Looking Back on the April 22, 2023 Harmonizer Show in Newport News, VA
(Many thanks to Brian Ammerman who agreed to be the reporter for the Harmonizer Performance Sat. April 22 at the Ferguson Center for The Arts - Peebles Theater on the campus of Christopher Newport University (CNU). Brian labeled himself “NOT YeEd”)
I knew this was going to be an awesome day, even if the weather was a bit soggy.
While select individuals and other groups of the Harmonizer family opted to drive themselves to the event, the rest of the Harmonizers gathered at the Scottish Rite Temple (Alexandria not in DC like our last road trip!) to board the bus to Newport News at 12:45 pm, and we departed exactly at 1:02. Wheels on the bus …. round and such they say ….Yay!
The last person boarding the bus, our own K12, Mark Klostermeyer, reminded “NOT Ye-Ed” that his duty was to take notes on the trip. Thank our lucky stars for master framers!
The rain started hitting the bus about a half hour into the trip, eased in time for us to get caught in a traffic jam in Thornburg, and was coming down in buckets at our destination. The ride was quiet overall with just a few friendly shenanigans from trouble-makers at the rear of the bus, and just before our arrival show producer Greg Tepe handed out “snacky things.” After winding through the CNU campus for 20 minutes, we excitedly arrived at the venue at 4:30 for a 4:45 stage warm-up. We found our dressing rooms, dropped off our things and headed down the long hall to the auditorium.
As Dave Welter said at first glance, the cozy theater put him in mind of the theater where the Harmonizers sang in Dundee, Scotland - a very intimate, rather quaint venue. Not huge, red velvet seats and balcony.
The warm-up for the performance was conducted by associate director Tony Colosimo who told us that we actually had had a choice of two different venues, a much larger auditorium (where we were later told by Joe that Tony sang with Bocelli - and a picture of it hangs in the school library ….. wait, what now?! ) and the one we were in for the show, which he thought would be a better fit . Nailed it, the sound was amazingly rich.
Being an alumni of CNU and having performed his junior and senior recitals on the very stage where we sang, Tonysaid it was kind of a weird experience, and felt like he was looking over his shoulder in warm-up to see if any of his professors were critiquing him.
Joe and Tony then worked through the show music, and all of the normal adjustments and fine tuning points to shape the sound and create the right mindset, with show timing and order guided by Terry Reynolds and Greg Tepe.
We broke for dinner at 6:20 pm, were treated with Subway sandwiches and all the trimmings organized by chapter shows director Doug White, and had a nice break to change and socialize until 7:30 when we returned to the dinner room dressed and ready”.
Prior to taking the stage, Joe made the customary call asking if this was the first show for anyone on the risers. Our new member Matt Ambler answered the call. His parents were able to be at the show too, since they live in the area. Welcome, Matt, and huge congrats on your first Harmonizer show! Cheers to many more!
We took the stage, and the curtain raised at 8:00 to reveal a healthy audience who turned out to be warm and welcoming, and enjoyed the performance from start to finish, clapping loudly after each song with a standing ovation after select pieces and at the end. Joe Cerutti Sr. and Janet were there with many friend from their neighborhood, as were Tom and Ian Berkey who live in the Williamsburg area and brought a group of their friends too.
The Harmonizers sang all of the music we’ve been preparing and we were also very blessed to have BETTER TOGETHER appear with us. The quartet sang three numbers and totally crushed them. The chorus sang “I’m the Music Man” as an opener, followed by “Help from My Friends,” “Something’s Comin,” “Wee Small Hours,” “Sit Down You’re Rockin the Boat,” “New York, New York,” “Never Fully Dressed,” “Impossible Dream” with a quartet of Tony, Lance Fisher, David Breen and Andrew Havens singing the intro, and finally “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Emcees for the show were Randall Eliason, Noah Van Gilder, Terry and Tony.
With the show over, we got fist bumps from Joe as we exited the stage. Happy Director. Happy Harmonizers. Happy Audience. As Ricky Savage said in the dressing room post-show, “if we touched just one life [with our music] it was worth it!” Amen, my friend.
Our friends who drove themselves headed to their cars, and the bus, freshly loaded with Harmonizers and our gear, departed at 9:25 pm. Beverages and snacks were provided by the chapter and were much appreciated for the long ride home. We arrived back at Scottish Rite Temple just after midnight, unloaded our belongings and went our separate ways.
This Harmonizer performance was the final act on Saturday night of the Christopher Newport University ‘Virginia Community Music Festival.’ Our performance was subsidized by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts Touring Artists program. The program provides funding to help Virginia artists bring their performances to areas of the state outside their local community. The Harmonizers have been approved artists in this program for several years. The stage crew was from the campus and the chorus did not have to provide risers.
It was an Alexandria Harmonizer success and a great day with friends, which is why we say “It’s Great to be a Harmonizer”!
Until next time – “NOT YeEd” - Brian Ammerman!
(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 74th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)
The Chapter Mission Statement Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.
