Looking Back on the March 8th Chapter Meeting

This week the guys came in ready to go to work on the contest package as a follow up to the fun and successful retreat with Tony DeRosa over the past weekend.   Director Joe Cerutti has asked us all to bring our music in order to make notes about final changes or revisions. Joe was full of praise for the good work by the chorus on Saturday!

In the end, Joe had to be on travel.  But he was with us via Skype and went over all the points he wanted to make with us.  It worked great.

Associate director Tony Coloismo was there to take Joe’s notes and help us apply them to the ballad.  We also heard that more of the contest uptune is on Groupanizer for all to get.

Bari section leader Reed Livergood did the vocal warm ups for a big chorus on the risers.  The set up folks had worked hard to put a lot of chairs up for the second half of the rehearsal and the usual av equipment, guest chairs, admin tables and such.  Coffee crews had goodies ready too.

There were a bunch of meetings prior to the start of chapter meeting too: front row on the stage in prep for Nashville with Carlos Barillo; choreo review for Harvey Milk with Chuck McKeever in Room 5; Board meeting in office; and finance committee in lobby.

Important reminder of all-sectionals this Saturday 9-12 at Convergence Church Lab across the street on Crestwood. The published announcements on Wed. also included songs, uniforms and such for Aca-Challenge appearance Mar 26 at Lincoln Theater; U of MD Men’s Chorus invitational Sat April 2 on UMD Campus; and our Youth Harmony Festival Sat April 9 at Convergence.

President Randall Eliason reported on some other barbershop chapter events coming up: Voices of Gotham in NYC event March 19-20 featuring our own DA CAPA quartet plus our friend and coach David Wright; and the Fairfax Chapter 60^th annual show is Mar 19^th.  The Washington Men’s Camerata will have its spring concert at 4 pm Sun. April 3.  See David Kohls for tickets.

Randall presented another President’s Valor Award this week – this one to Bob Rhome for his decade of work as facilities coordinator getting us meetings spaces and making arrangements for chorus, sectionals, meetings auditions and such.  And in recent years in lots of other venues besides our home base at Durant Rec Center. Congrats and thanks from all of us Bob!

Chapter secretary Chris Buechler presented membership renewal cards to John Smith for two years; Chris Odell for seven years; Tom Frederick for 23 years; Ken Ives for 31 years and Rick Wagner for 35 years. Rick also was given his 35-year lapel pin.

Director of membership Rich Hewitt introduced our two newest applicants and this week guests.

After break, we welcomed our “milkmen” singers to work on the oratorio for the rest 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