Looking Back on the March 3, 2026 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Meeting
AACC has had a busy early-March and singers have worked hard to be prepared with their contest songs, as well as other concert songs. Rehearsal and the Put Together contest were held at Fairlington Presbyterian Church this week.
Tony Colosimo, associate director of the Harmonizers, conducted the 7 pm warm up session for the AACC singers. After the warm up exercises, he continued work on “Place on the Risers for You.” He didn’t have time though to let them sing the tag, as promised two weeks ago.
Terry Reynolds presided over this week’s business meeting.
Last week, Joe announced the Harmonizers who will appear as one of the Comedic Harmonists for the 2026 contest package: Chad Ross as Harry Frommermann; Ben Watsky as Young Roman Cyckowski; Matt Ambler as Erick Collin; Rob Santine as Ari Leshnikoff; Matt Darouse as Erwin Bootz; and Rob Stark as Robert Biberti. Other appointments to be made soon. Randall Eliason will understudy for Older Roman, who will be portrayed by Stuart Zagnit for the contest. Michael Berkson will understudy the six Harmonists portrayed by fellow chapter members.
Sunday, March 1, the chapter celebrated Youth Harmony Day at the Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson Street, from 2-6 pm. Other groups invited to participate with Capital Force included the Children’s Chorus of Washington, Alexandria Children’s Chorus, and the GenOUT Youth Chorus from the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington. All AACC singers formed the demonstration chorus for a short workshop on ensemble singing technique using “We Are One.” Capital Force sang it too for this workshop. All of the ensembles wore their logo shirts to identify their chorus such as the black AACC t-shirt. AACC
provided waters and snacks for the afternoon break period. Terry Reynolds and Sheryl Belinwere the primary contacts and organizers for this first Youth Harmony Day in cooperation with Tessa Walker. Tony Colosimo welcomed the youth ensembles and their directors and parents. Samantha Tramack directed and taught some of the session too. Lance Fisher helped with the music coaching and tag singing that was the finale for the afternoon. Also a quartet of members from Capital Force – LOW KEY QUARTET - sang for the group before the finale. Thanks to all AACC members who came to sing and help with set up and riser work including Chad Ross who drove the truck and helped unload and reload all the equipment, and Cy Shuster who managed the sound equipment.
Chapter meeting on March 10 will be at AlexRenew; March 17 it will be at Fairlington Presbyterian with Cy Woodcoaching the Harmonizers; and March 24 it will also be at Fairlington Presbyterian.
On Thursday, March 19, the AACC chapter will support a day-long choral festival for schools in DC. This is a major, annual event for the chapter in cooperation with music educators in the DC School system. Members of the Harmonizers and Metro Voices are urged to take some time to attend and lend a hand, and to show adult support of youth singers.
There is a long list of quartets with AACC members working to compete at the Southern Division contest and convention, March 20 and 21, at the Towson University Center for the Arts in Towson, MD. The Friday night first-round for quartets starts early –3:30 pm – with 30 contestants. The chorus contest starts at 9:30 am on Saturday morning – here again there will be AACC members appearing with other choruses (neither the Harmonizers nor Metro Voices will be competing). The quartet finals on Saturday night will begin at 6 pm.
Quartets with AACC members include BELTWAY with new lead, Kevin Mendez singing with Rob Santine, Josh Myers and Ryan Mextorf; MENTAL NOTE with Scott Beach, Jerry Candrelli and Mike Geipel; SENTIMENTAL with Rob Santine, Lance Fisher, Josh Myers v David Breen; INSTAGRAMPS with Rick Taylor, Jay Butterfield and Steve White; FIRST TAKE with Tony Colosimo and Andrew Havens; BREAKTHROUGH with Mike Fasano, Jordan Zimmerman, Jason Lee and Ken White; GQ with Samantha Tramack; BETTER TOGETHER with Elizabeth and Tony Colosimo, and Heather and Andrew Havens; and SUPERNOVA with Maggie McAlexander andTessa Walker.
Capital Force will have their wrap-up concert for this season, on Sunday, March 22. Both Metro Voices and the Harmonizers will also sing on that concert. Everyone should bring friends and family to support the young singers.
The AACC interview process is rolling along so that every member meets with a chapter musical leader and can offer input or suggestions and ask question.
Mark Klostermeyer welcomed returning guests Todd Minners, and Morgan Fabber this week. First time guest was Tracy Albarracin. Assistant director of Metro Voices, Maggie McAlexander, led the chapter welcome song.
At this point, the two ensembles began work sessions on their music in separate spaces in the building. The Harmonizers concentrated on the two contest songs and Tony stressed the importance of the recording process as an aid to the singer. Metro Voices worked on their new music too and director Samantha helped the singers to discover the character of their song for both music and visual emphasis.
At the midpoint of the evening, there was a 20-minute break so quartets could warm up and prepare for the chapter quartet contest.
The Wilbur Sparks Memorial Put Together Chapter Quartet Contest was held as the second part of this week’s meeting. This is the 60th year the chapter has held this event promoting quartet and tag singing. It offers the option for the chapter music leaders to help members organize a quartet for the contest – and perhaps launch a new chapter quartet.
There were nine quartets in the contest that included mixed voices, and ages and ensemble affiliations. Contestants were allowed to sing a whole song or just a tag. The judging panel was THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS (directors of the Harmonizers and Metro Voices) with Maggie McAlexander, Tony Colosimo, Samantha Tramack and Kevin Mendez filling in for Joe Cerutti.
Emcee for the night was Devin Gerzof who kept things lively with interviews of the judges, fun props to make a point, a phone call to Joe Cerutti who was watching the contest remotely, and reflections of past contests!
He did ask the question – Who is Wilbur Sparks and why is the contest named after him. Devin confessed he didn’t know at all and asked Jack Pitzer to share some background. “Wilbur Sparks joined the chapter in 1954 after coming to DC for a job with congressman Harry Truman. Wilbur earned the complimentary title of Mr. Barbershop from his friends and fellow members during his many years of membership and leadership including serving as editor of the chapter bulletin, The Echo, for 28 years. He was president of the chapter, then the Mid-Atlantic District, and then the Barbershop Harmony Society. And all the time he was involved in leadership, he continued to serve the chapter. In 1966, he offered to organize the first Put Together quartet contest as an effort to promote quartet singing in the chapter and to get quartets formed. He would help members find three other parts and helped them select a song. He was also known as Mr. Put for years. Thus tonight’s contest celebrates the 60th year for a Put Together Quartet Contest. It was named after him following his passing. (For those interested in more about Wilbur, go to the 50th anniversary history book, Breathless Moments, to pages 185-186.)”
Tyler Carpenter was contest administrator and helped the judging panel with score cards. Cy Shuster made certain there were mics and sound for the contest. Medals were awarded for the tag category, comedy category and regular quartet category, and were presented to each singer by the judges. The judges sang “Bye Bye Blues” and “Ebb Tide” while Tyler tabulated the scores.
Top tag quartet was FOUR OVER PAR with Kellen Hertz, Joel Golden, Heidi Brown and Ricky Savage. They sang “I Made You Cry.” (Best wishes to Heidi who recently had a sports injury but came to sing anyway!)
Second place comedy quartet medals went to FOUR BELOW with Brian Ammerman, Randall Eliason, Steve White and Frank Shipp. The were decked out in snow gear and had snow shovels for their parody “My How It Snows.”
First place comedy quartet medals went to POLAR EXPRESS with Devin Gerzof, Randall Eliason, Terry Reynolds and David Hillinck. They too pulled out winter gear and then launched in to a parody of “Toyland” about “Greenland” with Greenland flags as props.
Second place regular quartet medals went to THE BALLSTON COMMON with Devin Gerzof, Josh Myers, Lance Fisher and Robert Della Bernada.
First place regular quartet medals went to STARK NAKED with Rob Stark, Christine Pan, Brigham Blackhurst and Rob Santine.
After some final words from Terry Reynolds and a thank you to the judges and other contest helpers, all AACC singers locked arms for an enthusiastic rendition of “Keep the Whole World Singing.”
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 77th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)
The Chapter Mission Statement: Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.
