Looking Back on the March 24^th Chapter Meeting

This week’s meeting and rehearsal was at First Baptist Church so we could continue our efforts to record music for a new CD.  We used the middle section of the church’s hall. Mike Kelly, Doug White and Dennis Ritchey managed the technical stuff, Bob Blair and crew brought risers and other items needed.  We only used three riser steps and no railings to try to eliminate riser noise. (Altho Bob was there with his WD-40 spray can and some pieces of cloth to stuff between sections – all to eliminate noises.) Several guys brought carpet pieces for the floor too.

 

Starting at 6 pm, choreographer Carlos Barillo and Peelee Clark worked with the front row.  Chuck McKeever helped riser singers review the choreo for the uptune on the stage.

 

To start our chorus work, Carlos and associate director Tony Colosimo did the physical and vocal warm up exercises and them Tony went right to work in recording more music for the project using about half of the evening.

 

Operations vp Todd Ryktarsyk conducted a chapter meeting. Harold Weinberger, who along with a few other Harmonizers also sing with the Fairfax chapter, extended an invite to their show on April 18^th. 

 

There are two extra rehearsal events this week:  front row is meeting Thursday nite and the chorus is meeting at Lee Center at 7 pm; and there is an all-sectionals rehearsal on Saturday at First Baptist from 9-12. There will not be coffee or waters for the Thursday or Saturday gatherings.

 

All riser helpers need to come early next week, as we will make anther swap of risers from the truck to storage under the stage at Durant.

 

Secretary Chris Buechler presented membership renewal cards to Kevin McKenzie for 16 years, Tom Frederick for 22 years, Bruce Lauther for 29 years, Rick Wagner for 34 years, and Bruce Minnick for 38 years.  In an email message to all, Chris also reported on some long-time members who have renewed their Harmonizer membership: John Hohl for 48 years; Chuck Hunter for 43 years; Jerry Kindred for 38 years; Bill Sowers for 33 years; Allen Hanenbaum for 29 years; Mike Pinto for 26 years; and Chuck Roots for 26 years.

 

President Terry Reynolds gave an update on the hospitalization of Bob Wachter’s wife Jean and Lou Manfre.

 

Musical leaders are eager for all contest singers to submit their visual and vocal self-evaluations for the contest songs.  The visual team for our chapter are Carlos Barillo – Choreographer and Visual Team Director; Craig Kujawa - Front Row Coach; Bruce Roehm - Front Row Coach, Chuck McKeever - Riser Chorus Coach , Keith Jones - Asst RC Coach, TJ Jones - Asst RC Coach, Randall Eliason - Faces Coach.  Row Leaders are Chuck Powell – SR Row 2, Brian Ammerman – SR Row 3, Kevin McKenzie - SR Row 4, Don Thompson - SR Row 5, Bob Blair - SL Row 2,  Nick Leiserson - SL Row 3, Ian Poulin - SL Row 4, Don Dillingham - SL Row 5.

 

After a rest break, director Joe Cerutti thanked everyone for their work for the Aca Challenge. Then he launched our contest package work which included a time to self-record for self-evaluation.

 

Carlos spent the rest of the evening teaching more of the visual plan for the uptune.  For part of the time, the front row worked separately, but then we combined it all near the end of the nite.

 

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 67^th year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. —YeEd.