Looking Back on the March 9th 2021 Virtual Chapter Meeting
This week’s virtual meeting started off with lots of visiting and we got to meet James Colosimo brand new son of Tony and Elizabeth Colosimo born on Thursday, March 4th. Congrats to their family.
Artistic director Joe Cerutti was eager to report exciting news for our chapter. Five BHS chapters will be working together in collaboration to produce a virtual choir of “Stars and Stripes Forever” that will be made available for July 4th uses in media. Our chorus will join singers from the Ambassadors of Harmony, Masters of Harmony, Vocal Majority, and Westminster choruses for this project.
The promised feedback from Joe’s interviews with 94 of our members will be moved to the March 16th meeting.
Joe reported again that materials are now on Groupanizer to help our chapter singers submit recordings for “Help from My Friends” including a directing track, music track, and actual directions.
Associate director Tony did warm ups again but this week he was holding baby James while speaking and singing the exercises. When Tony took James to bed, Joe had everyone sing the melody for “Oh What a Beautiful Morning,” and he spoke about the importance of everyone using these warm up sessions to get their vocal muscles in shape for chorus singing when we get to do it.
Joe had a quartet on Jamulus work on that song too. This week’s quartet was Devin Gerzof, Tony, Jacob Broude, andTurner Arndt, but all other members were encouraged to sing on Zoom. Joe coached the quartet with the understanding that chorus members would take note and apply his coaching to their work.
Next there were sectionals on that same song, and then the Jamulus quartet demonstrated work for “Something’s Coming.”
Small groups were formed to work on “Bridge Over Trouble Water.”
This week’s discussion breakouts were on topics related to Julian LaFlore’s presentation on “Engaging Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Youth.” Members could choose the following breakouts – repertoire selection; how we engage guests at rehearsals (in non-Covid times); how we engage potential members (audiences, friends, co-workers); or how we prioritize engaging our community. After we regathered, each breakout recorder gave a quick summary of comments offered. (President Stan Quick has invited all members who want to offer additional thoughts to submit them to him, Joe or Terry Reynolds.)
Communications chairman Matt Doniger conducted a brief business meeting for this week.
Membership chairman Jacob Broude announced plans to resume social events for the Harmonizers. He asked members to respond to his email about a beer tasting event with Kellen Hertz.
Jacob also offered to get new name tags for anyone who needs one – planning ahead for our regathering!! Contact him if you have lost yours during this Covid era, or have changed parts, or are new to the chapter.
Then Joe welcomed our presenter for this week’s special topic – How to Be a Great Tenor. The speaker was Tim Waurick, tenor of SPECTRUM and CEO of Tim’s Tracks.
(Future speakers will include lead Heather Havens and baritone Brandon Guyton.)
Tim’s presentation reported the many qualities of a tenor voice for our kind of music – a special need for singing above the melody sung by the leads. He shared lots of examples and invited our members to suggest great tenors they recall. (The list included a number of guys from the Harmonizer ranks including Rick Taylor, John Adams, John Casey, Harold Nantz, and Rick Savage.)
Tim suggested that the best tenors enhance the lead; that they are skilled at working thru their range break; that they know how to balance chords, and that they add personality to the music.
Joe and the members thanked Tim for sharing time with us again.
Our next Harmonizer Tuesday meeting will be via Zoom again at 7 pm on March 16th, 2021.
In other news, president Stan Quick has announced that the interment for John Adams’ wife, Jean, will be at Arlington National Cemetery at 10 am,Friday, April 9th.
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 for the great things going on each week during the 72nd year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. - YeEd)
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