Looking Back on the August 30th 2022 Harmonizer Hybrid Chapter Meeting
This week’s meeting was the next to last rehearsal in preparations for the fall show on Saturday, Sept. 10th at Schlesinger Hall on the Alexandria campus of the Northern Virginia Community College. The heavy rain storm that hit the area just prior to the meeting may have detained some of the singers this week.
Masks were optional again, but guys from counties where the COVID count is higher were encouraged to consider wearing a mask - and several did, The chapter’s COVID committee provided the list of counties in the various states where our singers reside, and music team admin guy Terry Reynolds (who was actually on vacation outside the USA) sent out that information plus a note that “we will use Facebook live for a few more weeks.”
The evening started with a warm up session conducted by associate director Tony Colosimo who. at one point, asked “whose job is it to have fun when we sing?”
Artistic director Joe Cerutti was back in town to lead the work with the chorus. He confirmed that the chorus will sing and provide a Master Class at the fall M-AD contest and convention. He explained that district leadership is finalizing the schedule for us. Joe encouraged guys to go ahead and get a ticket and room and go Lancaster for the Oct. 7-8 event. The quartet contest starts at 5 pm on Friday. He did suggest that for those who can’t make it for the whole weekend, the minimum would be for the singers to be there Saturday afternoon and evening.
Both housing and ticket purchasing info is on the M-AD website – midatlanticdistrict.com. Go to ‘upcoming events,’ then ‘conventions,’ then ‘Fall 2022.’ You will see a purchase ticket link and a housing link. The early bird prices for registrations for convention attendees ends on Sept. 9th. The deadline to get into that housing block at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square is Sept. 16th.
President Noah Van Gilder reminded the chapter that we will have some quartets in the mix that weekend too; and if anyone needs some financial support to attend the weekend, contact him right away.
Joe, with help from Ryan Mextorf who organized the session for guys who signed up, announced that men singing “Chorus Line” on the fall show could get feedback tonight after the meeting by singing in octets. If not that, then submit a recording to section leaders by Friday.
If members who didn’t go to Charlotte want to sing the two contest songs on the fall show, they should also submit recordings by Friday.
Then Joe welcome our special coach for the evening, Chuck Hunter, who came in from Chicago to help the chorus polish their songs and presentations for the show. The chorus sang each of the songs in order and after each one, Chuckoffered advice or asked a question to promote greater involvement in the emotion and message of the song.
Also Joe helped set the stage for the staging of the show such as word that the chorus would not be on risers, but on platforms. He explained how the show would open with “Oh What a Beautiful Morning.” Tony will direct a song or two on the show. FIRST TAKE will be our featured quartet. Drew Tepe, a vocalist and pianist, will be on the show and will provide a ‘sing-a-long’ session for the audience.
For the fall show on September 10th, take note that we are honoring First Responders/Front Line Workers who served early in the COVID outbreak. They will receive free tickets to the show and be recognized. If you know of any folks who should be so honored, get their names to Dean Rust or Randall Eliason ASAP. Look for the message from the chapter about submitting photos for this part of the show.
It is important for members to step up their push of ticket sales. YeEd also learned that patrons can buy tickets at the door for the fall show. They are $20. The show starts at 7 pm at Schlesinger Hall. There is plenty of free parking too.
There was a reminder that there will be a digital show program for the fall show, with advertisements. Frank Shipp is collecting the ad materials and the payments.
The chapter’s business meeting was conducted by Randall Eliason who reminded members about the campaign to “pay back what you would have paid in chapter dues.” You can donate by giving a check to Randall or Carl Kauffmann at rehearsal, or by PayPal to Alexandia.Harmonizers@gmail.com. If donating by PayPal, please add a note that it is for the "Replace my Dues" campaign.
Joe lead the clapping for the Harmonizer members who celebrate an August birthday: John Adams, Adam Afifi, Brian Ammerman, Jack Cameron, Anthony Colosimo, Mike Edison, Darryl Flinn, Tom Griffith, Al Hanenbaum, Andrew Havens, Chris Huber, Don Johnson, Jim Kirkland, Chuck McKeever, Bill Sowers, Larry Walker, Bob Wells, and Duncan Woodbury. (Thanks to chapter secretary David DesPortes who prepares the birthday list each month.)
President Noah reported that he had gotten word from Jim Kirkland sharing that Jim’s wife has developed stage 4 cancer. Also Noah reported that Austin Cotton’s widow, Sue, died recently and that a memorial service would be on Sept 4 in Burke. We offer thoughts and support to both families.
Then Noah, with help from Mark Klostermeyer, presented Joe with his own framed chorus photo from Charlotte along with a hearty thank you from the chorus. It was a beautiful piece created by Mark and included the medal.
The afterglow was announced to be at Rampart’s this week after the50/50 drawing (which was won by Chuck Hunter.
As was announced recently, that our chorus has been invited to sing in the evening on Sept. 18th at Wolf Trap with other major choral groups from the DC area. A Wolf Trap promotional brochure calls it a “community powered singing celebration.” The show organizers have asked us to sing “Circle of Life” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water” from our repertoire The organizers expect a crowd of over 8,000 in the audience.
The Harmonizers will share the program with seven other groups: Children’s Chorus of
Washington, Duke Ellington School of the Arts Concert Chorale, Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington and GenOUT, The Heritage Signature Chorale, Towson University Singers, The Washington Chorus, and the Washington Performing Arts Gospel Chorus. All of these singers will perform two numbers as a group – “We Are Love” and “United in Purpose” that are both available on the chapter’s Groupanizer space.
The chorus call at Wolf Trap will be about 12 noon, Harmonizer stage time will be about 2 pm, and the performance is at 5 pm.
According to Joe, each singer will not need to buy a ticket, and will receive two free tickets that will be delivered via email to email addresses the members submit. Singers from 29 other choral groups in the DC area will be invited to be in the audience and will be encouraged to join in group singing during the concert.
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 74th year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. - YeEd)
