we were welcomed to the risers
listening to the Dallas Vocal Majority.
Assistant director Will Cox
did the warm ups. Then Tony and choreographer Carlo Barillo worked as a team to brush
up some “busy” spots in some of our major numbers for the trip. We did some sectional work on “Deep River”
and did drills on some parts of songs.
Assistant director Terry Reynolds, the keeper of the riser
placement chart, asked newer guys and others not going to France to fill in
spots on the risers so we’d be used to the elbow room situation. (YeEd
noticed that many of them couldn’t help but do the moves – seems like a good
way to learn a song when you are just getting started.)
Front row guys came early
too and frequently adjusted to which guys would do the various routines.
The take-away lesson Tony and Carlos brought to the nite was “it is not about you, but the
audience.” Don’t over sing, don’t create
distractions in non-singing time, end songs correctly with body as well as the
voice, add facial and body compliments to all of your moves. You get out of it
what you put into it – for the audience.
Related to knowing our task
in Normandy, Ken Fess and the AV
team showed a 10-minute clip from “Saving Pvt. Ryan” which helped us all know,
understand and feel what the American soldier endured on DDay!
All evening there was a
flurry of effort in the back meeting room for Frank Fedarko to distribute the nearly 40 pairs of shiny new chorus
shoes guys had ordered; and for Peter
Hubbard to distribute the 200 or so Normandy trip shirts folks had
ordered. Peter had the huge order well sorted and coded and was able to give
each guy his order.
There was also the usual
flurry of sales efforts for tickets for the June 21st show with Steve Murane and Robyn McQueen; as well as final payments for things for Normandy.
Operations vp Bob Blair conducted the weekly chapter
meeting. Shows producer Greg Tepe
reviewed the packing list topic and answered questions. Ken Fess promised more
emails about seating assignments for the flights – and he delivered bright and
early on Wednesday.
Shows vp Nick Leiserson spoke about some new
details for the Crescendo show. Note
there will be some detours of streets and roads in the area that weekend. Stay
tuned. There will not be an official afterglow. We will wear the Toronto chorus
outfit and the tails. Ticket sales are
from IS.GD/CRESCENDOTIX. Chorus call on
the 21st will likely be 1pm.
Stay tuned for a FlashMob event at the WWII Memorial on the Mall on June
2oth while we are hosting members of the AOH in the DC Metro area.
President Terry Reynolds reminded those folks not
traveling to France that there will not be a meeting at Durant June 3rd
nor June 10th.
He also sadly reported that Rick Wagner and his family have had to
cancel their plans to travel with us. Rick has developed an infection that
makes it too risky to travel. We will be singing for you too Rick!!
Terry also announced again
the time for the memorial service for John
Pence’s wife, Janene. It is 2 pm at Unatarian Universalist
Congregation of Fairfax, Hunter Mill Road in Oakton.
Terry reminded the guys about the request from former member George Azzam whose barbershop friend is
in serious health condition has a wish list item to go to a Redskins game. If any of our family can offer some tickets,
please contact Terry or Jack Pitzer.
(Terry confessed it was fun to do the TV spot on Ch. 5 – just one
more reason why It Is Great To Be A Harmonizer!)
Secretary Chris Buechler presented membership
renewal cards to Michael Gilmore for
22 years; Ike Evans for 27 years and
Howard Nestlerode for 39 years.
Rich Hewitt filled in for Jeremy Richardson and welcomed all the guests this week.
We had a good break with
time to tend to pre-trip matters, and to enjoy the nifty cake baked by Tommy Garner’s sister in honor of our
trip. She made musical notes in the
frosting with M&M candies. It was a
treat and added some variety to all the cookies we had left from the Tribute
show!
Music and performance vp Steve
White recognzid the quartet and their Harmonizer members who are competing
in division contests this year. The Southern Division is the this weekend in
Roanoke . Turns out seven of our guys are competing with their quartets in
one of the M-AD four division contests this spring. At the Southern Division in Roanoke June
30-31: YOUTH RECLAMATION PROJECT with Mike Wallen, Roger Tarpey, Hardman
Jones, Vic Owen Jr.;
THE MONORAIL FOUR with Kellen
Hertz, Phil Ferguson, Bobby Seay VI, Andrew Havens; and FORCAST with Mike Fitch, Ian
Galvin, Travis Murray, Dan Cook. HANDSOME
REWARD quartet with Dave Bonnell, Mike Edison, Vince Lynch, Michael
Gilmore sang in the combined Atlantic/Western Division contests in
Harrisburg May 10-11.
The chapter presented each quartet some financial support for their travels.
Following up more on the
WWII Tribute event, Shawn Tallant,
who connected us with the Sea Cadets, tells YeEd that he provided each student a letter from the chapter
recognizing them for their service hours that day. They were a great help the whole time.
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 66th year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. —YeEd.)
