Looking Back on the March 27th 2018 Chapter Meeting 

This week’s set up crew worked hard to get risers and av equipment and tables and chairs and refreshments all up for the 7 pm start at Durant. 

New dad Reed Livergood did the vocal warm ups.

Director Joe Cerutti welcomed our coach Kevin Keller from the St. Louis area and the Ambassadors of Harmony.  Kevin worked with us at Harmony University last summer too.

Earlier in the evening there had been a huge crowd of Harmonizers come in to Hard Times chili parlor on King Street including our coach, in his Harmo shirt from last summer!

Kevin went right to work on helping the chorus improve their performance of the uptune for contest.  We did that for whole first half of the nite.

Executive director Terry Reynolds conducted the chapter meeting and reminded all that next week the chapter will be back at Convergence at 7 pm. Ike Evans set up in room 5 at Durant to take photos of all the new members to be posted on the picture board of all chorus members that goes up each week.

Past president Randall Eliason suggested everyone mark their calendar for Spring2Action on
April 25^th and reminded us that the day will conclude at Virtue Feed and Grain in Old Town, like last year, where we sing for their patrons and get a share in the sales that nite. Joe suggested that ever member should be prepares to make one or two online donations that day – no matter how large the amount. And to get our family and friends to do so too.  The number of donors plays a big part in the amount the arts group earns. Last year we earned a healthy sum of cash income as participants in the city’s Spring2Action event.

There were a couple remimders to get measured for the new uniform (see Rick Savage if you have not done it yet). Also note the recent email from uniform chairman Robyn Murane about what to keep and what you can turn in from your closet at home.  Robyn will be selling uniform parts (in fact, she is looking for someone with experience on E-bay or Craig’s list to help with that) to other choruses.

Chapter president Shawn Tallant alerted us that the survey to get our intentions about going on the trip to Brazil in 2019 would be coming on Wednesday.

Terry asked each man to check the posted lists in the room on the wall, during break, indicating his  plans for singing at International and for singing at “Iron and Coal” at Strathmore. He announced that another anniversary show song, “Great Day,” is now online, and that several others of the nine songs for that show are coming online very soon.

Terry also thanked Steve Murane and Stan Quick for their weekly efforts to get us announcements and info for upcoming events.

Terry also reminded everyone about the Youth Harmony Festival all day on Fri. April 13^th.at Restoration Anglican Church, 1815 N Quincy St., Arlington.  Many helpers will be needed during the day – stay tuned for volunteering.  The chorus will sing three songs in the evening with a 6 pm chorus call for the 7 pm show.  Uniform will be black camp shirt, jeans, black shoes.

The fifth-annul Aca-Challenge is the next nite, April 14^th at the Sixth and I Historic Synagogue in DC (600 I St. NW) from 7-10 pm. Presented by the Harmonizers, hosted by contemporary a cappella spokesperson Deke Sharon, and co-sponsored by the venue. Five east coast groups will compete for a $2000 prize from the chapter and chosen by the judges with input from the audience.  Tickets are $25 for general admission or $45 for VIP seats which includes ticket to an afterglow with Deke and the contestants. Attendees who need to use the lift for entry may call 202-408-3100 to make arrangements for entry to the building and seating. Our chapter’s a cappella group, TBD, will do a set on the show while the results are being tallied. The chorus will not sing.

Chapter secretary Chris Buechler presented membership renewal cards to Dave DesPortes for 11 years, Brad Jones for 26 years, Dennis Ritchey for 26 years, and Chuck Hunter for 46 years.

Membership director Dave Kohls asked for five guys to help with membership recruitment at the Aca-Challenge. Available members should contact Dave.

Ben Watsky welcomed our guests this week.  Chad, Ryan and Allison; Jared; Jeff, Dana and Sophie; and Janagan. Also great to have Ben Roberts back singing on the risers!

Before break Jack Pitzer continued the Moments in Harmo History.  This time to tell a story related to last week’s pirate story about Will Cox.  It seems that Brian Miller played a pirate too - when he was singing with the Iowa City chorus. He was “SeeMore” the two-patched pirate. Brian is a great sport and is a great addition to our chorus tenor section!!

During the break, attendees were encouraged to pay Howard Nestlerode for their chorus retreat fees. The chorus retreat will be June 8-9-10 at McDaniel College in Westminster, MD, (about 70 miles from Springfield).  Friday June 8^th will be mandatory for front row and optional for all others with special sessions for the small groups to be coached. There are many good restaurants in town and it is a good social time on Friday nite.. Fees include lodging; three meals on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday; plus linens and a Saturday evening party. There are three price levels – Friday-Sunday attendees ($114); Saturday-Sunday attendees ($83); and commuters who won’t be staying any nite ($78). Non-competing members are welcome to attend. Fees are due in advance and should be given to Howard Nestlerode, or Jack Cameron if Howard is not present, before May 29th  All requests for roommate assignments are due to retreat master, Chuck McKeever, by Tues. May 8th.

After break, it was back to work on the risers with our first good work session on the new contest ballad arranged by David Wright, “We Kiss in a Shadow.” 

After putting everything away, a good crowd ventured out  for the afterglow at LaPorta’s. 

In other news, here are the quartets competing at the International Preliminary contest in Reading, PA, on Fri, April 6th.  Members who might be planning to attend should note that the Fri nite first round of the quartet contest starts at 2:27 pm!!  And a couple of our quartets will be singing that afternoon.

CAPITAL CITY CHORD COMPANY sings 4th - Mario Sengco, Jordan Haedtler, Chuck Hunter, Ken White

VOICES IN MY HEAD sings 5th with Tim Buell.

SILVER ALERT, sings 16th (as a senior quartet) with Rick Savage, Mike Edison, Will Cox, Steve Murane

SRIRACHA sings 22nd with Pookie Dingle.

BLIND WIVES sings 24th as a mixed quartet with Tony and Elizabeth Colosimo and Andrew and Heather Havens

Members who decide to attend prelims can get tickets at the door. The event is at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1741 Papermill Rd., Wyomissing, PA 19610.  These “prelims” choose the quartets that will represent our district in Orlando.  It is also combined with a Northern Division contest, so there will be a chorus contest on Saturday morning and a youth quartet adjudication Saturday afternoon.

Again, note that Fri. semi finals starts at 2:27 pm. The Sat. chorus contest starts at 9:27 am and several Harmonizers will sing in the mic tester chorus as members of DELASUSQUEHUDMAC.  The youth adjudication starts at 12:57 pm that day. The quartet finals start at 7:27 pm and then a wrap up extravaganza starts about 9 pm.

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