Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Friday, January 24

A Shenandoah Harmony singing was held at Studio =34 (t? b?) in West Philadelphia on Friday evening before the convention.

Saturday, January 25

The 22nd annual Keystone Sacred Harp Convention was held on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in January at the Rotunda in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Molly Sauder called the class to order by leading 59. Robert Stoddard offered the opening prayer.

A business session was held and the following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Thomas Ward; Vice Chairman—Vale Cofer-Shabica; Treasurer—Ben Cocchiaro; Secretaries—Suzan Greenberg and Krista Guerrieri.

Thomas Ward led 101t after welcoming the class and making a few announcements. Leaders: Vale Cofer-Shabica 157; Fayge Hughes 282; Julian Bender 344; LJ Brubaker 268; Scott Robinson 228; Elizabeth Patton 32t; Jeff Shenk 128; Joyce Forry 75; Lamar Matthew 388; Michael Wiebe 368; Ruth Wampler 67; Harry Scott 38t; Anna Melton 154; Guy Bankes 120; Claire Simon 178; Ted Stokes, Tom Stokes, Elizabeth Pilar, Charlie Pilar, and Catherine Pilar 200.

RECESS

Dan Hunter and Katy Hunter called the class back to order leading 57. Leaders: Tom Tucker 441; Doron Henkin and Laura Densmore 532; Gerry Hoffman and Brian How 183; Sam Ellenberger 313b; Katie White 547; Douglas Fower 475; Alice Beattie 58; Lucas Husted 227; Charlotte Ehrman 365; Jason Steidl 542; Nancy Mandel 548; Ben Sachs-Hamilton 113; Sara Lott 224; Roland Hutchinson 524; Elsa Phemayotin 376; Sam Kleinman 362. Robert Stoddard offered prayer to bless the luncheon meal.

LUNCH

Corinne Ducey, Kyle Johnston, and Drew Smith brought the class back together leading 319. Leaders: Yael Tarshish 272; Ray Rechenberg 300; Mary Helen Dupree 434; Chris Geissler 353; Barbara Swetman 312t; Ben Cocchiaro 287; Kathy Manning 377; John Hughes 472; Joan Nagy 504; Chris McKnight 396; Laura Hodges 95; William Schuller 123t; Dean Jens 160b; Jana Yeaton 117; Becky Wright 114; John delRe 80t; Mike Richards 166; Carol Medlicott 182; Kelly Macklin 187; Kerry Cullinan 127; Isabelle Gervais Chapman 290; Drew Smith 99.

RECESS

Hal Kunkel called the class back to order leading 333. Leaders: Elizabeth Stoddard 423; Philippe Doyle-Gosselin 411; Stacey Berkheimer 351; David Brodeur and Andy Ditzler 220; Rachel Speer 573; Fynn Titford-Mock 327; Chris Affolter 436; Lydia Lewallen 402; Scott Ivey 56b; Em Ekelund 196; Lisa Bennett and G.C. Waldrep 260; Claire Hogan 383; Derek Buckland 230; Marilyn Murata 421; Kyle Johnston 340; David Smead 213b; Inga Huebner 359; Robert Stoddard 384; Stefani Priskos 430; Karen Swenson 528; Esther Wade 142.

RECESS

Colleen Hayes called the class back to order leading 176b. Leaders: Jon Giles 546; Gwen Gethner 406; Berk Meitzler 496; Mary Skidmore 172; Myles Louis Dakan 379; Nicole Collins 34b; Kevin Beirne 37b; Liora O’Donnell Goldensher 313t; Kevin Griffin Moreno 512; Emma Rose Brown 445; Ethan McNerney 274b; Jasmine Mendoza 89; Will Harron 97; Brenda Dunlap 456; Tarik Wareh 285b; Gina Balestracci 110; Sandra Cryder 312b; Robin Banerji 48b; Alexa Silverman 209; Maria Cramer 126; Lindsey Falbo and Kevin Griffin Moreno 122; Shani Aviram 505; Carol Huang 203; Charles Biada 500. Thomas Ward led 323t as the closing song. Robert Stoddard offered the closing prayer.

Sunday, January 26

The Sunday session of the Keystone Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Thomas Ward leading 81t. Barbara Swetman led the opening prayer. Leaders: Hollie Long 60; Nancy Tkacs 63; Miriam Delirium and Pomona Za 29b; Greg Holt 66; Krista Guerrieri 35; Corinne Ducey 48t; Ryan Nash 168; Sam Ellenberger 171; Joyce Forry 354b; Judy Kaplan and Cyrus Wood 229; Harry Scott and Lamar Matthew 315; Guy Bankes 556; Laura Densmore 201; Sandra Cryder 31t; Doron Henkin 564; Suzan Greenberg 444.

RECESS

Hayden Arp and Alex Forsyth called the class back to order leading 111t. Leaders: Maria Cramer 567; Chris Holley 129; Alice Beattie and Jasmine Mendoza 76b; Claire Simon 472; Ben Cocchiaro 123t; Jason Steidl 540; Roland Hutchinson 518; Jon Giles 100; Lucas Husted 448b; Gerry Hoffman 340; Barbara Swetman 91; Kevin Griffin Moreno 302; Mary Skidmore 121; Robin Banerji 408; Chris Geissler 165; Mike Richards and Laura Hodges 218; William Schuller 206.

RECESS

Sasha Hsuczyk and Katy Hunter called the class back to order leading 111b. Leaders: Mary Helen Dupree 296; Isabelle Gervais Chapman 318; Kerry Cullinan 415; Carol Medlicott 105; Jana Yeaton 148; Becky Wright 214.

Scott Robinson conducted the lesson for the sick and homebound. He recalled the outpouring of support he received from the Sacred Harp community when his own name was on that list. He led 472 for the following sick and homebound: Andy Baracco, Marylou Baracco, Jan Lewis, John Lewis, Richard Linster, Tilda Mann, Leah Wilde, Ron Bornick, Margaret Bornick, Cath Saunt, Carol Richardson, Debra Johnson, Coronne Bryant, RuthAnn Bryant, Judy Mincey, Lucie Heidorn, Lucy Rooney, Thomas Burroghs, Merv Horst, Rachel Nelson, Jennifer Jones, Don Knickman, and Kelsey Taylor.

Scott Robinson also remembered the deceased. He told the class about how a medical diagnosis helped him to face his own mortality. In doing so, he was able to live in the moment by leaving the darkness of negative thinking and entering into the wonderful light of friends and family. He led 112 in memory of the following deceased: Deborah Fox, Marilyn Eichenlaub, James Brewer, Brian Morrisroe, John Beirne, Partha Banerjee, Ed Schaffer, Gordon Ekelund, Paul Foster, Michael Appert, Naomi G. Fidler, J. Richard Myer, Juliette Menard Dandenault, Retha Matthews, Arlene Jens, Wayne G. Wylie, Betty Shea, Doris Johnston, Madeleine Grieve, Eileen MacLean, W. Donald Breder, Suzanne Gosselin, Jean Ayotte, Charlene Wallace, Robby Rivers, Concetta Branson, Hugues Albanel, Ottis Sides, Norma Mincey, Susan Roberts, Paul Luther Wilson, Stephen O’Leary, Jared Jacobsen, Ronald Berkheimer, Santiago Arrizon, Lisa Spiegelman, Frank Harford, Wolfgang Neugebauer, Rozlyn Greene, Wilfried Huels, Carole Chapman, Mildred Patterson, Karl Wolbrecht, Dale Newton, and Marlene Spector Levine.

Thomas Ward offered a parting friends lesson to recognize those who had previously been part of our singing community but who had since stopped attending for personal or unspecified reasons. He reminded us that, whatever the reason, their absence was felt. He led 414 in their honor. Barbara Swetman closed the memorial service with prayer.

Leaders: John Hughes 330b; Katie White 107; Blake Sisemore 532; Inga Huebner 413; Jonathon Smith 419; David Brodeur 140. Barbara Swetman offered prayer to bless our luncheon meal.

LUNCH

Blake Sisemore, Drew Smith, and Scott Ivey brought the class back together leading 270. Leaders: Hayden Arp 389; Dan Hunter 345t; Ben Sachs-Hamilton 217; Keillor Mose 138b; Sam Kleinman and Liora O’Donnell Goldensher 466; Emily Ross 455; Nathan Rees 440; Stefani Priskos 430; Brenda Dunlap and Kathy Manning 454; Derek Buckland 52b; Gwen Gethner and Charles Biada 53; Sasha Hsuczyk 542; Fynn Titford-Mock 88t; Elizabeth Stoddard 309; Lydia Lewallen and Mary Lewallen 426t; David Smead and Lisa Bennett 486; Carol Huang and Kevin Beirne 475; Marilyn Murata 501; Tarik Wareh and Rachel Speer 416; Tim Morton 512; Yael Tarshish 216; Myles Louis Dakan 353; Colleen Hayes 417; Drew Smith and Scott Ivey 480.

RECESS

Jeff Gauthier and Kirsten Jensen called the class back to order leading 32t. Leaders: Philippe Doyle-Gosselin 189; Will Harron 106; Andy Ditzler 447; Gerald Stanford Clark III 398; Robert Stoddard 485; Em Ekelund 308; Sara Lott and Tom Stokes 215; Brian Harris 536; Stacey Berkheimer 39b; Jessica Hostetler and Laura Densmore 186; Jesse Beller 287; Andrew Patten 276; Rachel Taylor 507; Ethan McNerney and Chris Holley 33b; Brian How 114; Joan Nagy 36b; Karen Swenson 460; Ina Shea, Michael Wiebe, Johan Wiebe, and Theo Wiebe 117; Dean Jens 539; Chris McKnight 70b; Ruth Wampler and Fynn Titford-Mock 326; Nicole Collins 272; Elsa Phemayotin 176t; Kyle Johnston 77t; Ted Stokes and Alex Forsyth 30b; Alexa Silverman 29t; Rachel Hall, Joel Bassett, Vale Cofer-Shabica, and Krista Guerrieri 432. After announcements, Thomas Ward led 62 as the closing song. Drew Smith offered the closing prayer.

Chairman—Thomas Ward; Vice Chairman—Vale Cofer-Shabica; Secretaries—Suzan Greenberg and Krista Guerrieri