Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Friday, April 5

The New Traditions Singing was held at Pohick Church in Lorton, Virginia. Mimi Stevens called the class to order at 7:30 p.m. leading “Refreshment” (her own composition). Leaders in the night session led their own song compositions unless so noted.

Leaders: Blake Morris “Bankes”; Tom Tucker 92 (EH); Ted Stokes “Exeter Meeting”, “Female Convict”; Nick Schliapin “Nantahala”; Mary Ann Daly “Deuteronomy”; Cathy Tucker 110 (EH); Miriam Kilmer “Kosovo”; Mary Ann Daly “Happy Birthday” (arr. Henry Schuman and William P. Rowan); Nick Schliapin “Life.”

RECESS

Mimi Stevens resumed the singing with song on page 155. Leaders: Hal Kunkel “The Stone Forever Stands”; Rosemary Greenaway 78 (EH); Tommy Freeman and Blake Morris 71 (EH); Chris Noren 48 (September Psalms); 24 (September Psalms); Diane Mennella 40 (September Psalms); Blake Morris “Comforter”; Tom Tucker 18 (September Psalms), 1 (EH); Rosemary Greenaway 58 (EH). Dick Levine led song on page 55 (EH) to close the evening session.

Saturday, April 6

The thirteenth annual Potomac River Sacred Harp Singing Convention met at Pohick Episcopal Church in Lorton, Virginia. Tom Tucker brought the class to order at 10:00 a.m. by leading song on page 47t. Craig Baughan offered the opening prayer. Welcome announcements were made, followed by Mary Ann Daly leading song on page 59; Tim Slattery 52 (t? b?); and Cathy Tucker 144.

A business meeting was held with the following officers elected and appointed: Chair—Mary Ann Daly; Vice Chair—Jim Strube; Secretary—Tom Tucker; Treasurer—Frank Evans; Chaplain—Craig Baughan; Memorial Committee—Donna Abrahams; Arranging—Tim Slattery; Resolutions—Mirian Kilmer.

Leaders: Marty DeNys 147 (t? b?); Kelly Macklin 505; Sharon McKinley 276; Gail Doss 137; Gillie Campbell 479; Ted Stokes 159; Joni Seidenstein 142; Doron Henkin 300; Frank Evans 66; Erin Kelly 95; Mary DeNys 335; Adrian Mariano 183; Craig Baughan 138b; Juanita Heyerman 148.

RECESS

Jim Strube called the class to order leading song on page 40. Leaders: Donna Abrahams 173; Lee Schumacher 217; Miriam Kilmer 178; Laura Densmore 542; Henry Bizzell 34b; George Seiler 168; Marilyn Estep 504; Paula McGray 455; Blake Morris 71; Walter Hartley 236; Ann Kazlauskas 280; Bernard Collard 63; Hal Kunkel 391; Pat Temple 457; Peggy Laddengaard 378t; Dick Levine 68b; Diane Mennella 564; Dottie Hurley 107.

LUNCH

Miriam Kilmer opened the afternoon session leading song on page 49t. Leaders: Steven Sabol 567; Phyllis Gonigam 268; Mary Wright 480; Mimi Stevens 546; Bill Holt 419; Rosemary Greenaway 99; Stephanie Hysmith 288; Jean Seiler 106; Chris Noren 362; Brad Oglesby 565; Greg Freeman 376; Guy Bankes 45 (t? b?); John Daniel delRe 547; Jason Law 49b; John Hewes 551; Kristin Szakos 486; Fred Beardsley 532; Donna Abrahams 200; John delRe 430; Erin Kelly 56b; Ted Stokes 125.

RECESS

Tom Tucker resumed the singing leading song on page 330t. Leaders: Dottie Hurley 271 (t? b?); Lee Schumacher 117; Craig Baughan 347; Sarah Davie 269; Blake Morris 73b; Mary DeNys 378b; Marilyn Estep 163b; Mary Ann Daly 522; Bernard Collard 454; Kelly Macklin 57; Doron Henkin 192; Ann Kauslaukas 201; Laura Densmore 29t; Hal Kunkel 179; Joni Seidenstein 27; Diane Mennella 77b; Adrian Mariano 203; Henry Bizzell 127; Walter Hartley 155; Frank Evans 501b; Pat Temple 556.

Announcements of other singings were made. Mary Ann Daly gave closing remarks and led song on page 146 as the closing song. Craig Baughan offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Sunday, April 7

Mary Ann Daly opened the Sunday session with song on page 484, and welcomed everyone to The Grange in Great Falls, Virginia. John delRe offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Jim Strube 272; Tom Tucker 369; Gail Doss 35; Paula McGray 299; Cathy Tucker 385 (t? b?); George Seiler 171; Dick Levine 492; Liz Cusick 315; Juanita Heyerman 143; Peggy Laddengaard 122; Charles Butler 49b; Leyland delRe 426t; Rosemary Greenaway 474; Chris Noren 383; Pat Temple 72b; Elise Meyer-Bothling 163t; Walter Hartley 314; Henry Bizzell 452b; Eric Hilderbrandt 361.

RECESS

George Seiler called the class back to order leading song on page 31t. Leaders: Marty DeNys 198; John delRe 216; Adrian Mariano 278b; Tim Cook and Mako Cook 515; Steven Sabol 324; Kristin Szakos 288; Diane Mennella 192; Jason Law 481; Joni Seidenstein 344; Hal Kunkel 189; Laura Densmore 540.

Donna Abrahams opened the memorial lesson with remarks on our individual and collective losses this past year. She used as her theme a saying by Rabbi Meyer, “God has given; God has taken away; let us say a blessing unto God.” Donna Abraham read the list of deceased and led song on page 133 in their memory. Those remembered were: Richard Hooke, Lt. Col. Dennis Johnson, Juan Infante, Dorian Brown, Jane Baughan, Mary Hobbs, Marilyn Hood, Annastasia Rokusek, Mabel Atherton, Norma Steurle, Darlene Campbell Jones, Freeman Wootten, J.B. Parker, Tor Jonassen, Barbara Smith, Charles Butler, Jr., Linda Smart, Dave Roddy, Jerry Krantek, and Joseph Lahovny.

Rosemary Greenaway read a passage from Deuteronomy, “He will not forsake me, neither destroy me.” Rosemary Greenaway read the list of the sick and shut-ins, and led song on page 429. Those remembered were: Ginny Landgraff, Gina Ballestracci, David Cooper, Marilyn Darch, Jamie Adair, Linda Schmidt, Susan Smith, Gene Duarte, Betty Nikelsky, John Gribble, Laurie Russell, Darlene Bianconi, Nora Balfour, and Irene Wiberg.

Tim Slattery led song on page 112, and the class was dismissed for lunch with a blessing by John delRe.

LUNCH

Jim Strube opened the afternoon session by leading song on page 148. Leaders: Guy Bankes 304; Bernard Collard 362; Janine Smith 542; John Daniel delRe 215; Doron Henkin 224; Greg Freeman 448t; Jean Seiler 209; Kelly Macklin 377; Bill Holt 101b; Cary Hoagland 56b; Mimi Stevens 172; Mary Wright 510; Paula McGray 150; Phyllis Gonigam 268; Donna Abrahams 475; Frank Evans 47b; Fred Beardsley 513; John Hewes 342; Frank Evans 49t.

RECESS

Juanita Heyerman called the class back to order leading song on page 479. Leaders: Anne Kazlauskas 125; Eric Hilderbrandt 236; Charles Butler 107; George Seiler 146; Dick Levine 155; Peggy Laddengaard 274 (t? b?); Kristin Szakos 168; Cary Hoagland 455; Laura Densmore 528; Hal Kunkel 392; Henry Bizzell and Bill Holt 324; Walter Hartley 178; Diane Mennella 448b; Elise Meyer-Bothling 385t; Tim Slattery 186; Tom Tucker 501b; Mary Ann Daly 76 (t? b?).

A business session was held to hear reports from committees and final announcements.

The Resolutions Committee thanked all the volunteers who made the convention possible and all the participants who made it memorable.

The Secretary reported that there were 80 (t? b?) song leaders, and a total of 157 songs led, plus 23 songs on Friday evening.

Mary Ann Daly led song on page 62 as the closing song. John delRe offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chair—Mary Ann Daly; Vice Chair—Jim Strube; Secretary—Tom Tucker.