Looking Back on the April 16 , 2024 Alexandria Hybrid Chapter Meeting
The Alexandria A Cappella Collective (AACC) ensembles met in two different churches this week that are across the street from each other. Metro Voices met in room 308 in the Fairlington United Methodist Church at 3900 King Street, and the Harmonizers met in the Upper Fellowship Hall at the Fairlington Presbyterian Church at 3816 King Street. (The chapter does not meet at AlexRenew on the third Tuesday of the month.).
The Harmonizer rehearsal used risers for the choreography coaching session with Cy Wood. All the members were enlisted to get the risers up to the meeting space.
Metro Voices worked on their current repertoire at the Methodist church where the Christmas show was held. They had a fun ice breaker activity and auditioned a new member. Several of their members came over to watch the final minutes of the Harmonizer choreo work.
For the Harmonizers session, artistic director Joe Cerutti welcomed Cy and introduced him to the many new members on the risers. Since the coaching was to be done using the learning tracks, there was not a warm up session this week.
Cy jumped right into the work and by 9 pm had taught the plan for “Lullaby” and the chorus was able to run thru it several times and even sang it with the moves. After Cy finished teaching the plan, Joe helped the chorus sing and perform the new plan. There was a lot of excitement to see the finale of the song with the front row. They had an extra work session earlier in the week with Cy, and worked on their own during the first hour or so of the meeting in another room in the church. It will be fantastic!
There was a business meeting and a small break midway in the evening. (It has been a while since the chorus stood most of the night for rehearsal!)
Joe reminded the singers of the songs to be sung for the Northeastern District (NED) trip May 3-4-5 in Lake George, NY. The songs to be sung by both ensembles will be “Defying Gravity,” “Why We Sing,” “First Hello” and “Down Our Way.” Metro Voices will sing “Fight Song,” “Happy Together,” and “Sing/Swing.” The Harmonizers will sing “New York, New York,” “Calling Dreams,” “Impossible Dream” with FIRST TAKE (who will be with us for the weekend and competing in the International prelims at NED), “Hey Jude,” and “Wee Small Hours.” Note that they will not be singing “Sit Down You’re Rockin the Boat.”
The chapter will meet at AlexRenew the next four weeks including the April 23, Metro Voices coaching session with Kim Newcomb at AlexRenew.
Stan Quick, executive director, reminded members of the deadline to sign up and make a deposit for the Ireland trip in August 2025. Brad Jones is coordinator for this trip and can answer any questions members have about it.
Stan also asked members to check the signup sheets for the NED trip – especially to confirm bus plans of attendees.
The next big fundraising event will be spring2ACTion on Wednesday, April 24. It is our largest fundraising event as we participate in an Alexandria program for not-for-profit arts groups. The goal is $35,000 – not including matching gifts. Members will be asked to set their goal and use the spring2ACTion materials to solicit donations to help raise their personal goal. A typical personal goal would be $350. If some members or their contacts want to invest at the $500, $1,000 or more level, make contact with Ken Rub, development director, so he can discuss the plan for matching gifts. Much info about spring2ACTion is on SLACK.
In the evening on April 24, the chapter will have a cabaret night at The Bike Club in Old Town. Members of the chapter will perform during the evening as the results of the fundraiser come pouring in. Tickets are free but should be gotten online.
Michael Berkson updated the chorus on Sam McFarland’s current health status and invited members to help get Samto chapter meetings from his home. He does not drive now.
Chapter membership director, Jacob Broude, welcomed Jim Friel and the members sang the traditional “Welcome Song.”
About 9:45 pm Joe invited the guests and members to come to the Harmo House for an afterglow, took a count for pizza, and invited Cy to direct “Keep the Whole World Singing.” Joe’s final comment to the chorus was to please bring their music and something to write with in order to take notes about musical matters and visual matters, and to spend a few minutes every day on the new choreo.
News from outside the chapter meeting includes results from the Northern Division contest and International quartet preliminary contest for the Mid-Atlantic District (M-AD), April 5-6. Lance Fisher and David Breen sang with their quartet, PRAXIS, and were named Northern Division quartet champs and also qualified to go to the contest in Cleveland this summer. They sang two songs arranged by Lance. SMOKE RING quartet that sang at our recent gala, also qualified to go to the International along with four other quartets in that contest. Rick Taylor sang with LEGACY at the contest and made the finals on Saturday night too. Joe Cerutti was a music judge for the contest.
Also over the weekend at the Johnny Appleseed District contest, Michael Gilmore sang bass in CROSSTOWN that was named district senior quartet champ, and Cy Wood sang in MIXED TAPE quartet that qualified to go to the Cleveland convention in July.
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.
