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

Looking Back on the March 5^th Retreat

Our Saturday retreat on March 5^th was fun and lots of hard work!  Coach Tony DeRosa made it fun even when he was telling you to do more, or to change things.  He had our director Joe Cerutti and all of us laughing as we worked.  The all-day work session yielded a ballad ready to work on for the months ahead.

There was coffee and donuts (thanks to Jack Pitzer and Terry Reynolds), along with plenty of bottled water for all.  Bob Rhome had arranged for us to all get into Durant early, so coffee was on and a crew had the risers and chairs set up along with the av equipment. Bob also did some repairs for our storage area under the stage.

Great to see some guys back to do contest with us such as Gene Swartz, Kris Zinkievich, Michael Fasano and Paul Grimes. All 105 singers were encouraged to get onto the risers in our traditional contest positions with the many new members finding a home for now.

Associate director Tony Colosimo did the warm ups for us while Joe was getting our coach from the airport.  We did some work on the uptune during that time, but we worked all day until 5 pm on the ballad.  Coach Tony met with the music team over lunch from 12:30 – 2 while the rest of the chorus found places in Old Town to get chow (the traditional St. Patrick’s Day Parade was happening in the center of the city too.)

Before the day ended, the chorus was also given time to make a self recording. Chuck McKeever produced a video of the final product and has already released it to members for review.

Another fun moment was when Joe played the Beatles’ song “Day in the Life” that is the verse of the ballad arranged by David Harrington. 

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