Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, March 9

The 21st annual Western Massachusetts Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Mary Andrews leading 47t. Tim Eriksen offered the opening prayer. Leaders: Rebecca Hawkins 37b; Holly Laws 52t; Micah John Walter 111t; Christine Andrews 318; Linda Shea 430; Lilly Israel 156; Matthew Leger-Small 171; Vale Cofer-Shabica 138t; Dan Coppock 101t; Calum Steel, Blake Steel, Jan-Erik Steel, and Allison Steel 105; William Schuller 76b; Julia Seidenstein 131b; Emma Swartz 285t; John Martin 489; Kate Richardson 432; Bill Holt 65; Carol Werba 163b.

RECESS

The second session was called to order by Crispin Youngberg leading 399b. Leaders: Sally Langendorf 59; Leland Kusmer 102; Jesse Vear 92; Nathan Aldrich 511; Liz Cantrell 411; Harold Booth 254; Yael Tarshish and Suzan Greenberg 440; Peter Irvine 283; Tarik Wareh 286; Annie-Lou Chester 268; Mary Skidmore 419; Mel Novner 284; Jonathan Spencer 245; Cheri Haire 215; Hollie Long 530; Erik-Dardan Ymeraga 372.

RECESS

The third session was called to order by Becky Wright leading 56t. Leaders: Sheila Kelley 315; Christopher Kain 471; Joan Frankel and Bill Holt 414; Jana Yeaton 480; John Holbrook 38t; Terry Ryan 362; MB Gowins 187; Brian Harris 367; Sam Kleinman 475; Chris Holley 348b; Chris Geissler 99; Leah Velleman 270; Guy Bankes 120; Liz Patton 192; Toino Dumas 106; Laura Borrelli 142; Kerry Cullinan 413; Ernest Chamberlain 107; Laura Hodges 228. Micah John Walter offered the blessing before the meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called to order by Kit Walsh leading 89. Leaders: Jennie Brown 460; Laura Clawson 442; Dan Hertzler 300; Phillip Langley 272; Claire Hogan 108b; Inga Huebner 359; Anna Mays 528; Emma Rose Brown 377; Kate Fortin 328; Kshama Ananthapura 216; Beth Anne Clay 455; Maura Burns 195; Philippe Doyle-Gosselin 550; Lynne deBenedette 448t; Derek Buckland 429; Skeet Surrency 335; Robin Banerji 506; Gwen Gethner 322; Erin Fulton 26; Em Ekelund 436; Elizabeth Stoddard 296; Doron Henkin 336; Eliza Cavanaugh 474; Anya Skibbie 454; Elsa Phemayotin 376.

RECESS

The last session of the day was called to order by Michael Nord leading 144. Leaders: Deidra Montgomery 558; Jean Seiler 472; Pippa Stoddard 57; Leonard Spencer 250; Ryan Nash 186; Molly B. Ellis 229; Rachel Hall 379; Will Harron 148; Leon Pulsinelle 173; Mike Richards 445; Ron Trial 193; Suzanne McFate 72b; Wendy Sibbison 456; Lari Jalbert 567; Charles Biada 208; George Sigut 29t; Kitty Kagay 39t; Barbara Swetman 198; Judy Contompasis 112; Laura Timmerman 323t. Mary Andrews led 282 as the closing song for the day.

Sunday, March 10

The Sunday session of the Western Massachusetts Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Mary Andrews leading 131b. Tim Eriksen offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Rebecca Hawkins 33b; Holly Laws 67; Kshama Ananthapura 72b; Kerry Cullinan 467; Elsa Phemayotin 345b; Jeremy Galvagni 535; Guy Bankes 344; Michael Nord 30b; Judy Contompasis 129; Jean Seiler 273; Crispin Youngberg 476; Paul Robinson 189; Mary Skidmore 421; Gwen Gethner 52t; George Sigut 122; Molly B. Ellis 512; Jonathan Spencer 375.

RECESS

The second session was called to order by Wendy Sibbison leading 477. Leaders: Margaret Youngberg 220; Joanne Fuller 39b; Esther Wade 365; Mike Richards 44; Joan Frankel 71; Robin Banerji 272; Will Harron 81t; Nathan Aldrich 230; Becky Wright and Lorelei Erisis 385t; Philippe Doyle-Gosselin 545; Adam Roberts 448b; Jennie Brown 283; Suzanne McFate 30t; Molly Merrett 187; Em Ekelund 48b; Leonard Spencer 254; Laura Clampitt 376.

RECESS

The third session was called to order by Sheila Kelley leading 76b. Leaders: Lynne deBenedette 383; Leon Pulsinelle 240; Margaret Nakayama 49t; Rachel Rudi 153; Barbara Swetman 52b; Corey Walters 208; Lari Jalbert 224.

The memorial lesson was conducted by Andrew Forsthofel and Tim Erikson. Andrew Forsthofel provided the lesson for the deceased, and read the following list of names of the deceased: Joyous Fox-Sky, Katherine Glatter, Janet Shea, and Cynthia Small—Massachusetts; Elizabeth Shea, Sally Brotherton, and Bill French—Maine; Mary Ellen Schrock, Michael Kaye, Inge Wagner, Abram Loft, Jean Fleming, Hal Ehrenfreund, Laurie Lambie-Wallace, Michael Bercholdt, and Kathy Forrest—New York; Walter Colteryahn, Joe Crompton, Don Donnette, and Millie Steingress—Vermont; Mabel Bankes—Pennsylvania; Richard Kusmer, Elizabeth Rechenberg, and Walter Howrey—Ohio; Stacey Phillips—Connecticut; Frank Butcher—Georgia; Karl Walbrecht—Virginia; Marlene Spector Levine, and Richard Levine—New Jersey; Doug Webb—Texas; Rodney Ellsworth Willard and Barbara Hastings Willard—Arizona; Pauline Burgdorf—Indiana; Tony Quimby—New Hampshire; Roberta James—Kentucky; Sylvia Nussbaum—Washington; Susan Carr—United Kingdom; Edme-Etienne, Suzie Lachapelle, Eugene Jalbert, Fotios Karkatzoulis, Real Tardif, and Lyle Meeks—Canada. Andrew led 340 in their honor.

Tim Eriksen conducted the lesson, and read the following list of names of sick and shut-ins: Rick Johnston, Evelyn Silvia, BeGee Rechenberg, Margaret Bornick, Ron Bornick, Tom Padwa, Ellen Davis, Steve Crevoshay, David Boyle, Bob Aldredge, Suman Kandlikar, John Bloch, Charlene Wallace, Steve Hoyt, Lorie Kagay, Liz O’Gilvie, Jonathon Smith, Linda Brazeau, Mark Dowling, Rose Gregoire, Sara Cotshell-King, Nicholas Tuft, Karen Rollins, Keith Malcolm Brown, Capt. Michael Appert, Aminata Diarrah, Corone Bryant, Michelle Briilant, Chloe Rombach, Brian Banerji, Amy Frankel, and John Brunkala. Tim led 70t in their honor. Peter Irvine led 87 as the final song of the memorial lesson. Laura Timmerman offered a prayer to end the lesson.

Leaders: Cheri Haire 111b; Laura Clawson 542; Dan Coppock 179. Tim Erikson offered the blessing before the meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called to order by Christine Andrews leading 418. Leaders: Gerald Clark 138b; Allison Steel 384; Pippa Stoddard and Sara Wilson 548; Rachel Hall 447; Phillip Langley 385b; Ian Quinn 573; Ryan Nash 299; Deidra Montgomery 546; Kate Fortin 522; Beth Anne Clay 196; Skeet Surrency 159; Emma Swartz 444; Derek Buckland 125; MB Gowins 181; Erin Fulton 113; Erik-Dardan Ymeraga 82b; Charles Biada 527; Liz Cantrell 434; Mel Novner 396; Doron Henkin 192; Toino Dumas 319; Inga Huebner 154; Tim Eriksen 242.

RECESS

The final session of the convention was called to order by Lilly Israel leading 47t. Leaders: William Schuller 500; Libby Brownell 95; Laura Hodges 162; Anuhea Sebstad 504; Libby Brownell 178; Andrew Forsthofel 67; Julia Seidenstein 191; Sam Kleinman 422; Joseph Mendes 268; Linda Shea 475; Annie-Lou Chester 401; Tarik Wareh 313b; Claire Hogan 165; Yael Tarshish 505; Micah John Walter 34t; Mary Andrews, Christine Andrews, and Steven Andrews 457; Matthew Leger-Small 183. A short business meeting was held. Tim Eriksen offered the closing prayer. Mary Andrews and Holly Laws led 62 as the closing song, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Mary Andrews; Vice Chairman—Rebecca Hawkins; Secretary—Holly Laws