Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, January 24

The 17th annual Keystone Sacred Harp Convention was held on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in January at the Rotunda, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ben Cocchiaro called the class to order by leading 84. John Plunkett offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Lamar Matthew 35; Doug Kurtz 535; Kirsten Jensen 85; Barbara Hohenstein 232; Ben Fink 383; Mairi Quodomine 478; Joshua Barnett 336; Michael Sensor 162; Buck Wanner 81t; Nancy Mandel 70b; Gerald Clark 504; Lynne deBenedette 36b; Matt Roberts 542; Liz Cantrell 269; Jon Giles 511; Gerry Hoffman 315.

RECESS

Cheri Hardy called the class to order leading 47t. Claire Steiner led 472. The following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Ben Cocchiaro; Vice Chairman—Joel Bassett; Treasurer—Dan Hunter; State Convener—Elizabeth Pilar; Secretary—Kirsten Jensen.

Leaders: Myles Louis Dakan 300; Nancy Britton 173; Brian How 143; John D. delRe 71; Erin Kelly 309; Sophie Soloway 196; Lindsay Kruse 61; Cora Wareh 212; Lucas Husted 78; Wendy Sibbison 30t; Philippa Stoddard 548; Mary Andrews 176b; Graham DeZarn 539; Katie White 547; Linda Shea 475; Paula Picton 474.

RECESS

Rachel Speer called the class to order leading 53. Leaders: Ben Sachs-Hamilton 91; Dan Hunter 388; Elizabeth Stoddard 367; Liora O’Donnell Goldensher 419; Dan Coppock 362; Jesse Polhemus 24b; Molly Merrett 406; Kelly Macklin 487; Mason Shefa 135; Anya Skibbie 340; Jason Steidl 40; Faiz Wareh 456; Emily Hale-Sills 270; Michael Nord 298; Robert Stoddard 567; Gwen Gethner 195; John Plunkett 492; Tarik Wareh 185; Christine Andrews 328. John Plunkett offered the noon blessing.

LUNCH

Ruth Wampler called the class to order leading 207. Leaders: Micah John Walter 426b; David Brodeur 216; Marilyn Murata 274t; Anna Leigh Smith 148; Thom Fahrbach 517; Kate Fortin 436; Mike Hinton 532; Nora Miller 564; Mike Richards 76b; Sasha Hsuczyk 330t; Alec Jenkins-White 282; Chris Coughlin 227; Ian Quinn 466; Jeff Begley 505; Chris Cotter 371; Ellen Lueck 132; Pattie Wareh 72b; Emma Rose Brown 556; John delRe 80t; Sonia Chin 318; Ben Bath 399b; Jordan Lewis 428; Lori Cabirac 201; Hal Kunkel 89; Barbara Swetman 454; Julia Seidenstein 284.

RECESS

Oliver Kindig-Stokes called the class to order leading 67. Leaders: Jim Strube 268; Corinne Ducey 37b; Evan Druce 77t; Joel Miller 283; Charles Biada 294; Carol Huang 56b; Mary Helen Dupree 99; Bethany Towne 217; Mary Skidmore 198; Aldo Ceresa 430; Becky Wright 65; Douglas Fower 299; Laura Densmore 302; Terry Ryan 473; Gina Balestracci 524; Charlotte Ehrman 365; Tom Stokes 145t; Dean Jens 373; Harry Scott 497; Ben Cocchiaro 347. John Plunkett offered the closing prayer.

Sunday, January 25

The Sunday session of the Keystone Sacred Harp Convention was brought to order by Ben Cocchiaro leading 48t. Thom Fahrbach offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Nancy Mandel 42; Dan Coppock 327; Ted Stokes 495; Katy Kanfer 57; Lamar Matthew 344; Katie White 38t; John delRe 501; Kirsten Jensen 276; Doron Henkin 192; Tarik Wareh 404; Barbara Hohenstein 277; Bethany Towne 418; Carol Stevens 350; Laura Densmore 313t; Anna Melton 156; Oliver Kindig-Stokes 314; Cheri Hardy 315; Gerry Hoffman 546.

RECESS

Ian Quinn called the class to order leading 56t. Leaders: Julia Seidenstein 29t; Faiz Wareh 486; Chloe Mohr 34b; Elizabeth Pilar 112; Matt Roberts 460; Kelly Macklin 326; Guy Bankes 442; Anna Leigh Smith 417; Myles Louis Dakan 441; Dan Hunter 321; Barbara Swetman 485; Philippa Stoddard 424; Michael Nord 411; Molly Merrett 448t; Marilyn Murata 412; John D. delRe 354t.

RECESS

Sonia Chin called the class to order leading 337. Leaders: Gina Balestracci 304; Graham DeZarn 131t; Christine Andrews 39t; Mason Shefa 48b; Kate Fortin 370; John Plunkett 459; Sasha Hsuczyk 440; Mike Hinton 534; Erin Gum 339.

Ruth Wampler led 414 in honor of the following sick and shut-ins: Jessica Doe, John Adsith, Skip Trout, Mazher Jaweed, Katherine Glatter, Robin Gillespie, Annie Dawson, Steve Hoyt, Rose Warnock, Ron Bornick, Dwight Speer, Chelsea Balestracci, Bill Windom, Christine Nord, Shisue Sugimoto, John Shaffer Golden, John Fruin, Hilde Ward, David Strother, Toni Strother, Mr. Berguido, and Tom Tucker.

Ruth Wampler conducted the memorial lesson, and led 340 in memory of the following deceased: Noel Almeida, Ollie Shea, Jerry Shea—Massachusetts; Peggy Mister—Florida; David Wampler, Ruth Densmore, Sarah Lee Stokes, Eleanor Anderson, Timothy Florrarit, Ardyce Jensen, Michael Homan—Pennsylvania; Somen Goodman—Quebec; Jane Boal—Missouri; Walter Rufus Eagles—Louisana; Janet Davis—Indiana; Raymond Hamrick—Georgia; Wilton Hartzler, Sharon Kellam—North Carolina; Robert How, Fred Mercer, Fumie Murata, Alfanso Schettini, Clautille Louis, Brenda Hansen, Mike Shields—California; Jerry Jeronen, Renee Windsor, Stan Edwards—Oregon; Doyle Brubaker—Iowa; Bill Aplin—Alabama; Eva Cocchiaro—Connecticut.

Leaders: Robert Stoddard 338; Mary Andrews 168; Tom Stokes 187; Ian Quinn 310; Claire Steiner 410t; Becca Gibson 58. Thom Fahrbach offered the noon blessing.

LUNCH

Josh Barnett called the class to order leading 129. Leaders: Becky Wright 269; Thom Fahrbach 402; Emma Rose Brown 325; Leon Pulsinelle 218; Suzan Greenberg 377; Linda Shea 30b; Chris Coughlin 88t; Elizabeth Stoddard and Charles Biada 165; Lucas Husted 178; Carol Huang 333; Rachel Hall 250; Scott Robinson 378t; Ben Bath 512; Thomas Ward 445; Gwen Gethner 182; Josh Barnett 480; Jeff Begley 545; Emily Hale-Sills 280; Gerald Clark and Corinne Ducey 30b; Jeff Gauthier 270; Mike Richards 87; Charles Biada 521; Sophie Soloway 95; Rachel Speer and Calvin Jens 530.

RECESS

Ted Stokes called the class to order leading 36b. Leaders: Ina Shea and Carol Stevens 479; Terry Ryan 550; Cora Wareh 489; Ellen Lueck 73t; David Brodeur 522; Jesse Polhemus 191; Nora Miller 193; Elizabeth Patton 472; Dean Jens 569t; Evan Druce 228; Mary Skidmore 538; Harry Scott 260; Mary Helen Dupree 28t; Charlotte Ehrman 157; Jordan Lewis 106; Pattie Wareh 503; Douglas Fower 209; Jason Steidl 405; Sonia Chin 155; Aldo Ceresa and Sarah Weiss 500; Joel Miller 573.

Treasurer Dan Hunter reported that all expenses had been met. Jesse Krikorian thanked everyone who made the convention possible and resolved to reconvene in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for the 18th annual session in January, 2016. Announcements were made. Ben Cocchiaro led 62 as the closing song. Thom Fahrbach offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Ben Cocchiaro; Vice Chairman—Joel Bassett; Secretaries—Kirsten Jensen and Sonia Chin