Looking Back on the March 24-25, 2023 Alexandria Chapter Members’ Involvement at Southern Division

 Looking Back on the March 24-25, 2023 Alexandria Chapter Members’ Involvement at Southern Division

There were many Alexandria Chapter members and former members at the combined Southern and Central Division contest this past weekend in York, PA. There was also an International quartet preliminary contest held concurrently in which quartets could earn a score to compete in Louisville this summer in the International quartet contest. A total of 31 quartets sang and 13 choruses.

A number of quartets had singers who are current or former Harmonizers on stage. PRAXIS with Lance Fisher andDavid Breen placed 5^th and will go to Louisville in July.  Five other quartets from this contests weekend will go to the International.  Possibly some other quartets from the second prelims in M-AD which is in PA April 14-15 at the time of the Northern Division contest will also qualify. 

BREAKTHROUGH with Mike Fasano, Jordan Zimmerman, Jason Lee and Ken White was eighth overall. The quartet was also second place in the Southern Division contest.

BETTER TOGETHER with Elizabeth and Tony Colosimo and Heather and Andrew Havens was listed in 11^th place and was Southern Division champs. The quartet did not compete in the prelims scoring this weekend because Tony andAndrew will compete at a prelims in the NED and hope to  go to Louisville in FIRST TAKE. Thus BETTER TOGETHER did not sing in the top ten and was listed as 11^th. (A great moment happened when the quartet was given their medals - their kids came up on stage with their parents! Some in arm and some following dad up the steps to the stage.)

BREAKAST BLEND with our Harmonizer guys from Richmond, Mike Geipel, Scott Beach and Vinny Capaccio, was 18^th. SILVER ALERT with Kris Zinkievich, Kevin McKenzie, Mike Edison, and Steve Murane was 19^thoverall and competed for recognition as a Seniors quartet from M-AD.

BAYSIDE HARMONY with Tim Buell as lead was 21^st. ODD MAN OUT with Krissi Folsom, Casey Belzer andSamantha Whiteoak was 25^th and was named Southern Division Novice Champs. THE ELDERLY BROTHERS with Mike Wallen was 26^th

Other former members on stage:  Will Daniel Simmons sang bass with SECRET BEST FRIENDS that placed 4^th and Ed Schubel sang lead with PRATT STREET POWER that placed 3^rd. 

The Harmonizer chorus did not compete at this event, but a number of former or current members were on stage during the chorus contest on Saturday. Mike Wallen directed Richmond with Clark Chesser, Mike Greipel, Scott Beach, Vinny Capaccio, and Jim McConnell on the risers. Their chorus was named Southern Division Champs.

Kris Zinkievich directed Heart of Maryland, Patapsco Valley, Chorus with John Santora and Tim Buell on the risers. This chorus was third in the Southern Division contest.

Frank Shipp and Bob Arbetter sang with the Old Dominion Chorus that placed second in the Southern Division contest. 

Al Hanenbaum sang with the DC Chorus. Bob Mattes, Bob Hirsh, and Rick Taylor sang with the Dundalk Chorus. 

Rick Taylor sang in the mic testing quartet for the contest with TAYLOR MADE. Sean Devine and Chris Yates sang with Hershey on the Saturday night show. 

Alan Lamson was administrative judge for the contest with a couple familiar names  including Kevin Keller, Steve Delehanty, and Tim Waurick. 

Several of our members helped back stage too including Dennis Ritchie, Brian Ammerman, Mike Kelly,  and Ken Rub. And some members were there to cheer on our quartets including Bob Eckman, Alan Wile, Jack Pitzer, Bill Colosimo, and Steve White. Former members Joe Eckert and Fred Womer were there too.

District leaders did a good job in moving the contest to a middle school to keep the costs down. The contest venue was pretty good. The hotels were all located near each other and the headquarters hotel was convenient. President Steve Kirsch was emcee for the Saturday night events.

 

For those interested, the five quartets going to Louisville from this contest include GQ, GIMME FOUR, PRATT STREET POWER, SECRET BEST FRIENDS, PRAXIS and RULE #1.

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 74^th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)

 

The Chapter Mission Statement Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.