Looking Back on the Oct. 29, 2024 Alexandria Hybrid Chapter Meeting
The Alexandria A Capella Collective meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 29 was back at AlexRenew. Again there were a couple other events this past week to report including a paid show on Sunday, Oct. 27; and a fun tag singing event on Saturday, Oct. 26.
About 50 members of the AACC traveled individually to Gaithersburg, MD, to perform at Asbury Methodist Village, a large gated retirement community that the Harmonizers had visited before (most recently 2017 or 2018). The performance was part of a series of arts performances organized as a fundraiser (via ticket sales and other donations) by the Asbury Methodist Foundation. One of many stated goals by the Foundation’s representatives and literature was to provide ‘benevolent care’ for long-time members of the community who have lived longer than their resources (and ability to afford the costs associated with living there). At the end, the organizers announced that $85,000 had been raised.
About a dozen members of Metro Voices and 35 Harmonizers combined to sing “Hey Jude,” “Defying Gravity,” and “I’m Still Standing,” in addition to 3-5 songs each from their respective repertoires. Director Joe Cerutti (pronounced keh-RUT-ee by the MC) said the Harmonizers sounded fantastic and that he would take this group to any show/contest. In addition, BETTER TOGETHER (Tony and Elizabeth Colosimo, Andrew and Heather Havens) performed a 25-minute set before the intermission that was very well received by the audience of about 300, many of whom offered a standing ovation and raved about the show as performers mingled with them in the audience afterward.
Former Harmonizer, Hal Gaut, is a resident of the community and attended in a Harmonizer red and black polo shirt of years past and reminisced with old and new members of the chorus following the performance. His son, Biff, also a former Harmonizer, was there to mix with chapter friends.
Tony Colosimo and Matt Ambler did solos for the show. Doug White produced the show and the Harmo-truck was driven by Scott Beach. (Thanks to Craig Kujawa for preparing the report for this show.)
The first-ever MAD Tags event was held Saturday, October 26 at Honey’s Harvest Farm in Lothian, MD. It was hosted by Harmonizers Bob Bates and David Wilt with help from coordinators Joe Cerutti, Elizabeth Colosimo, and Steve White.
There were 10 skilled TagMasters on hand to teach including our own David Breen, Lance Fisher, Tony Colosimo, and Chuck Hunter. Over 45 enthusiastic men and women taggers from Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York attended this very fun event plus some wives and numerous children. Some TagMasters even came from as far as Florida and North Carolina.
A food truck was onsite and served delicious Mexican-style food. There were lots of places to sing inside the beautifully renovated farmhouse and activities barn, and outside on the porch, lawn, and by the toasty firepit.
The event ran from 3:00 in the afternoon until very late into the early morning hours. Some stayed over and others headed home. It was great to see some long-distance guys including Will Cox, Craig Odell, Mike Geipel, and Mikee Fasano along with many other Harmonizers and former members including Biff Gaut. Unfortunately, David Wilt could not make it up from Florida due to some hurricane damage to his home. A second annual MAD Tags is planned for next year in the same location in October. There is room for 100 people so plan to join us. (Thanks to Steve White for this report of the fun tag event.)
At the Tuesday, Oct. 29, meeting, Tony Colosimo did the warm up session for this week then passed the mic to AACCartistic director, Joe Cerutti, who thanked all those who sang for the Asbury MD show and for all those who organized and attended the MAD TAG sing. Both events were a great success.
Next week’s meeting (on election night) will be at Heritage Presbyterian Church near Mount Vernon, 8503 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria 22308. Thanks to chapter general manager, Susan Fitzpatrick, for finding a meeting space that will be open and not being used as a voting place. Meetings the next two weeks will be at Beth El Synagogue.
Cy Shuster will collect orders for raffle tickets for the Alfred Street campaign to raise youth scholarship monies.
Executive director, Stan Quick, hosted the chapter meeting. Mark Klostermeyer introduced guest Tanner Perduewho has moved to the area and formerly sang with the Heralds of Harmony in FL. Tony Colosimo directed the “Welcome Song.”
For the rest of the evening, both ensembles worked on the holiday show songs.
Samantha Tramack directed “Keep the Whole World Singing” to end the evening.
In other news, YeEd heard from chapter member, Bob Wilson, who lives in the Richmond area. reporting that a group of singers from the Virginians also sang for an Honor Flight sendoff recently.
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 76th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)
The Chapter Mission Statement Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.
