Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, January 14

The 33rd session of the All-California Sacred Harp Singing Convention met in person in Pacifica, California, with additional singers joining via Zoom. The class was called to order by Mary Rose O’Leary leading 47t. Alex Forsyth offered the opening prayer.

A business meeting was held with the following officers elected or appointed to serve: Co-Chairpersons—Leigh Cooper and Mark Godfrey; Vice Chairman—Al Grindon; Secretaries—Hannah Blair, Dave Barber, Sue Lindner, Mary O’Brien; Arranging Officers—Carolyn Deacy, Wren Hyde, Chris Thorman, Thom Fahrbach; Chaplain—Alex Forsyth; Memorial Committee—Janet Herman; Treasurer—J.T. Harechmak; Resolutions Committee—Bridge Hill Kennedy and Brad Knoke; Online Technology—Paul Kostka.

Leaders: Leigh Cooper and Mark Godfrey 32t; Al Grindon 297; J.T. Harechmak 105; Dave Barber 426b (in memory of Jasper Twitchell); Hannah Blair 503; Chris Thorman 120; Wren Hyde 370; Carolyn Deacy 456; David Graff 300; Leah Coffin 65; Mary O’Brien 348t; Heather Purdy 108b; Paul Kostka 38t; Lindy Groening 483; Bryan Hillebrandt 63 (dedicated to his mother); Janis Mercer 77t; Linda Selph 475; Mischa Skeeter 278t.

RECESS

Lisa Bennett led 59 to call the class back to order. Leaders: Maggie Zhou 113; J.T. Harechmak 274t; Sue Lindner 217; Pat Coghlan 444; J.R. Rymut 101t (for Tim Cox); Midge Harder 410b; Betsy Jeronen 564; Michael Hagerty 448t; Bob Schinske 150; Jenny Solheim 536; Vincent Grato 448b; Lizzie Sanders 227; Sumie Arnold 313b; Dennis Aman 178; Jeffrey McLeod 81t; Seth Mitter 535; Shelley Phillips 270; Hugh McGuire 48t.

RECESS

Rosie Sokolov led 114 to call the class back to order. Leaders: Erica Martinez 460; Paul Landskroener 473; Luc Kleiner 213t; Evelyn Lamb 402; Anne Heider 547; Shawn Taylor 86; Alex Forsyth 56t; Ruth Linehan 485; David Schmitt 280; Jenny Solheim 147t (for Don Bowen on Zoom); Steve Warner 34b; Julia Zaffarano 210; Chris Thorman 122 (for Bob Brylawski on Zoom); Lisa Bennett 121; Sam Thomas 340; Emma Swartz 377; Betty Marvin 182 (via Zoom, assisted by Lindy Groening); Rachel Geary and Alex Forsyth 82t; Stephanie Fida 311. Alex Forsyth offered a prayer before the noon meal.

LUNCH

Wren Hyde led 354b to call the class back to order. Leaders: Kristofer Ilex 106; Rosie Sokolov 542; Bridge Hill Kennedy 432; Brad Knoke 67; Kate Coxon 422; David Brodeur 528; Jennifer Jones 436; Kevin Barrans 566; David Smead 567; Thom Fahrbach 212; Andy Ditzler 304; Ellen Ray 153; Peter Schinske 442; Linnea Sablosky and Suzanne Caflisch 290; Jenny Solheim 532 (for James Solheim on Zoom); David Elsenbroich 479; Betsy Jeronen 534; Bob Schinske 500; Mark Godfrey and Leigh Cooper 35.

RECESS

Evelyn Lamb led 29t to call the class back to order. Leaders: Mary Rose O’Leary, Lucy O’Leary, and Rachel O’Leary 411; Anne Caswell 501; Rosie Sokolov and Kristofer Ilex 70b; J.T. Harechmak and Maggie Zhou 149; Emma Swartz and Jennifer Jones 430; Erica Martinez 216; Ellen Ray 215; David Brodeur, Lisa Bennett, David Smead, Andy Ditzler, and Shawn Taylor 192; Bridge Hill Kennedy and Brad Knoke 142; Mark Godfrey and Leigh Cooper 69b. Alex Forsyth asked a blessing to send us off into the rainy afternoon.

Sunday, January 15

The Sunday session of the All-California Sacred Harp Singing Convention began with Leigh Cooper and Mark Godfrey leading 348b. Alex Forsyth offered prayer. Leaders: Al Grindon 40; Paul Kostka 334; Heather Purdy 38b; Sumie Arnold 178; Jenny Solheim 504; Wren Hyde 328; Dave Barber 229; J.T. Harechmak 324; Dami Osoba and Dave Barber 63; Chris Thorman 148; Lindy Groening 75; Brice Roberts 39t; Carolyn Deacy 430.

RECESS

Kevin Barrans led 338 to call the class back to order. Leaders: Mary Rose O’Leary 421; Hannah Blair 385t; Hugh McGuire 36t; Pat Coghlan 214; J.T. Harechmak 312b; Steve Warner 86; Lizzie Sanders 131t; Inder Khalsa 383; Luc Kleiner 73t; Ellen Ray 89; Shelley Phillips 58; Paul Landskroener 481; Betsy Jeronen 392; Midge Harder 497; Thom Fahrbach 83t; Janet Herman and Conall Barber 142; Erica Martinez 271t.

RECESS

Alex Forsyth led 111t to call the class back to order. Leaders: Anne Heider 528; Kristofer Ilex 472; Peter Schinske 344; Linnea Sablosky 189; Vincent Grato 288; Sam Thomas 306; Rachael Geary 37b; Julia Zaffarano 335; Jeffrey McLeod 47t; Ruth Linehan 132; Suzanne Caflisch 284; Emma Swartz 453; Sarah Hill 455.

The memorial committee gave a lesson for the sick and homebound, reminding us of the pain of isolation and the great warmth that can come from reaching out to a friend. Janet Herman led 108b for Karen LaBonté, Patricia Coffin, Arnold Zwicky, Seth Dickens, Susan Fetcho, Martha Leff, Gary Leff, Sharon Skeeter, Savannah Bush, Mimi Wright, Eileen Forsyth, Linda Berkemeier, Ed Thacker, Margaret Thacker, Peter Stenshoel, Barry Phillips, Mary Ellen Wilkinson, Betty Herman, David Herman, Nate Green, Norma Green, and Joyce Walton.

This being the first All-California convention since January, 2020, the list of singers lost since the last time we gathered was almost unbearably long. The following list of names was read aloud: Floyd Melvin Aman, Sandy Tracey, Stephen O’Leary, Jim Harder, Jack Leslie, Dolores Bibb, David Fetcho, Katie Holldber, Joanne Cone, Sandy Hollister, Catherine Anderson, Wayne Mitchell, Nancy Nolan Miller, Donna Ambrogi, Claudia Handley, Michael Nisley—California; Solomon Ossa—Washington; Ted Mercer—Illinois; Dan Parkinson—Minnesota; Jackie Bryant—Maryland; Sonny Ermin, Curtis Owen, Landis Powell, Charlotte Powell and Beverly Nelms—Texas; Larry Gordon and Pete Sutherland—Vermont; Kim Phelps—Oregon; Renee Latham, Doug Ivey, Joan Aldridge, Coy Ivey and Elder J.L. Hopper—Alabama; Peter Golden—Maine; Jack Paulk—Georgia; Tom Deacy—Missouri; Jean and Dee Groberg—Utah; Nick Verni-Lau—Colorado; Dustin Murrell—Iowa; Jim Baldridge—Alaska; Don Forsyth—Pennsylvania; and Rebecca Over—UK. With gratitude for their lives and for our tradition which gives us space to love and grieve them, we sang 32b. Alex Forsyth led us in prayer.

The final leaders for the session were Leigh Cooper 283; Rosie Sokolov 426t. Alex Forsyth asked a blessing for the noon meal.

LUNCH

Dave Barber led 31t to call the class back to order. Leaders: David Schmitt 480; David Smead 272; Jennifer Jones 269; Bridge Hill Kennedy 361; Kevin Barrans 428; Lisa Bennett 506; Rachael Geary and Alex Forsyth 336; Stephanie Fida 234; Lucy O’Leary 112; Paul Landskroener 250; Ellen Ray 162; Mark Godfrey 225t; Inder Khalsa 168; Thom Fahrbach 513; Mary Rose O’Leary 215; Lila Goehring and Leigh Cooper 82t; Lindy Groening 208.

RECESS

Brad Knoke led 33b to call the class back to order. Leaders: Dave Barber 323t; Hugh McGuire 240; Andrea Tzvetkov 448b; Kristofer Ilex 203; Michael Haggerty 268; Betsy Jeronen 499; Emma Swartz 61; Mischa Skeeter 461; Rosie Sokolov 445; David Elsenbroich 306; Erica Martinez 566 (in memory of David Fetcho); Peter Ross 99.

A business meeting was held during which we resolved to meet again in 2024, on the third Sunday and Saturday before in January in the Los Angeles area. Following announcements and invitations to many singings far and near, Alex Forsyth asked a blessing to end our weekend of music and fellowship, and we took the parting hand.

Co-Chairpersons—Leigh Cooper and Mark Godfrey; Secretary—Hannah Blair