Looking Back on the Feb.
21st Chapter Meeting
New fun feature of the usual Tuesday nite was a tag sing at 6:50
pm. Plans are to continue it in the
weeks ahead at that same time. Just
listen for the pitch pipe. Held right in
the Durant hall while the members are arriving (and usually that would be after
the risers are all set up). Associate director
Tony Colosimo was tagmaster this
week.
Tony also did the vocal warm ups at 7 pm with the
chorus in a circle in the hall. Guests
and family members were seated on the stage.
After warm ups, director Joe
Cerutti took over the chorus and after brief remarks sharing his passion
about our learning the gospel music and the correct style, we plowed into the
three songs we have on our plate at this time.
Joe also shared his excitement about next week’s
meeting when we will spend the first half hearing a proposal for the chorus to
travel and sing in Russia. Then the
second half we will go into Old Town Alexandria to Vola’s Dockside Grill at 110
N. Union Street. Joe pledged to buy the first round for all attending. DA CAPO will stop by and sing for us. Vola’s is offering to contribute 20% in our
chapter’s name for the Spring2Action campaign.
The past presidents of the chapter are meeting at Vola’s on
Wednesday nite too. That group meets a
few times during the year to offer input to the current president.
Tuesday nite the chorus also worked on the songs we will sing for
the show when we host the Yale Whiffenpoofs, March 5.
The Aca Challenge event needs many helpers, so volunteer with Reed Livergood, the chairman for the
nite
Announcing the return of the fabled
Harmonizer Put-Together Quartet Contest! – a long-standing Harmonizer tradition
that has been dormant for the past few years. But it is back and better than
ever! It will be Tuesday, March 28 (a regular rehearsal night) at 7 pm in Durant
Center.
Singers should find three fellow
barbershoppers to form a quartet. Work up one song to perform on stage before a
distinguished mystery panel of judges.
Basics: 1) Each quartet sings only one
song. (Polecats are perfectly acceptable.); 2) There are two categories: comedy
quartets and "regular" quartets, with prizes awarded in each category;
3) Any one man can be in as many quartets as he wishes; 4) In any given
quartet, no more than two of the singers may be members of the same currently
registered BHS quartet; 5) If any quartet member has sung in the past in a District
Champion quartet, then in the contest that member must sing a different voice
part than he did in the championship quartet. (For example, Tony can't sing
lead in a put-together quartet but could sing any other part.)
That's it! This is meant to be a
low-key, fun and friendly competition. Fame, glory, bragging rights, and maybe
even trophies await the first, second and third place quartets in each
category.
This year we are also opening up the
competition to put-together quartets from other chapters. Registration is
limited to the first 20 quartets to enter, so get your registration in early! To
enter, email the following information to put-together quartet head honcho Rich
Payton at payton.rich@gmail.com: the quartet name, names of quartet members and what part they
will sing, what BHS Chapter(s) represented; whether you are entering in the
Comedy or Regular category, Thanks to Rich
Payton for reviving this fun event.
This Saturday, there will be a work crew sorting, discarding and
then moving our storage unit to a new location with lower fees. If you can help, or have a SUV that you can
haul things – contact Bob Blair.
Chapter secretary Chris
Buechler presented Joe Cerutti
his 16-year renewal card.
Thanks to many guys who brought goodies to share at break –
homemade cookies and lots of Girl Scout Cookies!!
We also worked on the stage presence for “Summertime” and
auditioned soloists for the gospel songs.
We then launched into the new arrangement of a Chicago medley with
sectionals to dig in.
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 68th year of the
Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. —YeEd
