Looking Back on the June 30-July 7, 2024 Alexandria Chapter Time at the BHS International Convention in Cleveland, OH 

The Alexandria A Cappella Collective (AACC) had a great week at the 2024 Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) International Contest and Convention in Cleveland, OH. Many members of the chapter traveled on Monday, July 1 in order to be there for the major contests and events that kicked off on Tuesday.

There were sixty quartets in the quarterfinals round of the quartet contest with five quartets that had AACC members: WILDFIRE with Kevin Mendez; FIRST TAKE with Anthony Colosimo and Andrew Havens; SWEET & SOUR with Samantha Tramack and Mert Tramack; PRAXIS with Lance Fisher and David Breen; and MIXTAPE with Cy Wood. Three of our quartets made it into the semifinals round: FIRST TAKE, SWEET & SOUR, and PRAXIS. 

When the results were called out on Saturday night after the finals quartet round, FIRST TAKE had earned the second place silver medal from among the top ten finalists. Their total score for the three rounds was 6,688 points with a 92.9 average. Their performances were so classy and solid all week, always drawing their audience into their music.  For the finals round, they changed things for their final song and had a ton of fun singing, “No One Sings Higher Than Me,” and making the audience laugh (and taking a few digs at the judges and how a quartet can get a 100 points for a song  –Tony actually did a pratfall onto the stage floor!). 

The first place gold medalist quartet was “Three and a Half Men” that includes Tony DeRosa who has often coached the Harmonizer chorus and is a friend of many members of the chapter. Their score was 6,795 points with a 94.4 average. Third place quartet was GIMME FOUR from Mid Atlantic District (M-AD) that has helped with Harmonizer youth camp over the years. Fourth was THE LADIES which includes Kim Newcomb who coached Metro Voices, fifth was THE NEWFANGLED FOUR. There were two other M-AD quartets in the top ten – eighth was SECRET BEST FRIENDS (bass Will Daniel Simmons sang in the front row of our chorus before college), and ninth was SMOKE RING who sang at the chapter’s fundraising gala this year. 

For the chapter record, SWEET & SOUR placed 16^th, PRAXIS placed 20^th, MIXTAPE placed 22^nd and WILDFIRE placed 24^th. 

The two ensembles that currently comprise AACC had a very successful week as well as the chapter quartets.

Metro Voices was one of the eight groups competing in the International Chorus Festival and earned a Superior rating (score 80.3) and was named champion of this event. A great accomplishment! The ensemble is directed by Samantha Tramack, with assistant director Maggie McAlexander. 

They sang “After You, Who?” arranged by Carole Prietto, and “It Don’t Mean a Thing” arranged by Bev Sellers.  For their initial appearance at an International contest, there were fifteen singers on the risers: Becca Williams, Cadence Flaherty, Mireille Kouagan, Jeanne Hillinck, Lenna Jawdat, Tessa Walker, Heidi Krukowski, Patricia Chow, Elizabeth Cosh, Leah Musico, Maggie McAlexander, Sheryl Berlin, Sophie Clarke, Ashley Merryman, with Samantha Tramack as director. 

Metro Voices met a couple times early in the week for rehearsals and then on Thursday they started the day with warm ups conducted by Tessa Walker.  Their coach, Renee Tramack, met with them too. When it was time to depart for their 12 noon stage time, the Harmonizers formed a tunnel outside the rehearsal room for them to all walk through with high-fives and cheers. Everyone was wearing their new AACC t-shirt too. 

The chorus festival was in a large ballroom in the headquarters hotel. The hall was full when the Harmonizers arrived to clap and scream and cheer for them, and Metro Voices  hit a home run with their great singing and performance flair. 

Harmonizer rehearsals started on Wednesday, July 3.  President Noah Van Gilder welcomed everyone to join in the excitement of the week.  The chapter’s convention host, LeAnn Snyder, met us and give us details about the contest venue and plans for the week as a representative of the convention host committee. M-AD president, Steve Kirsch, stopped by and presented a monetary gift to the chapter from the district to help with expenses of both ensembles to represent M-AD at the convention. Chapter volunteer, Kathy Kauffmann, presented a token of encouragement to each member of the two AACC ensembles to carry in their pockets on stage to feel the support of the whole chapter family. 

Thanks to Gary Cregan and Cy Shuster for driving the Harmo truck to Cleveland and for coordinating the large crews of volunteers from the AACC ranks for getting risers and sound set up in Room 25. 

The Harmonizer contest package consisted of “The World Goes Round” arranged by Kevin Keller, and “Lullaby of Broadway” arranged by David Wright. Prior to this first rehearsal, the front row worked with choreography coach Cy Wood.  The wonderful choreography created by Cy was led by the front row which included front row captain Bruce Roehm, Ken Rub, Randal Eliason, Matt Ambler, Chad Ross, Terry Reynolds, Reed Livergood, Jacob Broude, Craig Kujawa, and Matthew Zorgoski who joined the front row coming from the 17^th Street Dance group of the Washington, DC Gay Men’s Chorus. Chapter choreo coach was Turner Arndt.

Both David Wright and Kevin Keller stopped in for a few remarks as did long-time coach, Cindy Hansen Ellis. Then Kevin and Cy each took a chunk of time to work with the whole ensemble. 

 

 

 

 

For the Thursday practice, the Harmonizers went back to their rehearsal room after cheering for Metro Voices.  Jason Lee did the warm up session for the chorus. David McEachern came to coach and added touch up points to the performance plan for the package. 

Friday morning’s 8:30 am rehearsal start time meant that Harmonizers got their breakfasts and brought their contest attire (black or gray suits and ties) to the Room 25 space that was used by both ensembles all week. The special trio of Tessa Walker, Maggie McAlexander and Samantha Tramack was already there with makeup and hair stylist friends from M-AD, Christi Willett and Meredith Glemboski, helping the trio get into their attire to fit the theme of the package. 

There was the traditional bandana check Friday morning for members of the Class of 2024 which included Mert Tramack, EJ Harold, Mark Oswald, Jimmy Miotto, William Vesilind, Ker Medero, Charley Rothermel, Jared Liscinsky, Kevin Mendez, Matthew Zagorski, Mireille Kouagou, Ashley Merryman, Dana Richardson, Leah Musico, Marsha Ansel, Catherine LaValley, Callie Cirillo, and Hannah Nesich. (Only those names in bold type competed in Cleveland.) This year’s blue bandana featured the new AACC logo. 

 

Associate director Tony Colosimo did the beginning warm up session followed by Jason Lee to finish preparing the chorus to sing. It was at this point that word came that fellow singer, Chuck Powell, was ill and not likely able to go on stage. (He did in fact improve in his room and was able to drive home safely.) 

 

About 9:30 am, all singers left the risers for the annual “building of a chorus by the year they first sang at International” starting with the Class of 1958 and ending with the Class of 2024 – honoring our past and celebrating our future!

 

The Harmonizers sang nineth in the first chorus contest session Friday.  They walked to the Cleveland Public Auditorium through tunnels and walkways to get to the stage.  They came onto the stage amidst huge cheers and applause from Metro Voices, lots of other M-AD members, and the general barbershop audience who know the Harmonizers would be a great presentation. Greg Tepe represented the chapter backstage for lighting cues. 

 

Great singing and movements including a special surprise appearance in the uptune of a treble trio – Maggie McAlexander, Tessa Walker and Samantha Tramack – who danced with the front row and sang several parts of the song with bass background. It was a fantastic special number with three gold medalist quartet singers!

 

The chorus received standing ovations for both songs and left the audience talking about a terrific performance.

 

There were two more chorus contest sessions – one Friday evening and one Saturday morning.  The results were announced at the end of the Saturday session and the Harmonizers were honored to have earned a fifth place medal with a score of 2,158 point with an average of 89.9. The Harmonizer fans erupted with wild cheering and applause.

 

As soon as everyone could get back to the chapter’s rehearsal room, there was the traditional ceremony to give each singer a medal.  Terry Reynolds called each singer’s name, and chorus manager for the week, Mark Klostermeyer, handed a medal to Joe to give to each man – after a big bear hug and congrats.

 

The first place chorus was The Westminster Chorus; second was Heralds of Harmony, third was Gotham from M-AD; and fourth was Parkside Harmony from M-AD. 

 

There were singers from the Harmonizer family in several of the other choruses too.  As risky as it is to try to report all of them, YeEd and his reporter team will try (sorry if we didn’t see someone on stage): Lynn Hineman with Heralds of Harmony; Lou Bergner with Harbourtown Sound and with Toronto Northern Lights; Donell Torres with The Recruits, with the Next Gen Mic Tester Chorus, and with the Ambassadors of Harmony for their swan song as last year’s chorus champs; Adele Jones, Brad’s wife, with the Dream Chorus directed by Greg Clancy; Erin Odell who directed the Visions of Harmony treble chorus from St. Charles, MO; TJ Donehue and Johan Westberg with Sound of the Rockies; Rich Payton with Space City; Chris Yates, Sean Devine, Jay Butterfield, and Fred Womer with Parkside Harmony; Rasmus Kingstrum with the AIC chorus; and Dan Cook and Jim Mathis with  Ambassadors swan song performance. 

 

Several members of the Harmonizer family were judges during the convention: Alan Lamson and Steve Tramack for the quartets and choruses; David Wright, Mo Field and Matt Fellows for the Next Generation Quartet contest; and Cy Wood for the Comedy Quartet Festival and the Chorus Festival.  Our M-AD friends, THE QUIN-TONES, placed seventh in the Next Gen contest; and M-AD friends, MADHATTEN, earned a Superior rating in the Comedy Quartet Festival with former Harmonizer, Spencer Wight, as their baritone. Donell Torres was tenor in the first place Next Gen quartet TOFU CONCERN. 

 

On the administrative side of things, there were several from the Harmonizer family who had extra duties. John Santora, BHS president, welcomed attendees at the first session. Kevin Keller was presenter for the quartet semifinals session and was elected president of BHS during the Monday BHS Board meeting. He will take office in January. Bill Colosimo served as nominating committee chairman for the BHS board, but he was on travel that day from Europe and so he asked Terry Reynolds, who is a member of the leadership development committee for BHS,  to fill in for him.  

 

Rick Taylor worked all week as a staffer for Harmony Foundation International. Chris Buechler and Steve Tramackattended Society Contest and Judging Committee meetings Sunday and Monday – Steve will become the next chairman of that committee.  

 

Joe Cerutti directed the US National Anthem at the session on July 4; was host for the Saturday evening Live Steam event; presented the awards for the Next Gen contest; and on Saturday he was name 2024 recipient of the Joe Liles Lifetime Achievement Award. The audience responded joyously and loudly with plenty of noise from all the AACC family present.

 

In his remarks of appreciation, he shared what an honor it was to be considered with the name of a hero to many - a leader of barbershoppers - Joe Liles.  “I am confident that my contributions would never have amounted to anything significant if the Alexandria Harmonizers hadn’t taken an enormous and life-altering risk hiring a 25-year old music educator 17 and a half years ago.” 

 

“And if I’ve done anything worthy of recognition in this organization, it is with deepest gratitude to my so-called right and left hands, my partners in harmony, Anthony Colosimo and Terry Reynolds.” Joe also acknowledged his pride of the AACC and expressed hope that the BHS would never lose sight of the true essence of the art form and its community – the amateur singers and the countless volunteers that make things run. 

 

All during the week YeEd and reporters (Dixie Kennett and several Harmonizer members) spotted current and former members of the  Harmonizer family at the convention (here again it is likely we missed someone – but it is still amazing how many of the Harmonizer family attended): Joe Kane, David Wilt, Jim Gammon, Glenn Williamson, Ken Ives, Keith Jones, Craig Odell, Mike Wallen, Bob Hirsh, Don Harrington, Eric Wallen, Lew Klinge, John Knight, Michael Gilmore, Ray Yeh, Richard Lewellen, Joe Wagovich, John Sifuentes, Drew Fuller, Frank Fedarko, Jim Kirkland, Tony LaRosa, Norbert Hammes from BING, and John Rettenmeyer.

 

AACC contest coordinator, Craig Kujawa, had helped make arrangements for the chapter months before and he helped members get housing, and kept them informed as to plans, times and schedules. 

 

The chapter music team gets much credit for helping the two ensembles prepare for their appearances with extra work, private sessions, learning materials, and passing along tips about performing from those who have gone before. The team certainly starts with artistic director, Joe Cerutti, and Samantha Tramack, Tony Colosimo, Maggie McAlexander, Terry Reynolds. Add to that the hard working section leaders: for Metro Voices – Elizabeth Cosh, tenors; Sophie Clarke, leads; Sheryl Berlin, baritones; Leah Musico, basses; for Harmonizers – Randy Lazear, tenors; Ben Watsky and Lance Fisher, leads; Jason Lee, baritones; David Breen, basses; Turner Arndt, stage presence leader. 

 

In addition to all the members in Cleveland, there were many family members present. Some took advantage of the things to see and do in the convention city such as the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, a stroll along Lake Erie that was just outside the headquarters hotel, and to take in a ballgame with the Cleveland Guardians vs. the Giants on Friday evening (just after the rain stopped). The AACC crowd kept track of things and each other all week via Slack to include a report on Sunday of family visits to Cedar Point for a famous roller coaster experience.

 

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

 

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