Looking Back on the Aug 18th Chapter Meeting

Amazing how much work we get done on a Tuesday nite of fun and fellowship.  The usual set up crews were at work.  Lots of things were going on around the Durant Center besides setting up – choreo review on the stage, certified singer program work in a classroom, the nominating committee met at Hard Times Café before coming to Durant, and special front row choreo work in another classroom.

 

Director Joe Cerutti did the vocal warm ups this week and got us ready to go to work on the songs for the Icon Show in Sept.   He stopped after a bit and had us sing happy birthday to our favorite Tuesday nite fan, Carolyn Hall, celebrating her 83^rd!

 

Also during the first part of the nite, bass section leaders Tom Jackson and Andrew Havens met with the large number of bass singers interested in doing the verse solos for “Riders in the Sky” and three lead signers auditioned to be the soloist for “Happy” – Noah Van Gilder, Josh Des Portes and Kevin McKenzie.

 

When we did “Thriller” our choreographer Carlos Barillo helped us add the extra zombie effect to our moves.

 

Joe also welcomed Alexandria Mayor William Euille who stopped in to listen a while after attending another meeting in Durant. 

 

Operations vp Todd Ryktarsyk conducted the regular chapter meeting.  Fall weekend coordinator Shawn Tallant asked guys to take care of making the room reservations for Ocean City and to get their convention registrations.  Frank and Kitty Fedarko are helping organize a group purchase so more Harmonizer fans are seated together in the hall up there.

 

Shows producer Greg Tepe reviewed details for the event in Manassas where all the chapters in No VA sing for each other.  It is on Tues Aug. 25^th at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 12975 Purcell Rd, Manassas.  We sing last but all of us  that can make it at the 7 pm start should be there to meet and greet other barbershoppers in the area. There are refreshments.  Our guys actually provide sound support and the host chapter, Prince William County, will unload our Harmo van and set up the risers.

 

Uniforms are the black logo shirt and jeans.  New members and guests are welcome and encouraged to attend. This is a great chance for your family and friends to come hear us too.  There are lots of seats in this air conditioned hall at the church. And there is plenty of parking.  Plan ahead to combat a little traffic if you can leave the city til after work.  Or plan a ride with some other guys.

 

Carlos spoke to us about costumes for the Icon show.  We will need to wear both the black suit with tie (that we wore in Toronto) as well as the black tails and white tie.  AND the last act will be all red, white and blue.  Robyn Murane helped explain the variations of those colors for the outfits and passed out a nice chart with suggestions. Singers should plan to bring their red/white/blue costume to the chapter meeting on Sept 1^st.

 

The costume for the fall Mid Atlantic District chorus contest is the same one we wore in Pittsburgh.  All those new men need to be sure they are working on their outfit and get it approved right away by Carlos.

 

Chuck McKeever announced a by-invitation-only special stage presence review sessions will be held at Durant in classrooms 3 and 4 from 7-9 pm on Aug. 26^th.

 

Secretary Chris Buechler presented membership renewal cards to Tom Jackson for 20 years and Randy Lazear for 41 years.

 

President Terry Reynolds announced that Alan Kousen’s brother died recently, that former district champ Chip Guffey had a heart attack and is due for surgery this week; and that John Hohl is in the hospital in Florida.

 

Terry also made the official announcement that there will be a chapter meeting on Sept 1^st to elect officers for the new Alexandria Harmonizers Inc. organization.  This is the two-week notice.

 

After break we worked hard on the contest songs for Ocean City.  Great to see so many of the new members on the risers to perform the contest package with us!!

 

There was a great afterglow at LaPorta’s after all the work got done to put things away.

 

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.