Looking
Back on the September 16th Strathmore Performance
(Thanks
to Jerry Jayjohn for taking notes
for this event. YeEd!)
The Harmonizers were special guests
at Strathmore Music Hall in Bethesda, MD, for the retirement gala of outgoing
CEO of Strathmore, Eliot Pfanstiehl.
The chorus was invited especially to
reprise two great songs from “I Am Harvey Milk” which the chorus did a couple
years ago at Strathmore – “ San Francisco” and “Friday Night in the
Castro.” Several of our guys did solos
in the “Castro” – Frank Fedarko, Clyde Crusenberry, Terry Reynolds, Connor Goss, Randall Ellison, and Steve Szyszka
Other performers on the show were
members of the National Philharmonic Orchestra, Strathmore Children's Chorus,
the YA youth chorus, and a youth trombone chorus. Director was Rolando
Santz.
The Harmonizers came together at
noon for their call time on Sunday, and had warm ups with our director Joe Cerutti. The chorus was to be
dressed before 4:30 in our new blue suits with vest and orange accessories. We
were called to the wings around 5:30 to be ready. The guys took the stage
during one of the many videos building up to our two songs. Seeing Eliot's face
when the hidden mirror ball was revealed during "Friday Night at the
Castro," made the long day well worth it.
After Eliot, made his final remarks
as the CEO, he was tasked with starting the tune that was dear to his heart
"Seventy-Six Trombones." As the entire company sang the final
piece, 28 streamer cannons were shot off showering the audience with colored streamers
and a drum major marched Eliot Pfanstiehl out of the auditorium to begin his
retirement. The chorus and performers left the stage without an exit
plan.
Several men who sang “Milk” with us
before also joined in the fun this time.
And for a number of new members of the chorus, this was their first time
at Strathmore and first time to perform these songs.
.
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 70th year of the
Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. —YeEd
