Looking Back on the Jan. 25th 2022 Harmonizer Hybrid Chapter Meeting

 Looking Back on the Jan. 25^th 2022 Harmonizer Hybrid Chapter Meeting 

The Harmonizers were not able to meet as a whole chorus this week because of the uptick in COVID cases in our area.  So the chapter used option 2 in the music team’s plan for meeting nights – invite an ensemble to come to the Scottish Rite Temple (SRT) and have the remaining members join via Zoom. At one point there were 60 on the call – 47 on Zoom and 13 at SRT.

This week’s ensemble included Brian Ammerman, Dennis Ritchey and Randy Lazear – tenors; Ben Watsky, Lance Fisher and Frank Fedarko – leads; Ken Rub, Will Cox and Jason Lee – baritones; Ike Evans, Turner Arndt andTerry Reynolds – basses.  Associate director Tony Colosimo was musical leader this week. 

When those who were on Zoom got on the call, they figured out themselves to sing along and adjust volumes and such.  It took a while for the technical details to work themselves out.  Will Cox did the vocal warm ups this week.

The musical leadership wants to hear from members about ideas and suggestions and questions about the proposed revised meeting/rehearsal format as explained last week.  The plan does included a desire to use the “full chorus” format when we are first allowed back to SRT for a meeting.

Singing was the musical goal this week and Tony worked all of the material as outlined on pre-meeting notices sent to members via email: “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “42^nd Street” (Tony reminds us that it has been two years since we were singing this song), “Something’s Coming,” and “Oh What a Beautiful Morning.”

The members at SRT did move a couple times from the auditorium to the lobby and back again to the auditorium to allow airflow to clear the rooms.

There was a brief chapter meeting period and president Noah Van Gilder reported that the new unified chapter board for AH Inc. and the BHS Chapter  held its first meeting in the past week.

 

Last week’s Looking Back report left off a proposed 2022 calendar date for the chorus retreat prior to going to the International contest in Charlotte, NC.  The retreat will be the weekend of June 3-5 –  place and other details TBD. 

 

The music team invited members to volunteer to be the ensemble for the Feb. 1^st chapter meeting (if we can’t meet as a whole chorus that week).  Contact Terry Reynolds if interested and can be prepared on the same music material that was used this week plus “Help from My Friends.”

 

Reminder: all members must submit proof of getting a booster vaccination to covidinfo@harmonizers.org.

 

There was also a request to the chapter for an ensemble to sing at Arlington Cemetery for the services for the grandson of former Harmonizer, Ben Collins.  Contact Terry Reynolds if you could possibly fill this request.

Before the meeting ended, we sang our traditional “A Place on the Risers for You” to send off Donell Torres, a relatively new Harmonizer, who has been accepted as a member of VOCAL POINT, a premier a cappella ensemble at the University of Missouri/St. Louis with Dr. Jim Henry. 

 

Tony thanked the twelve guys who prepared for tonight’s music work and the tech crew who make it work for all the members at home. Stay tuned for details about our meeting plans for Feb. 1^st.

 

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 73^rd year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. - YeEd)