Looking Back on the Oct. 10, 2023 Alexandria Hybrid Chapter Meeting
The chapter held a guest night this week – it has been a few years since we had an organized event and the response was great. (YeEd thinks there were about a dozen singing guests – many of them to visit Metro Voices.)
The chapter music team was well prepared and kept the first half of the night flowing with singing, fun and information for the prospective members. Depending on their past experience, many were on the risers for the warm up session with associate Harmonizer director Tony Colosimo. Assistant Metro Voices director, Maggie McAlexander, taught a fun round for all to sing and tried to stump the singers by asking them to sing by riser row. Everyone laughed and all finished at the same time!
Chapter artistic director, Joe Cerutti, welcomed all singers on the very full risers in the auditorium, and introduced the chapter musical leaders to the guests. He invited all the guests to take a seat and the combined ensembles sang “Why We Sing” for them. He explained the evolution of the two ensembles – one in its 75th year and one just a few months old. He shared the goal of the chapter to become a community asset.
Next Metro Voices sang “On the Wayside” and their “Swing – Sing” medley for the guests. Then while the two ensembles changed places on the risers, Tony and Metro Voices director, Samantha Tramack, shared what a performance year looks like for the chapter members – municipal appearances, Veteran events, holiday shows and annual shows, and contests in the barbershop harmony world. In a year, the choruses might learn 4-8 new songs as recommended by a vibrant music committee.
The weekly meeting goes from 7-9:30 most weeks with warm up, some fun, some time to meet other members, time to work on the music that is new and on the music that is being used in a show or concert. The evening ends with an afterglow.
Next the Harmonizers sang “I’m the Music Man” and “New York, New York” for the guests.
Director of the upcoming youth chorus, Tessa Walker, chose a demonstration quartet of Maggie, Samantha, Lance Fisher and David Breen to show what the four-part music is like and to be section leaders for learning the tag of “Keep the Whole World Singing.” At the end we even taught the guests our cheer – It’s Great to Be a Barbershopper!
There was a brief business session while all the singers were in the auditorium, starting with Joe sharing plans for the next week or two: next week, music work will be on a new arrangement of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” for the combined ensembles. Joe also alerted members of some solo opportunities for the show – auditions will be Oct. 24th or singers may submit a recording with the learning track by that date – to recordings@harmonizers.org.
Josh Myers has arranged a Dreidel song for a small group to sing. Interested members should let Tony know of their interest.
Communications director, Steve Murane, coordinated the rest of the business meeting. Next week is the annual meeting of the chapter and the election of the board of directors at 7 pm at Scottish Rite Temple. The nominating committee has selected three new members to fill at-large seats on the board: Mary Cooper, from Metro Voices; Charlyne “Chuck” Miller from Metro Voices; and Michael Berkson from the Harmonizers.
The slate will be comprised of the three new at-large candidates identified above, plus the following members who will be nominated for re-election: Noah Van Gilder, from the Harmonizers – President; Carolyn Griffin, from the community - Vice President; Terry Reynolds, from the Harmonizers – Treasurer; Cy Shuster, from the Harmonizers – Secretary; Turner Arndt, from the Harmonizers - Member At-Large; and Dave Kohls, from the community - Member At-Large
Devin Gerzof and John Greene will be retiring as member-at-large board members. The members of the nominating committee are Brad Jones, Ken Rub, and Sheryl Berlin. Chapter members should make every effort to attend the meeting on October 17 to ensure that we have a quorum.
For the Oct. 24 meeting, the chapter will try out a possible new meeting space in Alexandria. Stay tuned for details.
Then on Oct. 31, Halloween, the chapter will take a break and gather in Old Town to sing for folks there that evening, and then stay downtown for some social time.
Membership director, Jacob Broude, also welcomed the many guests and announced that two new singers have passed auditions for Metro Voices – Leah Musico and Masha Ansel; and that Tom Keeping has passed his audition for the Harmonizers. It was great to see former active Harmonizers, Gary Mankin and Rick Wagner, in the hall this week. Terry Reynolds directed the chapter “Welcome Song.”
The two ensembles worked on their holiday music and all guests were invited to sing with them using guest books provided. Metro Voices worked on “Winter Wonderland” and “Sing We Noel.” Harmonizers worked on their new arrangement of “Believe” plus “Let All Mortal Flesh,” “Let It Snow,” and “Mr. Grinch.”
The Harmonizers have an a cappella fellowship event on Wed. Oct 11 at Alfred Street Baptist Church with the Men’s Gospel Choir – call time is 6:30 pm for the 7 pm start. The chorus will sing “I’m the Music Man,” “Calling Dreams,” and “New York, New York.” The church is at 301 South Alfred Street in Alexandria. There is a social time after all the singing.
Daniel Huitt, a guest this week, directed “Keep the Whole World Singing” to end the evening before a large crowd headed over to the Harmo House for the afterglow.
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 75th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)
The Chapter Mission Statement Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.
