Looking Back on the Jan. 14, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Meeting
A good crowd of members and guests were at AlexRenew in Old Town Alexandria for the kickoff of the 2025 chapter year for AACC. A chapter Put Together Quartet Contest was also part of the evening so there were quartets gathered all around the meeting spaces in preparation for their entry.
Terry Reynolds welcomed all attendees for the start of another great chapter year. He posted the outline for the business session on the screen for all to see. Artistic director, Joe Cerutti, started things off with announcing the 2025 music team: Joe continues as artistic director for AACC; music team admin, Terry Reynolds. The Harmonizer team includes Joe as primary director, Tony Colosimo as associate director, and Jason Lee as assistant director. The section leaders will be Randy Lazear and Lance Fisher for tenors, Matt Ambler for leads, Jared Liscinsky for baritones, and Calvin Schnure for basses, with Tyler Carpenter as section leader admin and Turner Arndt and Bruce Roehmas visual team leaders. Ben Watsky and David Breen were thanked for their service last year as section leaders.
Samantha Tramack continues as primary director for Metro Voices with the following music team members: Maggie McAlexander, assistant director; Elisabeth Cosh, tenor section leader; Sophie Clarke, lead section leader; Callie Cirillo and Sheryl Berlin, baritone section leaders; and Leah Musico, bass section leader.
Tessa Walker is primary director for Capital Force youth chorus, and Terry Reynolds will be primary director for Vintage Blend senior (55), all gender, daytime, chorus.
Chapter leaders then spoke about the schedule or calendar of events for the year ahead. Some highlights: a guest night, Feb. 4 at AlexRenew; the Capital Force show on Sat. Feb. 15 at the Masonic Temple – both ensembles to sing; also that day, a possible sing by the combined chorus for the banquet recognizing volunteers for the Honor Flight program. The second annual gala will be March 1 with an Irish theme. The formal partnership with DC Public Schools event will be on Friday, Mar. 7.
The Southern Division contest weekend will be at Towson University, March 21-22. Goal is for both ensembles to sing there and at the Mid Atlantic District (M-AD) fall contest. Oct. 3-4, too.
Two education night programs will be held for all chapter members Tuesday, March 25 and Aug. 19; plus the big fundraiser event, Spring2ACTion, and a cabaret will be Wed., April 9. The chapter will appear as part of the anniversary concert for the Alexandria Choral Society, May 9.
The annual chapter retreat will be July 18-20 for prep for the fall show, the trip to Ireland, and for general fellowship. The Ireland trip will be Aug. 4-12 – Brad Jones is coordinator.
Another fellowship event for the Harmonizers with Alfred Street Baptist Men Choir will be held Oct. 8. The chapter holiday shows will be Dec. 13 and 14.
New president Craig Kujawa introduced his fellow board members for 2025: Vice President: Ashley Merryman; Secretary: Cy Shuster; Treasurer: Terry Reynolds; Members at Large: Carolyn Griffin, Mary Cooper, Michael Berkson, Betsy Mullins, and Cody Leihgeber-Carpenter. Craig also spoke about the priorities and goals for the year ahead, and he said, “My goal is for members to know what we do, and why - and how to do it and to share and help with doing more. It involves more of us to step up and help.”
General Manager, Stan Quick, reminded all attendees of the chapter’s Mission: “Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.” He provides leadership for the chapter operations team:
General Manager – Susan Fitzpatrick
Artistic Director – Joe Cerutti, Jr.
Music Team Admin – Terry Reynolds
Membership Director – Jacob Broude
Contest Director – Craig Kujawa
Chapter Secretary – Heidi Krukowski
BHS Chapter Finance Director – Dave Welter
AH Inc. Finance Director – Carl Kauffmann
Communications Director – vacant
Director of Shows – Doug White
Operations Director – Gary Cregan
Education Director – Sheryl Berlin
Volunteer Activities Director – vacant
Archivist/Historian – Don Harrington
Development Director – Ken Rub
Ken Rub, director of development, spoke about the major plans for this aspect of the chapter operation and announced the goal of raising $148,000 for 2025. (Last year we raised $135,200.) Ken stressed that members should always consider asking friends, relatives, coworkers, contacts or neighbors to support and donate in addition to their own member donations. In fact, he suggested each member should set a goal as to how many dollars he or she would raise for the chapter!
He also added some details about the fun gala – theme will be ‘Emerald Affair’ with guest quartet, SECRET BEST FRIENDS; and guest emcee, Jim Henry, director of the Ambassadors chorus and popular Harmonizer coach.
Both Joe and Samantha spoke about the repertoire for the two ensembles in the year ahead with plans to bring back some songs, add some new arrangements, and add some patriotic music in preparation for a major chapter event in 2026.
Joe encouraged members to step up to help with delivering Singing Valentines in Alexandria – usually one or two quartets are formed and make appearances that are scheduled by chapter leaders such as for the major or senior living places or hospitals.
At this point in the evening, there was a 15 minute break to reset the room for the Wilbur Sparks Memorial Put Together Quartet Contest. The first Put Together was held in 1973 when Wilbur offered to help anyone who wanted to try quartet singing find three other members to sing with. He called himself, Dr. Put! It has continued nearly every year since then.
This year’s contest was organized by Tyler Carpenter. Judges for the event where the MENTAL NOTE quartet with members from the Richmond and Alexandria chapters: Jeff Mauro, tenor; Scott Beach, lead; Jerry Candrelli, baritone; and Mike Geipel, bass. They sang for the audience while the scores were tabulated.
There were 14 quartets in the contest with all sorts of combinations of members from one or both of the ensembles in AACC. The judges presented medals to the top three quartets in the comedy category and in the standard category.
Third place in comedy was BIGINNER’S LUCK with Carey Fagerstrom, Catherine LaValley, Dana Richardson and Jared Liscinsky. Second place was BARBERSHOP BUBBLERS with Joel Golden, Carl Kauffmann, Calvin Schnure, and Samantha Tramack. First place was LATE ENTRY with Brian Ammerman, Lance Fisher, Joe Golden and Calvin Schnure.
Third place standard quartet winner was STARK CONTRAST with Samantha Tramack, David Breen, Robert Stark, and Christine Pan. Robert and Christine were guests at the meeting. Second place was earned by GUYS FIERI with Josh Myers, Ryan Mextorf, Suranjan Sen and Robert Stark. First place quartet was YOUR CHILD MAY CRY with Ryan Mextorf, Ian Trent, Kevin Mendez and Robert Santine.
Membership director, Jacob Broude, was emcee for the contest. He also welcomed new member, Herissa Yiu, plus the guests for this week including Robert and Christine, along with Holly Perdue and Muamen Alsheakh. Terry Reynolds directed the “Welcome Song.”
Alan Wile did the 50/50 drawing – there were three prizes this week. Two tickets to a Washington Choir Concert won by EJ Herold, a new AACC ball cap won by Joe Cerutti, and the cash won by Ashley Merryman.
Joe invited folks to the Harmo House for an afterglow and directed “Keep the Whole World Singing” to end the fun evening.
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.
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