Looking Back on the September 16^th Chapter Meeting

This week’s chapter meeting and rehearsal was a hard-work session and no one seemed to mind. We are hungry to do well at the fall contest and more importantly, we love the new ballad and the arrangement by Steve Tramack. Each time we work the song gets more exciting – the musical team added many little nuances tonite that were great!

As usual, the 6:30 start was hard for some guys, and the new limited parking was hard too.  But the risers were full soon after 7.  The musical team also asked guy to take a cue from assistant director Terry Reynolds when he asked guys to move to new riser locations based on a plan developed by associate director Tony Colosimo and Terry.

Choreographer Carlos Barillo started the warm up session with movements and facial animation drills.  Then we continued the chapter’s plan to audition new directors for the vocal warm ups.  This week Reed Livergood was up front.  He did great and turned the chorus over to our master director Joe Cerutti.

We worked on both the uptune and ballad for contest most of the first half of the nite.  Before break, we took time to make self recordings as part of the Make Me Better plan.

Operations vp Bob Blair conducted the chapter meeting. President Terry Reynolds offered the chapter’s sympathy to Dick Hall in the recent passing of Dick’s oldest brother, Jim, in Arkansas.

Terry also acknowledged the work by TBD who sang at the Arts Festival on King Street this past weekend. 

And he reminded us of the chorus retreat Saturday, Sept. 27^th  at First Baptist, 292 King St., Alexandria 22302, from 9 am – 5 pm.  Coffee and donuts will be there at the start and cold drink in the afternoon.  Water provided too. Suspect we will be encouraged to bring lunch or plan to leave the church campus for a noon meal.  Also those guys who travel via Metro should plan ahead and ask someone to pick them up, as the church is too far to walk from Metro.

Finally Terry alerted us that there will be a special rehearsal on Monday Oct 6 in Dundalk with the Pride of Baltimore Sweet Adelines for the song we will sing together on the Harmony on the Harbor show Nov.3^rd.

Secretary Chris Buechler presented membership renewal cards to Randall Eliason for 19 years, Mike Schwartz for 20 years, and Jack Cameron for 45 years.  Jack also was given his 45-year lapel pin.

Membership vp Jeremy Richardson with help from Rich Hewitt welcomed and introduced the number of guests and applicants with us for this week.

After break we hurried back to the risers to get in more time before the 9:30 closing hour.  We worked on some of the new holiday show music.

The guys put things away quickly so we could make the closing deadline and a good crowd made it to the afterglow at LaPorta’s at 1600 Duke Street.

 

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.)