Sacred Harp Singing Workshop

Sacred Harp is a tradition of sacred choral music that originated in New England and was later perpetuated and carried on in the American South. The name is derived from The Sacred Harp, a ubiquitous and historically important tune book printed in shape notes. The work was first published in 1844, and revised editions are still used today in pockets of the South where “Sacred Harp singings” are an unbroken tradition, and by people across the country who have come to the tradition in the last couple of decades. Nowadays there are many thriving groups of singers across the world, particularly in the UK, Ireland and Europe.

The new singers observe the practices of southern Sacred Harp groups. The four parts tenor, bass, alto, and treble—face each other to form a “hollow square.” Each singer has a chance to “lead” by standing in the center of the square, selecting a song or set of songs, and beating the tempo with up-and-down strokes of the arm. These singings often go on all day and are followed by a shared dinner – though we won’t be going for that long, this time at least!

Sacred Harp singers can be of many different faiths or none, but the practice is considered a deeply spiritual experience for many. The workshop is suitable for singers of all levels, and the more the merrier, so please bring a friend! We will be guided by visiting singers Inga and Derek Buckland from Bremen, who will share with us some of the history and the singing of scales and songs. We will follow with a potluck shared lunch. Please join us for what will no doubt be a lovely gathering at the hall with it’s wonderful acoustics! Koha entry as a donation to the OWRS.