Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, May 22

The 7th session of the German Sacred Harp Convention met at the Parish Hall of St. Johannis, Alt-Moabit, Berlin, Germany, on the fourth Sunday and Saturday before in May. The class was called to order by Christopher Schuller leading 47t. Tobias Saalmann offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Melanie Tönnies 330b; Jessica Sligter 48t; Tobias Saalmann 164; Daniel Wippermann 278t; Bryan Seale 138t; Derek Buckland 341; Peter Kocher 207; Dominik Fraune 37b; Cäcilia Mann 171; Caro Stamm-Reusch 276; Ellen Kennedy 277; Jasmina Graf 330t; Laura Eisen 111b; Marcos Sullivan 417; Edward Ricemeyer 131t; Maria Neumann-Fraune 457.

RECESS

The class was brought back together by Eva Striebeck leading 128. Leaders: Chloë Spreadborough 274t; Hanka Faerber 300; Carrie McIlwain 455; Mika 163t; Inga Huebner 294; Eimear Maguire 146; Barnaby Walters 29t; Gerben Vos 36b; Walburga Ruhl 184; Jan Geerts 38t; Fynn Titford-Mock 229; Petra Ertl 440; Constantin Dorsch 101b; Mary Greer 334; Kerry Cullinan 195; Paul Kolenbrander 203; Sadhbh O’Flynn 173; Joshua Lant 224; John Bealle 434.

RECESS

The class was called back to order by Joanna Bennett leading 187. Leaders: Chris Affolter 76b; Anne Altringham 546; Emma Rock 183; Eloise Clark 524; George Simms 564; Alec Williams 540; Constance Des Marais 131b; Joel Igli 236; Molly McCracken 56b; Tom MacDonald 66; Katie Ahern 426t (for Niamh O’Sullivan), Paul Zaba 245; Tom Sprackland 422; Caro Stamm-Reusch 269; William Schuller 430; Dominik Fraune 344; Cäcilia Mann 496. William Schuller offered grace before the meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called to order by Edward Ricemeyer leading 70b. Leaders: Joshua Lant 216; Robert Stoddard 197; Bridge Hill Kennedy 411; Paul Landskroener 528; Sadhbh O’Flynn 208; Thom Fahrbach 398; Carolyn Deacy 456; Betsy Jeronen 436; Sam Kleinman 396; Jessica Sligter 214; John Bealle 543; Fynn Titford-Mock 556; Barnaby Walters 52t; Eimear Maguire 114; Elisabeth Schallwig 370; Christopher Schuller 444 (for Cherilyn Neilson and Graham De Zarn); Jan Geerts 166; Jasmina Graf 215.

RECESS

The last session of the day was called to order by Tobias Saalmann leading 287. Leaders: Gerben Vos 240; Laura Eisen 189; Paul Kolenbrander 47b; Melanie Tönnies 372; Aislinn Ahern 335; Peter Kocher 142; Joanna Bennett 282; Robert Stoddard 485; Ellen Kennedy 328; Derek Buckland 160b; Tom McDonald 280; Inga Huebner 284; Bryan Seale 472; Constantin Dorsch 26; Kerry Cullinan 347.

Christopher Schuller closed the day with some short announcements. The class was dismissed by Tobias Saalmann offering the closing prayer.

Sunday, May 23

The Sunday session of the German Sacred Harp Convention met again at the Parish Hall of St. Johannis, Alt-Moabit, Berlin, Germany. The class was called to order by Christopher Schuller leading 275t. The morning prayer was offered by Walburga Ruhl.

Leaders: Marcos Sullivan 122; Daniel Wippermann 271t; Elisabeth Schallwig 312b; Emma Rock and Melanie Tönnies 430; Mary Greer 34b; Maria Neumann-Fraune 566; Alec Williams 452; Aislinn Ahern 58; Anne Altringham 129; Tom Sprackland 272; Hanka Faerber 377; Mark Williams 299; Katie Ahern 77b; Mika 89; Sara Pakarimen 362; Paul Zaba 504.

RECESS

The class was brought back together by Bryan Seale leading 445. Leaders: George Simms 562; Chris Affolter 200; Manuela Engel and Eva Striebeck 71; Kerry Cullinan 507; Constance Des Marais 481; Molly McCracken 68b; Eimear Maguire 448t; Petra Ertl 65; Oskar Kvasnes 290; Paul Landskroener 473; Eloise Clark 475; Tom McDonald 95; Carolyn Deacy 182; Sam Kleinman 383.

RECESS

The class was called back to order by Eva Striebeck leading 133. Leaders: William Schuller 77t; Chloë Spreadborough 522; Walburga Ruhl and Peter Kocher 506; Paul Kolenbrander 505; Barnaby Walters 535; Cäcilia Mann 168.

The sick and housebound lesson was conducted by Sara Pakarimen. Sara read the following list of names: Edwin Macadam, Sheila Macadam, Anne Eggers, John Graham, Lauren Bock, Tina Kramer, Anders Hofgaard, Jennifer Toal Nolan, Olga Elstach, Claudia Müller, Donna Rogers Gunderson, Eimear O’Donovan, Harald Grunder, Carrone Bryant, Ruth Ann Bryant, Kate Coxon, Laurie Burk, Marcia Johnson, Ted Johnson, and Melanie Hauff. Sara led 467.

Katie Ahern conducted the memorial lesson. Katie read the following list of names: Erika Kröske, Heikki Pakarinen, Rüdiger Forster, Stefek Zaba, Gerd Kothrade, Björn Czybik, Franz-Josef Fraune, Christy Walker, Elka Schuman, Tom Deacy, Dave Lofthouse, David Ferito, Elli Graf, Kathleen Maguire, Rachael Corbishley, Amy Richmond, Solomon Ossa, Larry Gordon, Valeska Cervantes Irurzo, Engel Maru Neumann, Tony Barrand, Leonard Spencer, Peter Golden, Miles Walbrecht, Karl Burton, Ed Trickett, Joan Aldridge, Coy Ivey, Peter Degen, Robert O’Dwyer, and Rebecca Over. Katie led 467. Caro Stamm-Reusch closed the memorial service with a prayer.

Leaders: Robert Stoddard 53; Kate Halls 159; Edward Ricemeyer 103. William Schuller offered grace before the meal.

LUNCH

Elisabeth Schallwig called the class back to order by leading 74b. Leaders: Emma Rock 480; Sadhbh O’Flynn 532; Chris Affolter 228; Thom Fahrbach and Joshua Lant 304; Constance Des Marais 318; Bridge Hill Kennedy 192; Betsy Jeronen 534; Paul Landskroener 486; Tom MacDonald 550; John Bealle 442; Joel Igli 178; Carolyn Deacy 91; Sam Kleinman 73t; Mark Williams 302; Melanie Tönnies 270; Beatrix and Paul Zaba 268; Jessica Sligter 373; Inga Huebner 310; Caro Stamm-Reusch 512.

RECESS

The final session of singing was called to order by Laura Eisen leading 213t. Leaders: Christopher Schuller and William Schuller 35; Gerben Vos 235; Joanna Bennett 542; Jasmina Graf 181; Constantin Dorsch 123b; Jan Geerts 213b; Derek Buckland 296; Eva Striebeck 112; Katie Ahern and Aislinn Ahern 30t; Oskar Kvasnes 384; Eloise Clark 73b; Alec Williams 111t; Tom Sprackland 454; Petra Ertl 87; George Simms 69t; Mika 39t; Hanka Faerber 391.

Christopher Schuller called for the various committee reports. Bryan Seale gave the Secretary’s report stating that from ninety-seven registered singers, there were sixty-five leaders, from ten different countries, and they led one hundred seventy-five songs. Molly McCracken, the treasurer, graciously thanked all in attendance for their kind contributions, stating that all expenses had been met. Christopher Schuller thanked the officers and committee members for their service, all the cooks for the time and care given to feed all of the visiting singers, and everyone who traveled to sing in Berlin. He also spoke with great enthusiasm of the exciting future of European Sacred Harp following the Covid-19 pandemic. Christopher was thanked for his service as chairperson. Announcements were made.

Christopher Schuller led 45t as the closing song. Walburga Ruhl offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairperson—Christopher Schuller; Vice Chairperson—Caro Stamm-Reusch; Food Coordinator—Melanie Tönnies; Treasurer—Molly McCracken; Secretary—Bryan Seale