Looking Back on the Sept. 30, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Meeting

 Looking Back on the Sept. 30, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Meeting

AACC members were ready to put final touches on their contest songs at this week’s rehearsal. A riser crew of volunteers from both ensembles arrived early to do the set up. Both ensembles are eager to deliver a solid barbershop performance at the fall Mid Atlantic District (M-AD) contest in NJ.

There had been a flurry of messages on Slack about room reservations, arrival times, and uniform details. AACC singers are ready.

AlexRenew was a busy place this week, and the two groups also sang their packages for each other which stimulated much applause and cheering and support for each chorus.

The district contest will be at Middle Township Performing Arts Center in Cape May, NJ.  Many members will go up on Friday afternoon to cheer for our six quartets that will compete on the Friday night contest stage.  (In case you have not heard, that contest starts at 4:30 pm. Make travel plans accordingly – especially if you plan to use the Ferry.) The quartets with AACC members are MENTAL NOTE with Scott Beach, Mike Geiple, and Jerry Candrilli; BELTWAY with Rob Santine, Suranjan Sen, Josh Myers, and Ryan Mextorf; FANTATIC 4, with Heidi Brown; BETTER TOGETHER with Elizabeth and Tony Colosimo, and Heather and Andrew Havens; GQ with Samantha Tramack; and INSTAGRAMPS with Rick Taylor and Steve White. 

Saturday is the chorus contest starting at 9 am. For those interested, there is a meet the new CEO of the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) at 5:15 pm, then the finals for the quartet contest starts at 6:30 pm.   Clearly, attendees will need to plan ahead to get to everything and get some dinner. Often there are food trucks outside the contest venue, so that might be an option.

The Harmonizers sing 10^th – about 10:53 am or the second chorus after intermission. The Harmonizer music team will stay for the evaluation/coaching meeting with the judges, but all members are welcome to stay as well.  Metro Voices sing 12^th at about 11 am. Their members will all stay for the chat with the judges since this is the first official contest for several of their members.  

 Coming soon on the Harmonizer calendar is the annual Men’s Fellowship sing with Alfred Street Baptist Men’s Choir.  This year, the West Point Alumni Chorus will be singing as special guest of the Harmonizers, coordinated by E.J. Herold. Event is at Alfred Street Baptist, 301 S. Alfred in Alexandria, call time for the chorus is 6:30 pm. AACC t-shirt and jeans is the dress code. Songs will be “Africa,” “Wonderful World,” and “Impossible Dream.”  We will also sing a song to help honor Joyce Garrett (it’s on Groupanizer for review) at this year’s event and to recognize her contributions and leadership in support of male singing in the community. 

Looking ahead, on Oct. 7, the AACC chorus will sing in Old Town Alexandria. On Wed., Oct. 8, the Harmonizers will attend the men’s fellowship with Alfred Street Baptist Men’s Gospel Choir.  Joe encourages all Harmonizers to attend this fun and meaningful musical sharing event, and if a member can’t do both Tuesday and Wednesday night chorus events of that week, then choose the Wednesday night event. On Oct. 14, AACC will meet at AlexRenew, hold the annual election of officers and board of directors, and launch the musical work for the holiday show. The Oct. 21 meeting will be at Beth El Synagogue. 

The meeting agenda is also hectic as AACC prepares for its holiday show.  Chapter leadership is working hard to locate a suitable venue for that show – the venues are getting harder and harder to find (and to afford). Artistic director, Joe Cerutti, is leading the effort for the chapter on this front.

Holiday music is on Groupanizer so members can get a start on reviewing or learning the songs that have been used in the past for the holiday shows.  New holiday songs will be added soon including an arrangement of “Welcome Christmas” for the AACC chorus.  

Membership director, Jacob Broude, welcomed the guests this week, including Devante Lucas, Cooper Schwartz, Steven Pei and Jen Wheaton. Terry Reynolds lead the chapter welcome song. 

Joe was emcee for the annual “shedding of the bandanas” for the Class of 2025.  The ceremony took place with Joewelcoming singers to the riser based on their class year for their first contest starting with a few men who were in the 1978 class.  The Class of 2025 was welcomed to the risers and allowed to discard their red AACC bandanas.

As part of the formal meeting, Joe also recognized the quartets that will represent the chapter in the contest. He thanked Catherine LaValley for her work on the fall show, and presented a gift from the chapter to Brad Jones for his year-long administrative leadership for the trip to Ireland. 

Rehearsals ended close to 10 pm this week with “Keep the Whole World Singing” directed by Zak Sandler.

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 77^th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)

 

The Chapter Mission Statement: Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.

 

 

 

Looking Back on the Sept. 20, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Fall Show

 Looking Back on the Sept. 20, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Fall Show

The fall show on Sept. 20 was at Bishop Ireton High School auditorium in Alexandria. Theme for the show was “Follow The Song” – a journey through song that defies gravity, crosses oceans and dares the impossible.

Call times were pushed 15 minutes later than previously scheduled so that the riser crew reported at 1:15 pm, with Harmonizer front row reporting at 1:30 pm. Harmonizer singers reported at 1:45 pm to the Band Room, with a warm-up led by assistant director Jason Lee. After warm-up, the Harmonizers moved to riser positions for some touch-ups of choreography and music for “Come Follow the Band” and “But the World Goes Round,” run by associate director, Tony Colosimo. 

Artistic director, Joe Cerutti, then took over the rehearsal for Harmonizers to run the rest of the concert set, including: “Africa,” “Calling Dreams,” “Impossible Dream,” and “What a Wonderful World.” For the warm-up, David Breen, Tony Colosimo, and Jason Lee performed the opening of “Impossible Dream.”

Metro Voices call time was at 2:30 pm, reporting to the Band Room backstage where their assistant director, Maggie McAlexander, and their music director, Samantha Tramack, led a brief warm-up. Afterwards, Metro Voices joined the Harmonizers on the risers to finalize riser positions and run the combined songs: “I'm Still Standing,” “Defying Gravity,” and “The Parting Glass.” The same trio from the Ireland trip, David Breen, Lance Fisher, and Sophie Clark, sang for “Parting Glass.”

Throughout the rehearsal, fall show producer, Catherine LaValley, ran sound and light checks to ensure quartets and trios could be heard and seen over the ensemble. Thanks for back stage help from Greg Tepe, sound and light help from Mike Kelly, and the tech crew of Bishop Ireton students. Other volunteers helped with ticket sales and welcoming patrons.

At 4:00 pm, Harmonizers were dismissed from the risers for a brief touch-up in the Band Room led by Tony. Section leader, Matt Ambler, ran a brief lead sectional for “But the World Goes Round.” After this, Harmonizers were dismissed for dinner and to prepare for pictures before the show. 

Metro Voices, meanwhile, stayed on the risers to run their show set, directed by Samantha. The set included “Happy Together,” “Where You Lead - Together We Can” medley, “Somewhere,” “How Far I'll Go,” and “World Here I Am.”  Afterwards, Metro Voices briefly returned to the Band Room to touch up a couple of sections, before getting dinner. 

The guest quartets then went through sound check and stage time for their songs. All of the quartets featured in the show included members of AACC: HARMOHAUS with John Gabriel Sifuentes, Lance Fisher, David Breen, and Kevin Mendez; BELTWAY featured members Robert Santine, Suranjan Sen, Josh Myers, and Ryan Mextorf; and finally, SUPERNOVA featured AACC's Maggie McAlexander and Tessa Walker, as well as Amanda Pitts and Serena Davis. 

After everyone finished getting into show attire (everyone looked fabulous in their teal and black!), photos were taken on the risers for each ensemble, as well as the combined Collective. 

The show started a few minutes after 7:00 pm, kicked off by emcee Julie Donaldson from Fox 5 DC. When the curtains opened, 430 audience members were greeted with the combined AACC singing “I'm Still Standing,” directed by Joe Cerutti. The contest set of “Come Follow the Band” and “But the World Goes Round” was directed by Tony Colosimo, and all other Harmonizer numbers were directed by Joe. Metro Voices kicked off their set with “Happy Together,” directed by Samantha Tramack, which they followed with “Somewhere,” directed by Maggie McAlexander. All remaining Metro Voices pieces were directed by Samantha. Joe directed all of the remaining combined numbers.

The show was a rousing success with many rave reviews from audience members. Halfway through the show, it was decided to add “Hey Jude” as an encore. This featured soloist, Matt Ambler.

Special shout out to HARMOHAUS that was the featured quartet during the Harmonizer run of “Impossible Dream.” And also for the solos by Samantha and Tony in “Defying Gravity.”

During the show, artistic director, Joe Cerutti, recognized music educators from DC Public Schools as a thank you for supporting the Capital Force youth ensemble and helping with a concert space for the group earlier in the year.  Mary Lambert, Robert Battle, and Yan Colón were presented the AACC Harmony Award. Their dedication has set a new standard for collaboration between arts organizations and public education, and their legacy will continue to inspire future generations of students and educators alike.

As key music leaders within DC Public Schools, they have worked together to establish a formal partnership with AACC, creating an annual festival/workshop that introduces DCPS students to the art of barbershop harmony. Their belief in the value of this unique musical style—an art form often overlooked in public school music programs—has resulted in an opportunity that is as rare as it is impactful. Over the past two years, their efforts have not only sustained this initiative but have significantly expanded its reach, increasing student and school participation while enhancing the reputation of AACC and the barbershop harmony community.

For the show finale, Steve White presented a touching and sentimental tribute to Marjorie Latzko and highlighted for the audience, the Harmonizers’ longtime relationship with her husband, Walter, as a famed arranger and coach, and with Margie, who recently passed away at the age of 96. 

She was the last remaining singer in one of the most well know women’s quartets in American pop music history, THE CHORDETTES, who had numerous Billboard top-10 hits including “Mr. Sandman” and “Lollipop;” were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Famer among other accolades; and were featured on major TV shows of the day including Arthur Godfrey, Andy Williams, Dick Clark’s Bandstand, and Ed Sullivan. 

In tribute to Margie, the chorus sang “Parting Glass” and the recoding of the performance was sent to her family for inclusion at an upcoming memorial service. 

The fall show afterglow was held at Astro Beer Hall in Shirlington. Many members of the Collective and the audience attended for beverages, mini donuts, and tag singing late into the evening. Thanks to everyone who made this show possible,

(Thank you to Robert Stark and Christine Pan for their report to create this issue of ‘Looking Back!’)

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 77^th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)

 

The Chapter Mission Statement: Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.

 

 

 

Looking Back on the Sept. 23, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Meeting

 Looking Back on the Sept. 23, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Meeting

AACC members gathered this week to rehearse for the fall Mid Atlantic District (M-AD) contest and celebrated their successful fall show that was Sat., Sept. 20, at Bishop Ireton High School. During this week’s business session, artistic director, Joe Cerutti, thanked the singers for making it a GREAT SHOW, and he thanked the crews who did the behind the scenes work including Ashley Merryman and Catherine LaValley. Then Joe invited members to share stories or comments that their show patrons had shared – there were some terrific reflections.

To get this week’s important rehearsal started, assistant director of Metro Voices, Maggie McAlexander, lead a beginning warm up session for the AACC chorus, and then assistant director of the Harmonizers, Jason Lee, continued vocal warm ups for the two ensembles.

Admin leader, Terry Reynolds, invited Metro Voices to use the smaller rooms for sectionals and the Harmonizers headed for the risers after a riser crew was called to get the equipment off of the chapter’s truck and set them up for the evening. A crew of volunteers from both groups stepped up to help. At the halfway point of the evening, the two ensembles switched locations.

Terry also gave some details about the fall contest weekend.  First, all members must be a member of the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) to appear on the contest stage.  Members who are not sure should contact membership director, Jacob Broude.  Second, singers must have a convention 

registration too.  Call time for the Harmonizers, who will sing 10^th in the Saturday, Oct. 4 chorus contest, will be 9:20 am. Call time for Metro Voices will be 9:40 am. Several quartets with AACC members will be competing on Friday evening, Oct. 3 (that contest starts at 4:30 pm) including: MENTAL NOTE, BELTWAY, FANTATIC 4, BETTER TOGETHER, GQ, and INSTAGRAMPS.

 

Looking ahead, the AACC Sept. 30 meeting prior to the fall contest will be at AlexRenew. On Oct. 7, the AACC chorus will sing in Old Town Alexandria. On Wed., Oct. 8, the Harmonizers will attend another men’s fellowship and sing with Alfred Street Baptist Men’s Gospel Choir.  Joe encourages all Harmonizers to attend this fun and meaningful musical sharing event, and if a member can’t do both Tuesday and Wednesday night chorus events of that week, then choose the Wednesday night event at 301 S. Alfred St., Alexandria, VA 22314. On Oct. 14, AACC will meet at AlexRenew and launch their musical work on holiday show music.

Holiday music is on Groupanizer so members can get a start on reviewing or learning the songs that have been used in the past for the holiday shows.  New holiday songs will be added soon including an arrangement of “Welcome Christmas” for the AACC chorus. 

Membership director, Jacob Broude, welcomed two guests this week, including Devante Lucas and Crystal Goodman. Jason Lee lead the chapter welcome song. 

Both ensembles had sectional rehearsal time this week, and both took part of the evening to do choreo on the risers in order to be prepared for the contest. 

Rehearsal ended close to 10 pm this week with “Keep the Whole World Singing” directed by Leah Musico.

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 77^th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)

 

The Chapter Mission Statement: Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.

 

 

 

Looking Back on the Sept. 16, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Meeting

 Looking Back on the Sept. 16, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Meeting

The final rehearsal before the fall show was at Beth El Synagogue Sept. 16, at 3830 Seminary Rd., in Alexandria.  Both ensembles reviewed their songs for the show and the choreo. A riser crew moved the riser set that was on the chapter’s truck to the meeting space at AlexRenew.  Both ensembles were able to use the risers to finalize their performances using the risers. Harmonizer music team leaders Tony Colosimo, Jason Lee, Turner Arndt, and Jared Liscinskyworked with that ensemble this week.  Metro Voices music team leaders Samantha Tramack, Maggie McAlexander and Tessa Walker worked with that ensemble this week. 

(Admin chair, Terry Reynolds, alerts riser crew members that there will be a call this week to move the performance risers from AlexRenew.  Stay tuned for that call for help.)

Looking ahead, the AACC Sept. 23 and Sept. 30 meetings prior to the fall Mid Atlantic District (M-AD) contest will be at AlexRenew. On Oct. 7, the AACC chorus will sing in Old Town Alexandria. And It was announced that holiday music was up on Groupanizer so members could get a start on reviewing or learning the songs that have been used in the past for the holiday shows.  New holiday songs will be added soon including an arrangement of “Welcome Christmas” for the AACC chorus.  

The fall show is Sept. 20 at Bishop Ireton High School, 201 Cambridge Rd., Alexandria, VA 22314, in the 750-aeat auditorium. Theme for the show is “Follow The Song” – a journey through song that defies gravity, crosses oceans and dares the impossible.

Here are call times for the fall show announced recently: riser crew at 1pm; Harmonizer front row at 1:15; Harmonizers on the risers at 1:30 pm, and Metro Voices on the risers at 2:30 pm.  For those members new to the venue, there will be dressing room space at the school.  Catherine LaValley, fall show producer, thanked the members for stepping up ticket sales again this week, but there are still a large number of tickets to sell. As a reminder, there can be tickets purchased at the door.  

Uniform reminder: the plan is to use the formal attire outfits for both the fall show, Sept. 20, and for the district contest, Oct 3-4. Contact Becca Williams if there are questions.

There will be an afterglow following the show at Astro Beer Hall’s Shirlington location, 4001 Campbell Ave. Arlington, VA 22206.

Tessa Walker announced that there are six youth singers signed up for the Capital Force ensemble.  She clarified that the music team has determined there needs to be more singers for that ensemble to be formed, so all AACC members need to step up and invite youth singers.  It is likely that parents of teens need to be contacted to encourage their children to sign up – so everyone in the AACC needs to speak to friends and family and neighbors to find more singers. Male and female singers should be in 7^th to 12^th grades.

Terry also reminded all AACC members to submit their responses to the survey sent out via Slack from artistic director, Joe Cerutti – by the end of the day on Wednesday, Sept. 18.

In other recent chapter news, the AACC chorus members sang for three Honor Flights on Sat. Sept. 13 from 7-11 am at Reagan National Airport. The flights arrived from Indianapolis, IN; Syracuse, NY; and Lacrosse, WI. The chorus serenaded arriving veterans from WWI, the Korean War and Vietnam, a few Desert Storm warriors. Each flight had between 40 and 60 veterans along with individual escorts (family members or friends) and members of their local Honor Flight teams. 

Associate director, Tony Colosimo, was director for the day and he brought his ten-year-old daughter, Ruth, to sing as well. Singers wore their AACC t-shirts and sang the following songs for the flights:  “Armed Forces Medley,” “God Bless America,” “This is My Country,” “America the Beautiful,” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag.” According to the project coordinator, EJ Herold, the chorus will sing for another Honor Flight on November 1 at Reagan.

Membership director, Jacob Broude, welcomed six guests this week, including former active bass, Steve Szkszka and his friend Andy. They are leaders of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America and are in DC to receive their ensemble’s National Heritage Foundation Award at the Library of Congress. Assistant director of the Harmonizers, Jason Lee, lead the chapter welcome song. 

Rehearsal ended close to 10 pm this week with “Keep the Whole World Singing” directed by Samantha Tramack. Note that the next few rehearsals will also likely run until the 10 pm point as the ensembles continue their preparations for the fall district contest

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 77^th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)

 

The Chapter Mission Statement: Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.

 

 

 

Looking Back on the Sept. 9, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Meeting

 Looking Back on the Sept. 9, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Meeting

Singers came prepared for an important preshow rehearsal at AlexRenew on Sept. 9. Attendance was good. 

Metro Voices had a successful extra rehearsal this past weekend with Steve Tramack as their coach who helped them grow and improve.  This week’s meeting for them was a continuation of work on contest and show materials including a time on the risers at AlexRenew with Tessa Walker to practice line up and choreo. Their contest songs will be “How Far I’ll Go,” with the uptune a medley of “World, Here I Am.” Assistant director, Maggie McAlexander, lead their warm up session. Director, Samantha Tramack, lead the learning and rehearsal to incorporate the important techniques learned during their Sunday coaching session. 

The Harmonizers worked on “Come Follow the Band” and “But the World Goes ‘Round” after the warm up session with assistant director, Jason Lee. Turner Arndt prompted choreo points, and there were sectionals with Lance Fisherhelping the tenors, Matt Ambler helping the leads, Jared Liscinsky helping the baritones, and Jason Lee helping the basses. 

Looking ahead, the AACC Sept. 16 meeting with be at the Beth El Synagogue and will be the final rehearsal  before the show. Then the Sept. 23 and Sept. 30 meetings prior to the fall Mid Atlantic District (M-AD) contest will be at AlexRenew. It was announced that holiday music was up on Groupanizer so members could get a start on reviewing or learning the songs that have been used in the past for the holiday shows.  New holiday songs will be added soon.  

The first in the series of ‘new member orientation’ sessions began this week covering the history or background of the BHS and AACC.  Terry Reynolds coordinates these sessions.

The fall show is Sept. 20 at Bishop Ireton High School, 201 Cambridge Rd., Alexandria, VA 22314, in the 750-aeat auditorium. Theme for the show is “Follow The Song” – a journey through song that defies gravity, crosses oceans and dares the impossible.

Here are call times for the fall show announced recently: riser crew at 1pm; Harmonizer front row at 1:15; Harmonizers on the risers at 1:30 pm, and Metro Voices on the risers at 2:30 pm.  For those members new to the venue, there will be dressing room space at the school.  Catherine LaValley, fall show producer, thanked the members for stepping up ticket sales (alto more tickets need to be sold – director Joe says “you gotta invite people to come!”); and for the several volunteers to help with the other aspects of the show to include ticket sales – there will be tickets sold at the door now that there are volunteers.

Uniform reminder: the plan is to use the formal attire outfits for both the fall show, Sept. 20, and for the district contest, Oct 3-4. Contact Becca Williams if there are questions.

The AACC chorus will be singing for Honor Flights on Sat. Sept. 13 from 7-11 am;  and Sat. Nov. 1 from 8-10 am, both at Reagan National Airport.  There was a run-through of the songs after this week’s chapter meeting from 9:30-9:50 pm. Honor Flights bring US Veterans to the nation’s capital to honor their sacrifice and take them to their memorials. Uniform will be the AACC t-shirt. Music will be provided in folders for singers to use for “Armed Forces Medley,” “God Bless America,” “This is My Country,” “America the Beautiful,” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag.” 

Tyler Carpenter filled in for membership director, Jacob Broude, and introduced returning guests, Devante Lucas, Cooper Schwartz and Lisa Venbrux.  Matt Darouse was given his new member name tag – welcome aboard.  Maggie McAlexander directed the chapter welcome song. 

Both ensembles used the risers to wrap up the night with artistic director, Joe Cerutti, directing the AACC chorus on “Parting Glass” with the trio of Lance Fisher, David Breen and Sophie Clark; “Defying Gravity” with soloists Samantha Tramack and Lance Fisher; and “I’m Still Standing.” 

Rehearsal ended at 9:30 with “Keep the Whole World Singing” directed by Matt Ambler; then  those singers planning to do the Honor Flight stayed a while to run over the songs.

In other news, congratulations to Jackson Byrd who was recently selected for the part of Billy Flynn in the “Chicago” musical to be presented at Thomas Edison High School in November.

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 77^th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)

 

The Chapter Mission Statement: Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.

 

 

 

Looking Back on the Sept. 2, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Meeting

 Looking Back on the Sept. 2, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Meeting

It seemed like chapter members were ready to get back to singing after the Labor Day holiday weekend; and a number of members were proudly wearing their green t-shirts from the Ireland trip. A good crowd of members were on hand for these rehearsals for the show and contest coming up soon. We are missing a few members since the break for the Ireland trip – hurry back friends!

The Harmonizers worked on all of their show songs this week – “Come Follow the Band,” “But the World Goes ‘Round.” “Africa,” “Calling Dreams,” “Impossible Dream,” and “Wonderful World.” Assistant director, Jason Lee, did the warm up session for this ensemble, then artistic director, Joe Cerutti, directed a run-through of all six songs. The Harmonizers were on risers for this part of the evening and that was helpful for the songs with major choreography. 

Metro Voices worked on show music too and their contest songs with assistant director, Maggie McAlexander, and director, Samantha Tramack, working as a fun team to lead the rehearsals and warm up. According to reporter, Annie Ermlick, one of their songs was arranged by Maggie and the members appreciated the chance to get coaching input from the arranger herself. Part of their evening was in sectionals too. 

Also, Metro Voices will hold an extra rehearsal, with Steve Tramack as their coach,  on Sunday, Sept. 7 from 12-6 pm at AlexRenew. Singers are encouraged to bring their own snacks and supplies for breaks.

Midway in the evening, the two ensembles met together for business announcements. The Sept. 9 meeting will be at AlexRenew.  The Sept. 16 meeting with be at the Beth El Synagogue and be the final rehearsal  before the show. Then the Sept. 23 and Sept. 30 meetings prior to the fall Mid Atlantic District (M-AD) contest will be at AlexRenew.

Another series of new member orientation sessions will begin on Sept. 9 for those who did not get to attend a session a few months past.

There is always a need for more helpers on Sat. Sept. 6 to pass out flyers and help recruit singers for the chapter’s youth ensemble, Capital Force, that will meet on Sundays starting in November. 

The fall show is Sept. 20 at Bishop Ireton High School, 201 Cambridge Rd., Alexandria, VA 22314, in the 750-aeat auditorium. Theme for the show is “Follow The Song” – a journey through song that defies gravity, crosses oceans and dares the impossible.

Call time for the fall show was announced: riser crew at 1pm; Harmonizers on the risers at 1:45 pm, and Metro Voices on the risers at 2:30 pm.  For those members new to the venue, there will be dressing room space at the school. Catherine LaValley, fall show producer, thanked the members for stepping up ticket sales last week, but emphasized that we need two more weeks of strong sales to break even! Catherine also needs several volunteers from the singers (such as any new members who won’t be on the risers), or family members or friends who can help with ticket sales, door checkers,  and welcoming the many VIP and media folks invited. Contact her ASAP via Slack. 

Uniform reminder: the plan is to use the formal attire outfits for both the fall show, Sept. 20, and for the district contest, Oct 3-4. Contact Becca Williams if there are questions.

Oooops!  At this point in the meeting, there was a surprise bandana check to see if the Class of  2025 was wearing their red bandanas!  Three didn’t have them, so they each were asked a couple questions by members in the chorus.

Then back to the business meeting.  Be watching for final details about singing for the arrival of Honor Flights at DC airports later this fall. 

Membership director, Jacob Broude, introduced first time guest. Steven Pei; and returning guests, Devante Lucas, Cooper Schwartz and Bob Blair’s son-in-law, Tony, who lives in England.  Jason Lee, directed the chapter welcome song. 

Singing rehearsal and choreo reviews resumed until the 9:30 end time and a rousing “Keep the Whole World Singing” directed by Calvin Schnure.

In other news, congratulations to Maggie McAlexander and Kevin Mendez who were married on Saturday, Aug. 30, at the DC War Memorial. 

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 77^th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)

 

The Chapter Mission Statement: Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.

 

 

 

Looking Back on the Aug. 26, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Meeting

 Looking Back on the Aug. 26, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter Meeting

This was the first Tuesday night meeting after the chapter’s trip to Ireland, so members were eager to see each other and reconnect.  There were several reports of illness among the ranks. Plus some confessions that the member just needed another couple days to rest and recover.

The Metro Voices ensemble and the Harmonizers met in separate rooms to start the evening in preparation for the fall show – assistant director of the Harmonizers, Jason Lee, conducted warm ups for that ensemble, and assistant director of Metro Voices, Maggie McAlexander conducted warm ups for that ensemble. Both groups are also preparing for their appearance at the fall Mid Atlantic District (M-AD) contest. 

The Harmonizers actually concentrated on stage presence review and drill for their songs which artistic director, Joe Cerutti, conducted with help from Turner Arndt and Jason.

About midpoint in the evening, the two ensembles came together for business topics. To kick it off, Joe recognized Brad Jones for his leadership and dedication in managing the Ireland trip for the 100 participants which prompted a standing ovation for Brad. To conclude the celebration, Joe shared that the chapter has had a tentative invite for an international experience trip in 2027!  More details to come after the invite is confirmed.

There will be regular chapter meetings on Tues. Sept. 2 and Sept. 9 at AlexRenew.  The rehearsal on Sept. 16 will be sort of the dress rehearsal for the show and be held at Bishop Ireton or at Beth El Synagogue (watch for clarification).  The show is Sept. 20 at Bishop Ireton High School.

Admin leader, Terry Reynolds, reminded everyone of the need for volunteers to recruit singers for the Capital Force youth chorus in AACC on Sept. 6. There is a major push needed to get more youth singers to register for the Sunday evening rehearsals that will start later this fall.

Ashley Merryman shared the chapter’s plans for inviting a number of special guest groups to the fall show allowing them to bring audience members from their groups as well as leaders from their organization.  The charity groups invited include Arlington Volunteers, Blue Star Families, Defense Attaché Association, Fisher House, Honor Flight, Military Women’s Memorial, National Military Family Association, and TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors). 

The guest emcee for the show will be FOX5 Anchor/Reporter, Julie Donaldson. Guest photographer will be Sharon Farmer.

Show producer, Catherine LaValley, shared details about ticket sales (with a word to the wise that we are far behind selling enough seats for the 750-seat auditorium at Bishop Ireton). She suggests that each member needs to sell at least three tickets. Also, watch for Catherine’s upcoming requests for volunteers to help with other tasks needed for the Sept. 20 event. There will also be an afterglow for the show, so also watch for signup details for that too. 

Membership director, Jacob Broude, introduced our newest AACC member, Matt Darouse. A first time guest this week was music educator, Devante Lucas.  Returning guests were Robby Bernarda, Lisa Venbrux, Catalina Buitrago Torres, and Cooper Schwartz.  Maggie McAlexander, directed the chapter welcome song. 

Singing rehearsal resumed until the 9:30 end time and a rousing “Keep the Whole World Singing” directed by David Breen.

In other news, chapter president, Craig Kujawa, has reported that 38 members of AACC (and their family and friends) have earned over $4,500 through RaiseRight by purchasing over $80,000 worth of scrip gift cards.  Congrats and thanks to those members for their help in raising income for the chapter. Craig has announced a goal of $5,000 for FY 2026. 

Word has come to the chapter of the passing of longtime chapter friend, Marjorie Latzko.  She was 96 and the wife our chapter coach and arranger, Walter Latzko, who helped us earn gold chorus medals with arrangements and coaching talent.   She met Walter when she was singing with the CHORDETTES, a famous female barbershop quartet from the 1950s and he was their coach and mentor for appearances on the Arthur Godfrey Show and similar network shows.  She attended a number of Harmonizer shows and concerts and contest performances even after Walter passed.   

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 77^th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)

 

The Chapter Mission Statement: Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.

 

 

 

Looking Back on the Aug. 19, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter

 Looking Back on the Aug. 19, 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Chapter

This was the first Tuesday night meetings after Ireland, so attendance was a little small.  There were several reports of illness among the ranks. Plus some confessions that the member just needed another couple days to rest and recover.

The Metro Voices ensemble of AACC met via Zoom after an invite from Tessa Walker.

 About 20 from the Harmonizer ensemble met at Market Square at 7 pm before walking thru Old Town and singing a couple songs at stops along the way.  They sang “Africa” and “Come Follow the Band.”  Associate director, Tony Colosimo, was director for the sing out.

Catherine LaValley stopped by to bring fall show flyers for the Harmonizers to post and distribute.  Tony brought a box of CDs from the chapter storage for members to take and give away.

There will be regular chapter meetings on Tues. Aug. 26. Sept. 2 and Sept. 9 at AlexRenew.  No doubt there will be a wrap up of the Ireland trip and stories to share. Clearly there will also be musical work in preparation for the chapter’s fall show scheduled for Sat. Sept. 20, at Bishop Ireton in Alexandria.  

           

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 77^th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)

 

The Chapter Mission Statement: Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.

 

 

 

Looking Back on the 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Trip to Ireland

 Looking Back on the 2025 Alexandria A Cappella Collective Trip to Ireland

Galway: Arrival and First Concert

After much anticipation, the AACC tour of Ireland began on Tuesday, August 5th under cool, clear skies. Two buses whisked us from Dublin Airport across the emerald fields to Galway, where a brief walking tour revealed colorful shops, medieval streets, and the lively Latin Quarter. That evening, we settled into two adjacent hotels.

 

The next morning, we toured Kylemore Abbey and Gardens, wandering its walled gardens and admiring Victorian architecture. Back in Galway, many enjoyed a few hours of free time—strolling the quay, sampling local treats, or simply soaking up the atmosphere—before preparing for our first concert.

 

On Wednesday evening, St. Nicholas Church—its founding dating to the 14th century—hosted a standing-room-only audience. The program featured:

• Metro Voices
• The Harmonizers
• The Collective
• Tone Cold Sober (Irish Barbershop Chorus)

After receiving a standing ovation at the end of the concert , we returned to the Salthill  hotel lounge where an afterglow with  singing and libations continued  with members of Tone Cold Sober into the night.

 

Cork: Cliffs, Castles, and a Second Ovation

Thursday morning, our base shifted to Cork in southern Ireland. As we headed south we stopped at the legendary Cliffs of Moher. We were fortunate: clear skies and brisk winds allowed a clear view of the  sheer cliffs plunging into the Atlantic.

 

The next day, we drove the scenic Ring of Kerry and experienced a jaunting-car ride from downtown Killarney to Ross Castle. That evening at St. Peter’s Church in Bandon (mid-19th century), we shared the stage with:

• Munster Mix
• Champaign Cork
• East Cork Barbershoppers
• Kinsale Voices (non-barbershop choir)

Yet again, heartfelt applause turned into a standing ovation. Finger sandwiches, tea, and desserts awaited us and the audience after the performance. 

 

Dublin Bound: Blarney Castle to IIMS Show

Saturday dawned early for a trip to Blarney Castle. We explored ramparts and gardens, kissed the Blarney Stone, and browsed the vast Irish store housed in an old woolen mill. While we were at Blarney Castle,  Samantha, Renee and Steve Tramack, along with  Tony Colosimo and Joe Cerutti, sped ahead by van to the Irish Institute of Music and Song (IIMS) where they coached several quartets and choruses.

 

When our buses arrived at IIMS, family members, Irish Barbershoppers and the AACC gathered in the Lark Theater where CEO Michael Dawson taught us an Irish song.  Dinner plans unraveled when a short-staffed restaurant had another group unexpectedly arrive, delaying the meal until the concert next door had begun. Thanks to groups like Lady Barbalade, Blingmasters, and Harmony Federation filling the first half, we still enjoyed the meal and were ready to perform the second half of the concert.  Once more, a standing ovation honored our performance. An afterglow at IIMS lasted past midnight, with a bus procured specifically for the afterglow  shuttling early birds and night owls back to the hotel by 1:30 a.m.

 

Dublin Highlights and Farewell Dinner

With concerts complete, Sunday and Monday offered sightseeing in Dublin. Our group split time among:

• Book of Kells and Trinity College Library
• Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough Monastery
• Dublin Castle, Guinness Storehouse, Jameson Distillery
• St. Patrick’s and Christ Church Cathedrals

Monday night, we gathered at the Merry Ploughboy pub for a final dinner. Musicians own the place, and after their spirited set of Irish tunes and dance, they invited us to sing for them . We, of course,  sang “Parting Glass,” and by its final note, tears were spotted in the eyes of several members of the Irish band.

 

Extensions: Belfast and Beyond

On Tuesday, most returned home, while 23 adventurers continued north to Belfast. A small subset ventured onward to Scotland on a self-styled extension.  Highlights of the Belfast extension included:

• Hinch Distillery tour (whiskey and gin production)
• Hillsborough Castle and Gardens (royal residence)
• Titanic Belfast immersive experience

The penultimate day took us through dense fog to the Giant’s Causeway, where 40,000 basalt columns rose from the shore.  That evening we closed the tour with a wonderful  dinner at the Merchant Hotel.  While the extension crew headed to Dublin to return home the next morning, Terry Reynolds and his sister, Karen Worley, extended their journey so they could visit their ancestral home in Northern Ireland. 

 

Reflections

This tour allowed us to view stunning landscapes, historic venues, and experience the warm hospitality of Irish hosts. From packed-house concerts to late-night afterglows, we witnessed barbershop’s power to unite strangers in harmony. As we boarded flights home, our hearts were full of friendships forged, memories, and melodies shared.

 

Many thanks to Brad Jones for preparing this report of the chapter’s terrific experience in Ireland. He also gets much credit for organizing and coordinating the trip from its concept to getting everyone home. 

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 77^th year of the Alexandria Chapter. - YeEd)

 

The Chapter Mission Statement: Enriching lives through vocal harmony in the greater DC area.