Page 21 - Winter 2023 Tags and Swipes Newsletter

Tags and Swipes, Winter 2023

Merrimack Valley A Cappella (continued)

We wrapped up the year with a mid-December holiday party featuring delicious pot-luck food, new tags, and the
chance for the section leaders and co-directors to recognize members’ contributions during the year. Not to be
missed: a “Pin the Contest Makeup on the Directors” activity. A player could choose one of the stick-ons
(lipstick, rouge, false eyelashes, earrings, crowns, and medals), turn in a circle with eyes closed, and be guided up
to giant photos of Carol Smolenski and Sally Jeffery to apply the finishing touches to their contest makeup. Lots
of laughs and a memorable end result.

To kick off the new year, we spent our first rehearsal in roundtable discussions talking about ways to enhance our
chorus experience and noting common themes, one of which is growing our membership. We are excited to
welcome back two members from associate status and are looking forward to auditioning several guests who
came to us through the “Ignite the Sound” membership drive. We’ve also conducted a music survey that will help
guide us in making music selections that reflect MVA. That survey let members express their preferences within
our current music library, as well providing them the opportunity to make suggestions for new music, which they
vetted by listening to learning tracks made by some very talented barbershop singers.

Coming up in February is another national anthem performance (UMass Lowell men’s hockey game on Feb. 3),
plus coaching via Zoom with Diane Porsche and in person with Karen Sweeters. Contest 2023, here we come!

Trisha Smith

Food, friendship and fun
was in abundance at
MVA’s holiday party.

MVA’s November show
was standing room only!

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North Atlantic Region 1 Sweet Adelines