Looking Back on the June 20, 2023 Alexandria 75^th Anniversary Celebration

The Alexandria Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society was charted on June 19, 1948.

 

The chapter celebrated it’s 75^th anniversary on Tuesday, June 20, 2023 at the current meeting place, the Scottish Rite Temple (SRT) on Braddock Road in Alexandria, VA.

 

Just over 200 attended the event which included appearances by the current Harmonizer chorus and the new Metro Voices chorus that make up the chapter today.

 

Besides the singers and family members, many of the guests were former members or inactive members who had gotten an invite or heard about the celebration that started at 7 pm with exhibits in the lobby. These were organized by the chapter’s history committee and included five of our past chorus uniforms (one was the smoking jacket from the 1998 gold medal performance, and one was the often-talked about yellow suit with green piping from the 1978 fourth place performance); the signed charter from 1948; the recent proclamation by Alexandria City Council; miscellaneous photos; and the four trophies earned with the four gold medal performances of the Harmonizers.  History committee chair Don Harrington set up the displays which also included a great poster board display summarizing highlights of the chapter history prepared by historian emeritus Martin Banks.  The assorted photos were from Steve White’scollection.

 

Membership director Jacob Broude welcomed the many guests and offered nametags.  Former members and other chapter alumni invitations were send as a byproduct of work by the 75^th anniversary committee to update our records of former members, headed by general manager Susan Fitzpatrick.

 

While the guests visited in the lobby, the chorus ensembles did their vocal warm-ups in another area at SRT. By the 7:30 start time, everyone was assembled in the auditorium.  Artistic director Joe Cerutti gave the official welcome to members and guests present, and those attending via Zoom.  A printed celebration program was for everyone. 

 

Joe welcomed several important guest speakers via Zoom starting with Marty Monson, CEO of the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) who spoke from headquarters in Nashville.  He acknowledged the chapter’s many examples of breaking new ground and in setting an example for other chapters regarding community outreach. He also reminded everyone that this chapter milestone was achieved by all the 1,000 or more men who have ever been members. He extended a thank you from barbershoppers around the world for setting such high standards!

 

The next speaker was Geri Geis via Zoom from her home in Florida.  She shared stories of how the chorus members responded with love and respect as she encouraged them to perform their music so “it looked like it sounded.” Much of her remarks saluted her team-mate during the many years, Scott Werner, who was director.

 

Scott, speaking from his home also in Florida via Zoom, paid tribute to the men on the risers who worked so hard to improve; and he included in that tribute the great work of fellow directors and section leaders. In the peak years of the “gold medal competition years” the chorus was over 120 men on the risers. 

 

Richard Lewellen was named director of the Harmonizer chorus when Scott retired to Florida. He too spoke via Zoom and recalled the great contest package of “Summertime” and “Lazy Bones” – including how the singers got into the scenario by getting muddy and wet as if it were really summer. He recognized the poise and professionalism of the chapter members during the years he was at the helm.

 

Randall Eliason, chapter executive director, was emcee for the program and welcomed remarks from the Mid Atlantic District (M-AD) president Steve Kirsch followed by remarks from BHS president and fellow Harmonizer, John Santora.

 

Members of the Washington, DC, Chapter of the BHS were invited to stand and be recognized as representatives of their chapter that was the sponsoring Society chapter to get the Alexandria Chapter started.

 

Joe directed the Harmonizers in a performance of “Wee Small Hours of the Morning”/“Always” and he shared with all attendees that the chorus will sing this ballad along with a long-time favorite “New York, New York” on the 75^thanniversary show Sept. 9, 2023, at Schlesinger Hall.  He also announced that guest quartets for that show will be MAX Q – 2007 BHS quartet champs, and RINGMASTERS – 2012 champs.

 

Two members were invited to offer personal remarks.  Jack Pitzer, a 56-year member, shared stories from behind-the-scenes during his years including the famous cheese sales efforts, the start of the chapter presidents’ ball, and a tribute to the founders that some members actually sang with on the risers.

 

Mike Wallen, currently director of the Richmond, VA, Chapter and who was the first associate director of the chorus, spoke too. One major part of his remarks was the story about the chorus singing for Perry Como and Ray Charles at the Kennedy Center Honors show. After his remarks, Joe invited Mike to direct a riser full of current and former members who gathered to sing “Sweet and Lovely” and the beloved Harmonizer gold-medal contest ballad, “I’ll Be Seeing You.”

 

Joe took a few minutes to share expansion plans for the chapter beginning with this year’s addition of Metro Voices, and then following that with the formation of a seasonal youth chorus, Capital Force, beginning in September 2023.  In 2024, the goal is to form a daytime chorus. All of these ensembles will be part of the Alexandria Chapter. The future of the chapter will focus on offering opportunities for everyone to sing.

 

Then Joe invited the new Metro Voices ensemble to the risers to sing “It Don’t Mean a Thing” directed by Tessa Walker. 

 

Next the chapter presented six special Diamond Awards for dedicated service and forward-thinking vision that brought the chapter to this milestone anniversary year. These recipients helped bring change and growth to a great chorus and the chapter.

 

Chapter president Noah Van Gilder presented the large diamond-shaped awards to Jack Pitzer, Terry Reynolds, Ken Fess, Randall Eliason, Liz Birnbaum and Joe Cerutti. The candidates for these unique awards were named by the 75^th anniversary committee and finalists elected by a nominating team.  Bruce Reahm and Alan Wile worked to get the awards prepared and helped with the presentation.

 

The Harmonizers and Metro Voices then sang “Why We Sing” - the lyrics from Greg Gilpin and the arrangement by David Wright highlight why 75 years of chapter harmony and family fellowship exist still today.

 

At this point, all guests moved to the cafeteria at SRT for more fellowship.  Noah read the proclamation naming June as Harmonizer Anniversary Month that was issued by the Alexandria City Council a couple weeks earlier when the mayor signed it. The Harmonizers and Metro Voices sang “Why We Sing” for that occasion too.

 

All the guests were seated at decorated tables which included yummy cupcakes decorated with music eighty notes, waters and candies and 75^th anniversary buttons. In the center of the table were copies of “A History to Celebrate the Harmonizers’ 75^th Year.” The four-color printed history booklet was prepared by Jack Pitzer with a team of other members and editors. It will be made available electronically soon.

 

A ceremonial cake cutting with longest active member, Jack; and newest active member, Alex Pierce of Metro Voices, doing the honors to serve the delicious cake with the 75^th anniversary logo on the icing. 

 

The finale of the night was a great appearance by BETTER TOGETHER quartet with Elizabeth and Tony Colosimo and Heather and Andrew Havens.

 

Thank you tributes for the party included a great round of cheers for Kathy and Carl Kauffmann who planned and orchestrated the celebration. They were helped by Kitty and Frank Fedarko and Rob Barnovsky for set up; Ike Evans as photographer; Mike Kelly for the collection of historical audio visuals on screens during the gathering time; and Mike and Dennis Ritchey for their AV expertise getting sound, Zoom connections and video projections in both the auditorium and cafeteria.  The speakers were thanked and presented certificates of appreciation created by chapter general manager, Susan Fitzpatrick. 

 

There was a thank you to the chapter’s history committee for their work behind the scenes and for the lobby displays: chairman Don Harrington, chapter historian; Martin Banks, historian emeritus who produced Throwback Thursday history pieces via Facebook during the months prior; Jack Pitzer; David Welter; Howard Nestlerode; Ike Evans; John Sifuentes; Bob Blair; Bob Rhome; Kaj Vaisanen – summer intern; and Gary Cregan, chapter operations director.

 

Finally a thank you to the overall 75^th anniversary committee: Steve White, chairman; Randall Eliason; Mick Stamps; Jack Pitzer; Joe Cerutti; Susan Fitzpatrick; and Bruce Roehm. This committee met almost weekly in the months leading up to the June 20 party. Steve Murane worked with the committee to promote the anniversary in BHS and local media.

 

The 75^th anniversary celebration will continue at the September 9 show.

 

An afterglow at the Harmo House was the wrap up of the event.

 

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

 

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