Looking Back on the October 16^th Chapter Meeting 

This was a busy nite again – lots of shifting around the meeting place at Scottish Rite Temple so that we could record in the cafeteria.  Associate director Tony Colosimo did the warm ups and launched the work effort on “From This Moment On” and worked with director Joe Cerutti and sound tech coordinator Mike Kelly for the recordings. Each of the four vocal sections recorded their track.

While a section was recording, the other sections worked on holiday songs in the upstairs lobby. There was also work on the songs and stage presence for the songs to be sung Wed. nite for the a cappella fellowship event.

When Joe started his part of the nite, he had a copy of the book, “John Glenn – A Memoir,” which has comments from Senator Glenn about his playing award winning barbershop chorus CDs from the Alexandria Harmonizers while in space.

The chapter meeting was conducted as usual by communications director Steve Murane.

Our Oct. 23^rd meeting will be in the cafeteria at Scottish Rite Temple again.
 
The Men’s Choral Fellowship Event on Wed. Oct. 17^th will be at 7pm at Alfred Street Baptist Church, 301 S. Alfred Street, in Alexandria.  Uniform will be the black camp shirt with jeans, etc. Call time is 6:30 however. We will be joined by the Men’s Choir from Alfred Street and the Metropolitan Baptist Church Men’s Chorus.  Joe will teach the groups “Irish Blessing” Attendees should plan ahead for parking.

The Bark Ball, Oct. 20^th will be at the Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave. NW.  Plan ahead to take Metro or pay high prices for parking. Chorus call time is 6 pm. Dressing rooms will be available to change into the tails. Anyone with a tux is welcome to attend and help with this appearance – the recordings will play and those who don’t know the song can mouth the words. There will be an afterglow at Duke’s Counter, 3000 Connecticut Ave., NW – across from the National Zoo.

The Holiday Show is Dec. 8^th at 7:30 pm at TC Williams High School on King Street. Tickets are on sale now thru Event rite. Ticket chairman Dean Sherick will have consignment tickets next week when he returns from travel.  Singing with the chorus will be our own TBD a cappella group, and BETTER TOGETHER (Tony and Elizabeth Colosimo and Andrew and Heather Havens mixed quartet).  We will repeat the very fun version of the “Hallelujah Chorus” with Monks.  Friends and relatives of members may sign up to audition as a monk – as long as they can attend a rehearsal from 6:30-7:30 pm every Tuesday in November.

The first half of the holiday show will be toys/elves again.  So singers need to start working on their costume for this.  New guys should ask for ideas about this and also check with uniform chair Robyn Murane regarding any uniform parts.

Casey Belzer will coordinate a printed program for the holiday show and needs advertisement materials by Nov. 13^th.

Future shows include the Whiffenpoofs on Feb. 9^th, and a joint concert with the Christchurch Pops Choir and the Alexandria Singers on Mar. 20^th.  Both events will be at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial.

Executive director Randall Eliason alerted all members that he is updating rosters for the various chapter administrative teams (membership and marketing to name two).  Randall will accept requests from current members to change teams, if desired.  And he will meet with all the new men asking their preference.

Krissi Folsom announced the show for her chorus, Heart of Maryland SAI, on Sun. Oct. 28^th at 1 pm at F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 63 Edmonston Dr., Rockville, MD. Tickets at the door.

President Shawn Tallant asked all singers to respond as to their availability to do a community sing for senior citizen facilities on Sat. Dec. 15^th.

Shawn also asks all the able men to chip in whenever there is a need to move, load and unload risers as needed.  Help Matt Doniger who does a yeoman job needs help.

Chapter secretary Chris Buechler presented membership renewal cards to Randall Eliason for 23 years and Terry Reynolds for 35 years.  Terry also received a 35-year lapel pin as is the tradition for our chapter.

Membership chairman Calvin Schnure welcomed Tyler and Dylan again.

During break there were refreshments again (since we were in the cafeteria).

After break it was back to work on the music.

A good crew of guys went to Ramparts for an afterglow.

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