Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Friday, September 25

The 4th Poland Sacred Harp Convention was held the fourth Sunday and Saturday and Friday evening before in September in the Central Archives of Historical Records, Warsaw, Poland. Chairladies Anna Spruch and Joanna Mankiewicz introduced singing school teacher Helen Brown of Derby, England. Helen reviewed the scales by leading 34b and 39t. She demonstrated triple time by leading 503. The song on page 171 was used as an example of bringing in parts during a fugue. Helen asked the class to practice singing with accent and led 176t and 146 as examples. Helen continued with a leading workshop, and members of the class practiced on 155 and 183. She led 107 to close the singing school. Chairladies Anna Spruch and Joanna Mankiewicz thanked Helen for her singing school lesson, and class was dismissed.

Saturday, September 26

The Saturday session of the fourth Poland Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Anna Spruch and Joanna Mankiewicz leading 131b. Blazej Matusiak offered the opening prayer. Anna Spruch and Joanna Mankiewicz welcomed the guests.

Leaders: Olgierd Orlikowski 101t; Dominika Jedrzejczak 34b; Jacek Borkowicz 36b; Gosia Perycz 63; Blazej Matusiak 171; Magdalena Gryszko 38t; Steve Helwig 32b; Anna Spruch 448b; Zack Lindahl 33b; Cath Saunt 270; Nick Hall 497; Cheri Neilson 39t; Ted Brown 74b; Cath Ingham 155; Edwin Macadam 472; Amanda Parkes 436; Richard Schmeidler 84.

RECESS

Kama Dembinska called the class back to order leading 65. Leaders: Kuba Choinski 40; Geoff Grainger 156; Franka Sprzagala 481; David Wright 273; Helen Brown 142; Rachel Jordan 492; Michael Walker 371; Justyna Orlikowska 442; Sheila Girling Macadam 500; Caro Stamm-Reusch and Helen Brown 278t; Joanna Mankiewicz 148; Zack Lindahl 306; Amanda Parkes 172; Steve Helwig 377; Cath Saunt 480; Blazej Matusiak 276.

RECESS

Kuba Choinski called the class back to order by leading 49b. Leaders: Anna Spruch 430; Cheri Neilson 290; Nick Hall 474; Cath Ingham 35; Gosia Perycz 352; Richard Schmeidler 475; Ulrike Tietjen 448t; Ted Brown 338; Joanna Mankiewicz 87; Sheila Girling Macadam 157; Rachel Jordan 189; Steve Helwig 379; Justyna Orlikowska 102; Helen Brown 556 (in memory of Jeff and Shelbie Sheppard); David Wright 112; Edwin Macadam 236; Geoff Grainger 143; Franka Sprzagala 547; Caro Stamm-Reusch 312b. Magdalena Gryszko asked the blessing before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Dominika Jedrzejczak called the class back to order by leading 335. Leaders: Magdalena Gryszko 384; Zack Lindahl, Honorata Pawlicka-Zurakowska, and Bradd Libby 282; Jacek Borkowicz 198; Cath Saunt 350; Michael Walker 460; Sheila Girling Macadam 536; Blazej Matusiak 176t; Rachel Jordan 280; Amanda Parkes 206; Richard Schmeidler 543; Helen Brown 192; Gosia Perycz 269; David Wright 498; Cheri Neilson 163b; Ted Brown 391; Cath Ingham 72b; Anna Spruch 383; Nick Hall 515; Joanna Mankiewicz 274 (t? b?); Geoff Grainger 523.

RECESS

Bogna Rózyczka and Anna Spruch called the class back to order by leading 49t. Leaders: Sharon Spicher and Kuba Choinski 344; Anna Godlewska and Sheila Girling Macadam 105; Cornelia van den Doel 47b; Michael Walker 404; Magdalena Gryszko 318; Steve Helwig 60; Franka Sprzagala 268; Blazej Matusiak 28t; Helen Brown and Ted Brown 225t; Justyna Orlikowska and Gosia Perycz 123b; Sheila Girling Macadam and Edwin Macadam 534; Amanda Parkes 315; Rachel Jordan and Nick Hall 228; Zack Lindahl 182; Caro Stamm-Reusch 159; David Wright 135; Cheri Neilson 285t.

Announcements were made. Anna Spruch and Joanna Mankiewicz led 76b as the closing song. Blazej Matusiak offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Sunday, September 27

The Sunday session of the Poland Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Joanna Mankiewicz leading 106. Gosia Perycz offered the morning prayer.

Leaders: Anna Spruch 31t, 133; Olgierd Orlikowski 56t; Blazej Matusiak 155, 503; Jacek Borkowicz 496, 288; Franka Sprzagala 86, 107; Kuba Choinski 49t, 112; Kama Dembinska 71, 179; Rachel Jordan 52t, 150; Magdalena Gryszko 480, 76b; Cheri Neilson 178, 421.

RECESS

Olgierd Orlikowski called the class back to order leading 159. Leaders: Gosia Perycz 333, 309; Steve Helwig 454, 528; Justyna Orlikowska 144, 58; Michael Walker 207, 234; Sheila Girling Macadam 553; Zack Lindahl 134, 445; Ulrike Tietjen 416, 30b; Nick Hall 217, 455; Ted Brown 77b, 33b; Cath Ingham 145t, 472 (in memory of Mike Smith); Anna Godlewska and Gosia Perycz 335.

RECESS

Jacek Borkowicz called the class back to order leading 122. Leaders: Dominika Jedrzejczak 89; Caro Stamm-Reusch 84, 163t; Cath Saunt 42, 299 (for Lin James); Helen Brown 61, 392; Edwin Macadam 320; Amanda Parkes 283, 411.

Michael Walker conducted the memorial lesson, and led 475 for the following sick and shut-ins: Kirsty Grainger, Curtis Owen, Edith Owen, Myrl Jones, Amacia Smith, Sister Pippa, Corinna Frische, Patty Mitchel, and Lynn James.

Zack Lindahl led 235 in memory of the following deceased: Olga Dellaway—France; Kate Davis—Ireland; Tomasz Wankowicz—Poland; Bill Kerridge, Rina Rogers, Brian Sewell, Joan Mattock, Mike Spitell, George Reed, Harold Pigott, Mike Smith—United Kingdom; Raymond Hamrick, Robert DePoy—Georgia; Danny Arms—North Carolina; Tammi Ziola—Oregon; Peter Linwood—Florida; Flo Charles—Wales; and Theresa Eichelberg. Michael Walker closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

Leaders: Zofia Przyrowska 224, 162; Geoff Grainger 535. Cath Saunt offered grace before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Magdalena Gryszko called the class back to order leading 113. Leaders: Piotr Zarzycki and Cornelia van den Doel 148; Geoff Grainger and Cornelia van den Doel 163b; Richard Schmeidler 66, 268; David Wright 567, 542; Amanda Parkes 532; Helen Brown 436; Jacek Borkowicz 236; Rachel Jordan 550; Kama Dembinska 340; Steve Helwig 522; Magdalena Gryszko 183; Zack Lindahl 324; Cheri Neilson 272; Sheila Girling Macadam 457 (for her parents); Franka Sprzagala 370; Cath Saunt 314.

RECESS

Kama Dembinska called the class back to order leading 128. Leaders: Kuba Choinski 401; Edwin Macadam 538; Michael Walker 69t; Cornelia van den Doel and Michael Walker 210; David Wright 85; Justyna Orlikowska 267; Richard Schmeidler 146; Ted Brown and Krzysztof Tomaszczyk 147t; Cath Ingham 334; Anna Spruch 504; Nick Hall 452; Caro Stamm-Reusch 118; Geoff Grainger 30t; Blazej Matusiak 77t; Zack Lindahl and Franka Sprzagala 425; Gosia Perycz 37b.

The class held a business session. The Treasurer reported that all expenses were met. The Secretary reported that the number of registered attendees was 64, representing the following countries: USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, South Africa, and Poland, and that 189 songs were led by 39 leaders.

Announcements were made. Anna Spruch and Joanna Mankiewicz led 62 as the closing song. Blazej Matusiak offered the closing prayer, and class was dismissed.

Chairladies—Anna Spruch and Joanna Mankiewicz; Secretary—Olgierd Orlikowski