Looking Back on the Feb. 23^rd Chapter Meeting

Special NOTICE:  chapter meeting will be at First Baptist Church on King Street next week, March 1^st since Durant will be a polling place for the VA primary.

This week’s meeting was an important nite as we prepare for the Harvey Milk show in April.  We spent nearly the whole nite on Castro with choreographer Larry Keigwin.  Director Joe Cerutti conducted the music, our choreographer Carlos Barillo helped us polish the moves, Strathmore executive producer Rolando Sanz and his accompanist Isaiah Shim were with us to help with the music.

We did our warm ups on the risers with associate director Tony Colosimo and Carlos up front.  And we sang the whole nite on risers with all of our “milkmen” singers joining us there.

After break and some announcements, we did work on the contest songs, and one or two other Milk pieces.

Special guests for the nite were the men of SIGNATURE quartet, current district champs from FL and Sunshine District.  They are in Alexandria to sing for and introduce fun singing to about 1,000 choral music students in the area. They were making two appearances each day in a school and singing with a chorus each nite. Their program is all part of the CHOYCE program we are conducting as part of the BHS grant the chapter received.  Director of Education Vickie Dennis is coordinating along with Bill Colosimo who will be head of our Youth Harmony Festival this spring. They are staying at Jack Pitzer’s home.  Both Bill and Joe have been going with them to their school appearances.  The Harmonizers loved hearing them sing a couple songs at chapter and presented them with a Harmonizer lapel pin. They also joined a large gang of folks for the afterglow this week!

It was great to have Ross Felker and Peter Hubbard visit us for the nite as both were back in town this week.  Membership director Rich Hewitt also introduced our guests and applicants for membership as well as called down the “milkmen” for all to welcome again.

Major announcements included a plug to kick it into gear on ticket sales for the Aca Challenge show; everyone needs to heed the instructions to register for your room at International this summer per Craig Kujawa; and Joe shared some plans for the songs we will sing on the joint concert at U of MD.

Chapter president Randall Eliason announced a President’s Valor Award to Clyde Crusenberry, Calvin Schnure and Ninamarie Maragioglio for their work in organizing the Singing Valentines efforts for the chapter.

In other news, Don Dillingham is teaching the chorus how to perform the “Haka” that we will do for our New Zealand barbershop friends at the International convention in Nashville this summer.  Don spoke with Matt, the bass of the MUSICAL ISLAND BOYS at last year’s convention, and the two of them came up with the idea that our choruses would do the cheer to each other.

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