Looking Back on the Dec. 1^st Chapter Meeting

This week was another dress rehearsal with one of our fellow performing groups for the holiday show.  Positive Vibrations came to spend a chunk of the evening with us for the songs they will do with the chorus.  Our operative soprano, Marilyn Moore, was with us again this week too.

Our guys helped the PV group haul in their steel drums and equipment – as well as helped them reload their truck.  While they were adjusting and setting up, director Joe Cerutti had the chorus run thru a couple of our songs for the show too – making good use of the time in order to cover so much music in one nite.

It was a great musical treat tho for the chorus to see the young musicians perform.

Joe introduced us to Eleanor Dicks who is production consultant for the show who is working with show producer Nick Leiserson.

Eventually Joe got thru most of the songs for the show.  He quickly reviewed how the show will unfold with two sets and our needs to change uniforms.  Each singer is asked to pay $10 for the sweatshirt and scarf they will be assigned for the first act.  Give it to Steve or Robyn Murane.  See her email with much more useful detail.  And if you don’t have the plain red Harmonizer tie, see Tom Kern ASAP.

We took an early break and then operations vp Todd Ryktarsyk conducted the business meeting.

Randall Elisaon and Don Dillingham are still eager to accept significant donations for the silent auction at the show – especially major gift cards from hotels, restaurants, lodges, vacation spots.

Secretary Chris Buechler presented new member materials to our two newest – Steve Sparr and Casey Belzer. Then Chris presented membership renewals to Clark Chesser for 6 years; Frank Fedarko for 14 years and Chuck Harner for 48 years.

Sandy Stamps has plenty of White House Ornaments for guys to take on consignment and sell.

President Terry Reynolds reminded guys to watch for the sign-up email for a holiday appearance for Casey’s school on Dec. 14^th.

Terry also announced that the chapter is decorating the theater much like we have done for past holiday shows. Therefore, each man is asked to wrap at least one large box with shiny colorful holiday paper.  Bows are not necessary.  Bring them the day of the show to the first chorus call.

Terry confirmed that music for the “I Am Harvey Milk” show will be distributed at a later date. Also there will be auditions for other singers to join us:

On the evenings of Wed Dec 9 and Thurs Dec 17, the Harmonizers will be conducting Open Auditions for male singers who would like to be part of the April  2016 Strathmore production of the oratorio "I Am Harvey Milk", starring Kristin Chenoweth and Andrew Lippa. Interested singers should sign up by going to the Harmonizer website (harmonizers.org) to sign up for a time slot to audition. This is an audition just for the performance, not to become a member of the Harmonizer chorus.

Finally Terry asked for our recommendations for the chapter awards.

We worked hard on the holiday show music and closed with the reminder that next Tuesday nite, Dec. 8^th, we are back at Schlesinger Center for another dress rehearsal. And then we have an extra rehearsal on Thursday, Dec. 10^th, we are back at Durant for a final run of the show music.

 In other news, earlier this week the Mt. Vernon Chapter Board elevated Bob Wachter’s status to that of “Director Emeritus” of the chorus he created back in the nineties … and for which he’s been the musical director since the very beginning. The new director of the Harmony Heritage Singers is Drew Fuller.

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