Friday, May 20, 2022

Looking Back on the May 17th 2022 Harmonizer Hybrid Chapter Meeting

 Looking Back on the May 17th 2022 Harmonizer Hybrid Chapter Meeting 

Last minute announcement before this week’s meeting called for wearing masks again inside the meeting place. Luckily the weather was nice and so we set up outside the entrance and the chorus stood on the steps facing the street. All chorus work was done outside even though it was getting dark before we ended.


At some points during the night, small groups were inside and masked.


Associate director Tony Colosimo did the outside warm ups at 7 pm while the choreo review session with Turner Arndt continued in the auditorium. Director Joe Cerutti was in Nashville for a BHS staff meeting.


Music team admin helper Terry Reynolds was in Europe and so he had assigned about a half dozen guys to manage the many tasks he carries out each week. Mike Kelly was on hand to do all the tech tasks for sound and hybrid Zoom connections.  Ian Poulin reported via Zoom that he is being treated for a detached retina. Chuck Hunter was in town from Chicago and visited the chorus.


Membership chairman Jacob Broude met with several of our newer members in a sort of Boot Camp effort to prepare them for “how things will go” for contests and shows and uniforms.


Tony started the music work session for several parts of “42nd Street” and then did a whole chorus choreo review, with Turner.  Turner has provided a written version of the choreo plans for chorus members. Also just before the meeting, a message was send to all members with a video message from visual coach Cy Wood.  This includes the rest of the choreo plan for 
“42nd Street.”  The chorus members are expected to have studied it and to be prepared to execute it next week when Cyis with the chorus at Scottish Rite Temple.


The business meeting was conducted by communications director Sam Whiteoak. President Noah Van Guilderreviewed the chapter’s latest COVID measures such as the wearing of masks inside. He remined members that if they are exposed, if tested positive or if they have any sickness signs, they should report it to covidinfo@harmonizers.org.


Next the chorus members were assigned to small groups that met inside the building with the following small group leaders for this week to work on the music: Randy Lazear, Ben Watsky, Lance Fisher, Jason Lee, Turner Arndt and David Breen.


When those groups finished, the chorus reassembled outside to work with Tony on “Oh What a Beautiful Morning.” Members were reminded that David Wright, who arranged this song for us, will be at our May 31st meeting, and therefore, singers should be able to self-assess at a level of 5 or higher in order to be on the risers when David is here.


Our traditional chorus retreat before going to an international contest will be June 3-4-5 at McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. Coaches for that weekend will be Jim Henry and David McEachern


Starting times for the retreat have been announced so guys can plan ahead.  Friday night June 3 will not start until 8 pm so guys have time to get to Westminster, get some dinner, check into their hotel room,  and be ready to work on campus at McDaniel College.  Housing for the retreat will be at the Best Western Hotel. 


Saturday June 4th breakfast will be free at the hotel, then retreat will continue on campus at 8:30 am.  Both lunch and dinner will be on campus followed by an afterglow and “party” time. The Sunday June 5th session starts after guys check out of the hotel and eat breakfast there and get back to campus from 9-11:30 am.


For sure, guys should start organizing car pools – there will not be a bus or group transportation provided.  And for those who will arrive early on Friday evening, we have often found a lot of our fellow Harmonizers having dinner at O’Lordans, a restaurant offering Irish dishes, at 14 Liberty Street in Westminster.


At the afterglow this week, there was birthday cake for our monthly BirthdayGlow in honor of Jorge Acevedo, Scott Beach, Geoff Berman, Dave Branstetter, Vinny Capaccio, Will Cox, Mike Geipel, Mark Klostermeyer, Nick Murane, Craig Odell, David Reno, Bob Rhome, Dean Sherick, Bob Sutton, Tessa Walker, Johan Westberg and Doug White.


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