Looking Back on the May 23, 2023 Alexandria Hybrid Chapter Meeting
The Alexandria Chapter meeting this week for the Harmonizers and Metro Voices was a busy one with a good number of singers present. Associate director of the Harmonizers, Tony Colosimo, conducted the warm up session for the combined ensembles in the auditorium on the risers.
Artistic director Joe Cerutti was just off the plane from Germany where he was a judge for Barbershop in Germany (BinG) contest. He was happy to welcome Dave Ermlick and Adam Afifi back to the risers.
Joe prompted the chapter members to get the free tickets for the sing-along on Sunday, May 28, 3-5 pm at The Bike Club in Old Town – 99 Canal Center Plaza #110. Dean Rust has also organized a tribute event to honor veterans at that event. A group of Harmonizers will sing “Armed Forces Medley” to recognize our special guests. The sing-along will be hosted by Mo and Amelia with lots of Beatles songs. Mo Field was a coach for the chapter a few years ago.
He also added another major event to the chapter’s schedule – the Mid Atlantic District (M-AD) fall contest and convention will be the weekend of Sept. 29-30 in York, PA. Both ensembles will compete there. Members should add these dates to their calendar and stay tuned for more details.
Joe encouraged participation in the annual Put Together Quartet contest which will be next Tuesday night, May 30, at SRT – he even offered to sing with any contestants that need a fourth. Quartets are encouraged to form and prepare a traditional song, a comedy number or even a tag. Guest judges will choose winners that will be given trophies! Registered quartet singers can compete but have to sing a different part in this contest. Tyler Carpenter is coordinator and he offers to “put together” a quartet for anyone who wants to sing but does not have a quartet yet. Singers from both ensembles are encouraged to enter this fun chapter contest. (Word leaked out that Metro Voices will have several entries!).
Finally Joe lead the applause to recognize May birthdays in the chapter for Jorge Acevedo-Gierbolini, Scott Beach, Geoff Berman, Vinny Capaccio, Will Cox, Mike Geipel, Mark Klostermeyer, Nick Murane, Craig Odell, David Reyno, Bob Rhome, Zak Sandler, Tessa Walker, Johan Westberg, Doug White, and several Metro Voices singers.
Both ensembles worked on “Why We Sing” to start the night. (Joe thanked Brian Ammerman for serving as the “pitchman” for the chorus. After a while, riser ready singers stayed on the risers and all others sang from their seats in the auditorium. Everyone was encouraged to take notes on their music during this work session. Singers returned to the risers with a chance to self-record in order to seek comments from music team leaders.
Communications director Steve Murane hosted the chapter’s business session. Sheryl Berlin, chapter education director and dean of the M-AD Harmony College East, encouraged singers to attend the event the weekend after our retreat back up at McDaniel College.
President Noah Van Gilder also announced that the chapter will present the annual awards at the May 30th meeting. He also announced that our COVID committee will stand down and the chapter will end vaccine requirements for attendance, but they do encourage members to stay home if they are sick for any reason. Noah thanked the committee chaired by Jason Lee for their dedicated service. The chapter members responded with their applause as thanks.
Steve reminded attendees to sign up by June 1 to attend the 75th anniversary party on Tuesday, June 20 at SRT. This special evening will include some singing by the chapter; remarks from several special guests from the BHS; displays created by the chapter’s history team; special Diamond Honor Awards presented to just a few members who have provided exceptional services to the chapter over the years; a video history to enjoy; plus refreshments and an anniversary cake cutting ceremony and entertainment from BETTER TOGETHER. Carl and Cathy Kauffmann have organized the event on behalf of the 75th anniversary committee.
Steve reminded members that they should pay their fee for the chapter retreat by 8 pm on May 30. The annual chorus retreat is June 9-11 at McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. Both ensembles will attend. Housing will be in campus space and the retreat will be in the student building where the meals will be served and where the Saturday night party will be held. There are options to commute too.Craig Kujawa, contest director, is coordinator. (See the May 21stRetreat Newsletter from Craig about how to request rooming groups and learn of other details.) Coaches for this year’s retreat will be David McEachern from Toronto, and Rick Spencer from Nashville. Arrival is Friday evening and departure is Sunday noon.
Membership director Jacob Broude welcomed returning guests James McCament, Lenna Jawdat, Kevin Mendez and Jamie Patricia. First time guests were Ali and Haya who heard us last week when we sang in Old Town. Terry Reynolds directed the chapter “Welcome Song.”
At this point the Metro Voices adjourned to the cafeteria to work on their songs.
The Harmonizers remained in the auditorium and before they worked on their songs, Jacob welcome two new members – tenor Edgar Blancas and bari John Taber. Each was given his new Harmo black camp shirt.
Song work began with “Sit Down You’re Rockin the Boat’ and then on the new song “Calling Dreams” with duets of bass and bari, and lead and tenor before full chorus.
The singing part of the evening ended with “I’m the Music Man.” Terry alerted singers that the next new song will be “San Francisco” and it is already on Groupanizer.
Joe took a count for afterglow pizza, and directed “Keep the Whole World Singing” after Dennis Ritchey won the 50/50 drawing!
In other chapter news: the interment of Royal Geis at Arlington Cemetery will be on June 12 at 1 pm. The Harmonizers will sing “I’ll Walk With God’ and “I’ll Be Seeing You.”
Chapter leaders received word that cremains of Terry Jordan were recently placed at the burial location with his widow, Ginger, in his beloved Dunbar, West Virginia, by family members.
The chapter meeting on Tuesday, June 13, will begin at Alexandria City Hall with both ensembles singing for the City Council at 7 pm in their chamber. The mayor will recognize the chapter’s 75th anniversary. Following that performance, the chapter will reconvene at SRT.
On July 1, there will be a chorus sing with the HEAVY MEDAL chorus, our Barbershop in Germany (BinG) guests. Their members will stay in the homes of our chapter members. The performance will be at the George Washington Masonic Memorial. The BinG chorus in on its way to the International BHS convention in Louisville the next week.
On Saturday, May 20, operations director Gary Cregan, with help from Randall Eliason, Terry Reynolds, Kaj Vaisanen, Stan Quick, Dean Rust and Jack Pitzer loaded the Harmo truck to move chapter equipment, holiday decorations and uniforms from a Woodbridge storage space to a new unit on South Picket St. in Alexandria, VA.
Birthday celebrations continued at the afterglow in the Harmo House. There were several guests there to meet other members.
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 Chapter. - YeEd)
The Chapter Mission Statement Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.
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