Looking Back on the Jan 24th Chapter Meeting and Wrap Up from Midwinter

Thanks to Dixie Kennett for reporting on Harmonizers who were involved at the Midwinter in San Antonio last week and many who attended.

Chris Buechler attended Society Contest and Judging Committee meetings and was contest administrator. John Santora serves on the Society Board of Directors. Dennis Ritchey and Bob Eckman attended District Presidents Council meetings as they are both assuming leadership in our district.  Chuck Harner participated in Harmony Foundation events; Terry Reynolds helped the Leadership Operations Team, Mike Kelly did filming for Harmony Foundation. Rick Taylor is on the Harmony Foundation staff and of course Joe Cerutti is on the BHS staff.  John Adams sang with Association of Intl Seniors Quartet Champs chorus.

Other attendees include Keith Jones, Chuck Hunter, Sam McFarland, Alan Wile, Ross Johnson, Chuck McKeever, Darryl Flinn, Tom Gannon, Alan Lamson, Pete Frank and Jim Lucey. It was great to see some former members, including Jack Stevens who served as Volunteer Chairman for the convention, Mike Louque who was a presentation judge for the contest, Sean Devine with Harmony Foundation, Dave Binetti working on new contest scoring software, Ed Schubel singing with Collegiate Quartet champion PATT STREET POWER, Paul Wietlisbach, Dan Cook, Chuck Botts, Bob Hirsh, Mark Rodda singing in a seniors quartet, Dave Ellis and Gary Plaag.

YOUTH RECLAMATION PROJECT seniors quartet with Mike Wallen did not compete because of bass Vic Owens’ heart surgery. However PARTY OF FIVE, representing the Mid-Atlantic District, brought home the seniors quartet gold, outscoring the second place quartet by just two points.

 

Keith Jones reported this news from Midwinter:  Bob Eckman, Sam McFarland, Chuck McKeever and I performed in the All-Chapter Chorus (about 200 men) that opened the Saturday Night Show with three songs. Youth Chorus Festival sponsors included Ross Johnson & Susan Williams and Darryl & Meredith Flinn. John Santora also taught a Harmony U class during the convention. Some Harmonizers will be interested to know that past M-AD president Dick Powell was installed as Society EVP.

 

Tuesday nite Jan. 24^th was another busy one for the chapter. Associate director Tony Colosimo started off the music portion of the  nite with vocal warm ups.  A crew of guys had pitched in to set up the risers and all the other equipment for the operation (a bit late, since the battery in our truck would not start the engine earlier).  Thanks to Bob Blair for taking fast action to get a jump and get the truck to Durant.

 

Director Joe Cerutti welcomed Phil Ashford back on the risers, Brian Miller was back and Bert Phillips was visiting from TN.

 

Joe taught the chorus all of the new gospel song “There Must Be a City” by rote.  At one point, he played the Fairfield Four version of it for all to hear.

We also worked on some former Harmo favorites we will use for our show at the NED at Lake George.  The music team announced that we would not be projecting music after tonite – if guys need music, they should bring a hard copy.

 

After a solid music workout, the everyone was assigned to meet with an operations team director for a first-ever team meeting effort.  Teams included communications, membership, development, shows, finance, music, and such.  This was just a starting point.  Non singers (men and women) were invited to join the teams too.

 

Our chapter meeting time before the break included an introduction of Chuck Leonard explaining plans for the Little Theater of Alexandria performance of :The Fabulous Lipotones” comedy about a barbershop quartet.  It will run from April 22-May 12.  They are looking for guys to try out for the show and of course for folks to attend.

 

Our fourth annual AcaChallenge is coming up on March 25^th.  We will sing. Candidates are lined up to compete for the $2000 first prize we offer. Tickets are on sale too.

 

Sunday evening March 5^th we host the Yale Whiffenpoofs at Convergence.  We will sing and share the ticket sales with their group.

 

President Randall Eliason reminded all to sign up tonite for the Presidents’ Banquet on Sat nite Jan 28^th.  It was confirmed that we will be dressy casual – no tie for the men.

 

Casey Belzer reported that his middle school concert is Tuesday, Jan 31^st at 7 pm at George Washington Middle School in Alexandria.

 

The music team will meet with each singer, one-on-one, this week at Convergence.  The schedule was announced and posted for each guy. 

 

Secretary Chris Buechler presented quartet registration cards for the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES quartet in our chapter – a 31-year tradition of registering our section leaders as a quartet. Then Chris presented membership renewal cards to Matchan Takahashi for three years; Rob Barnovsky for seven years; Johan Westburg for eleven years; Frank Fedarko for 15 years; Bruce Roehm for sixteen years; Brian Miller for twenty years; Brian Ammerman for twenty three years; Chuck Powell for twenty three years; Keith Jones for thirty nite years; and Rick Savage for forty three years.. Outside the chapter meeting, Chris reports renewals for Mike Everard for 50 years too.

 

Membership director Rich Hewitt welcomed guests and applicants present for this week’s gathering.

 

After break, it was back to work on our music.

 

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 68^th year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. —YeEd