Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

After more than a 33 (t? b?)-year hiatus (since September 1981), the annual all-day Ann Arbor singing was rejuvenated at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. Musicology professor, Mark Clague, worked with the students of “American Roots Music” class to organize the event, which was, in turn, supported by singers from throughout the region. There were 105 registered singers from 12 states and 1 Canadian province.

The class was called to order by Mark Clague leading 63, followed by welcoming remarks. Student officers were elected as follows: Chairman—Mark Clague; Vice Chairman—Gillian Inksetter; Secretaries—Mark Dulchavsky and Darin Martin. Charlotte Wolfe, whose father, Irving Wolfe, organized the first U-M Ann Arbor Singing in 1971, was elected honorary chairman. She led 114.

Leaders: Bob Borcherding 162; Annie Jeng and Kate Outterbridge 146; Megan Jennings 436; Kellen Marceau 282; Idy Kiser and Giles Simmer 39t; Alex Bonoff 47b; Jan May 276; Alex Greenzeig and Rowan Niemisto 45t; Cecelia Kramer 168; Darin Martin 49t; Elizabeth Geaslin 426b; Jamie Yeats 86; Catherine Brown 313b; David Stowe 318; Elizabeth Fitzgerald and Will Fitzgerald 131t; Nick Pasquel 333; Anne Missavage 362; Suzanne Flandreau 32t; Gillian Inksetter 200.

RECESS

Mark Clague led 49b to reassemble the class. Leaders: Gina Barnhouse and Marian Mitchell 485; Chris O’Brien 457; Mishona Frost and Leah Weinberg 484 (in honor of Neely Bruce); Will Fitzgerald and Susan Smith 66; Jeremy York 442; Jerry Creason 56b; Mark Dulchavsky and Adrian Koch 107; Charlotte Wolfe 192; Nick Campbell and Sara Warady 47t; Bob Borcherding 112; Annie Jeng 207; Madeleine Jones, Idy Kiser, Colleen Lough, and Giles Simmer 178; Alex Bonoff 354t; Jan May 99; Perryn Bohler, Eliana Barwinski, Tristan Cappel, Frank Chiodo, Adam Jank, Lauren Liebman, Isa Signoret, Michael Perlman, Ellie Snyder, Katie Thomas, and Diego Zimmerman 186; Stefanie Cohen and Cecelia Kramer 176b; David Stowe 515.

LUNCH

Mark Clague and Cecelia Kramer called the class to order leading 569b. Leaders: Elizabeth Geaslin 105; Pat Forsberg-Smith 352; Jeremy York 448t (in memory of his aunt and uncle); Anne Missavage 547; Catherine Brown 38b; Mark Clague 183; Michael Gardner 39b; Chris O’Brien 513; Gillian Inksetter 36b; Suzanne Flandreau and Sungwoo Yoon 87; Nick Pasquel 451; Jamie Yeats and Liz Yeats 496; Marian Mitchell 532; Will Fitzgerald 300.

RECESS

Leaders: Mark Clague 34b; Charlotte Wolfe 274t; Eliana Barwinski and Max Stein 504; Perry Bleiberg and Nick Campbell 84; Madeline Grotschlich, Idy Kiser, and Giles Simmer 472. Alex Bonoff offered his insights into the history of the Ann Arbor singings. Will Fitzgerald led 101t in honor of the following sick and shut-ins: Loraine Bayer, Buster Creagh, Hester Edwards, Melanie Hauff, Berkley Moore, Ottis Sides, John Smith, and Zaphra Stupple.

Will Fitzgerald then led 101b in memory of the following deceased: Bill Aplin, Earlene Bradshaw, Stanly Edwards, Hobert Ivey, Olivia Wootten Allen Moore, Betty Wright, and Sammie Oliver-Alabama; Danny Arms-North Carolina; Caroline Bonnet-California; David Rust, John Davis, and Peggy Davis-Indiana; Raymond Hamrick and Josephine Denney-Georgia; Joe Fothergill-Ohio; Bob Sullivan-Illinois. Will Fitzgerald offered prayer to close the memorial service.

Leaders: Jerry Creason and Ann Sibole 503, 546 (dedicated to Martha Beverly); Pat Forsberg Smith 474; Marian Mitchell 335; Annie Jeng, Julia Knowles, and Kate Outterbridge 159; David Stowe 268.

RECESS

Gillian Inksetter reassembled the class leading 344. Mark Clague led an 1839 shape-note harmonization of “The Star-Spangled Banner”. Leaders: Jan May 228; Nick Pasquel 116; Catherine Brown 350; Jeremy York 369; Suzanne Flandreau and Sungwoo Yoon 424; Bob Borcherding 77t; Anne Missavage 556; Elizabeth Geaslin 37b. Mark Clague was joined by students Eliana Barwinski, Dane Breitung, Michaela Clague, Emily Davidson, Levi Fasoldt, Michael Gardner, Madeleine Grotschlich, Noah Henriksson, Eric Petersen, Elliot Polot, Cecelia Sha; Jennifer Shin, Arlo Shultis, and Diego Zimmerman to lead 186.

Announcements were made. Mark Clague and the student organizers, including Alex Bonoff, Mark Dulchavsky, Annie Jeng, Chris O’Brien, Kate Outterbridge, and Arlo Shultis, led 267 as the closing song, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Mark Clague; Vice Chairman—Gillian Inksetter; Honorary Chairman—Charlotte Wolfe; Secretaries—Mark Dulchavsky and Darin Martin