Looking Back on the Jan 21^st, 2020 Chapter Meeting

This was the first week into the new Harmonizer rehearsal variation plan – this week was labeled “Electives.”

After a brief warm up conducted by associate director Tony Colosimo, director Joe Cerutti welcomed Johan Westberg and Adam Afifi back on the risers. 

Joe thanked the large crowd of members who came to this new kind of meeting nite and  reminded the chorus of the Feb. 7^th show with the Whiffenpoofs and listed the five songs from the fall show that will be used.  He also stressed that under the new work of preparation, the annotated sheet music is the final word in any differences with recordings. He stressed the annotated music as an important key in each man’s self work on the music.

Then he sent the chorus off for 45-minute sectionals in four spots around Scottish Rite Temple to be conducted by the section leaders (Ammermann, Livergood, Lee and Mextorf) who were prepared to work on a lesson plan created by the musical leadership (so that all singers worked on the same items for the new contest uptune).

The business session came next with communications director Steve Murane as moderator. He reviewed some of the upcoming calendar items – Feb. 8^th an ensemble will sing at a Holy Cross Community Concert.  Terry Reynolds has contacted those to sing that gig.

Feb. 11^th is another fun tradition – a Put Together Quartet Contest.  Quartets can sign up with Matt Doniger or a member can even ask Matt to find three other parts and “put together” a quartet.  Foursomes will sing one song, be judged and winners chosen for “regular” quartet or comedy quartet categories. Matt has published rules recently too.

The Singing Valentine project is underway also.  Quartet singers are needed for appearances during the Feb. 15^th weekend. Calvin Schnure is forming those quartets. See him if you wish to help make appearances around the DC Metro area that the chapter selects. New guys are welcome to join in the fun. Only requirement is to have a uniform and to know “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” and “Heart of My Heart.”  Help is also needed to make calls to set up appearances – contact Steve Murane to help with that.

Next item was a plea for members to invite holiday show patrons to respond to the show survey Here's the survey link you can forward to them:  https://celebratetheseason.questionpro.com

Ken Ives was recognized as new coordinator/promoter for scrip sales and participation.

Operations director Gary Cregan reported on the new Harmo truck.  It is a 2015 Ford E350 and is a foot longer than our old one (the 1993 Ford E350 is for sale at this point too). Gary and Dennis Ritchey will prepare the new box truck for loading plans. The new truck will have a wrapped logo or something on it ASAP.  Gary also invited men to step up and join the crew of truck drivers.  [There was a lot of fun chatter at this point from drivers who have been at the wheel of our old truck – does the AC work, do the windows go up and down, how bout the radio. And does the new one have decent tires?]

The 46^th annual Presidents’ Banquet will be Sat. eve, Feb. 1^st at the Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson St, Alexandria VA. Cocktail hour begins at 6:15, dinner served at 7, and the program will begin at 8, including installation of our 2020 BHS Chapter Officers, followed by the presentation of the Chapter's 2019 Chapter Distinguished Service awards.  

Tickets are $30 per person. Dave Branstetter will be selling tickets before and after rehearsals and during break. You could email him and tell him you want to get tickets too.

Dinner will be catered by Maggianos, a popular Italian restaurant in the area!  Plus, in honor of our 2019 trip to Scotland, we are bringing back a "tasting table" of scotches and some selected bourbons!  There is plenty of free parking.  Dress code is dressy casual.

Music team admin guy, Terry Reynolds, continued to advance the individual interviews the music team is conducting with each member. 

President Stan Quick prompted guys to attend the Presidents’ Banquet and to help with the Singing Valentine effort.

Chapter secretary Chris Buechler presented membership renewal cards to Adam Shepard for 3 years; Jeff Burkey for 5 years; Dixie Kennett for 7 years; Matt Doniger for 8 years; Reed Livergood for 9 years; Clyde Crusenberry for 10 years; Frank Shipp for 18 years; Brian Ammermann for 26 years; Chuck Powell for 26 years; Drew Fuller for 30 years (plus he got a lapel pin too); and Mark Klostermeyer for 39 years.  Tony Colosimo earned a Man of Note pin for bringing Devin Gerzof to the chapter.

Membership director Jacob Broude welcomed a lead singer guest, David Mayer. He came with Callan Harding and Alex Crounk.

After a brief break time, the rest of the nite was divided into various half hour slots: there was repertoire review with Joe, Polecat singing with Alex Crounk and Calvin Schnure, Performance and Visual Skills (facial expression and body language) with Cindy Hansen Ellis remote from her home in Colorado, Technology and Apps guys can use with Tony Colosimo, and “office hours” with a section leader.  Some of these topics/sessions were held twice and guys could attend them twice if they wished.  It worked great.  Joe thanked Mike Kelly for his help with all the audio visual help for the nite.

The chorus members all reconvened with the repertoire review group to sing a song to close out the nite.  After the “It’s Great to Be a Harmonizer” cheer, there were lots of guys hanging around singing the new uptune or trying their hand with prospect for quartets for the chapter contest. Joe invited members to offer opinions or ideas for future expansion of an “electives” nite to Tony or Jason.

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 71^st year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. —YeEd