Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The Eva Striebeck Memorial Singing was held at the Ökumenisches Forum HafenCity, Shanghaiallee 12, Hamburg on 23 September 2023 to sing Eva home during the week of her funeral.

The class was called to order by Nele Gilch and Inga Buckland leading 171. Nele Gilch gave the opening address as Chair and as Eva’s closest friend for over thirty years. Eva discovered Sacred Harp over twelve years ago, and it became a big part of her life giving her great joy. Nele also described Eva’s life outside of Sacred Harp, as a musician and singer, in her working life, and in other interests. Derek Buckland offered the opening prayer.

As a main feature of the day, singers shared before songs their recollections of Eva’s life. Singers remembered her fine alto voice, distinctive and memorable, full of passion, her travels to support new groups forming and help them grow, her support and encouragement for them as individuals, her help with personal problems, her kindness. For Eva the Sacred Harp community was not just people she could have a good sing with, but real individuals she cared for as part of a family. She was fun to be with and she made you feel special. She believed that Sacred Harp was for all who wanted to sing, and she encouraged singers of all abilities to share her joy in singing and to develop and grow as singers. Eva never pushed herself into the limelight. But she was an unmistakable presence at singings, and singers remembered the way she caught people’s eyes as she sang and as she led, and made them feel part of something wonderful.

Leaders: Elisabeth Schwallig 354b; Paul Kolenbrander 159; Jasmina Graf 271t; Maria Neumann-Fraune 38t; Nathan Bowler 224; Anne Eringa 229; Marcos Sullivan 548; Nina Riegler 101b; Duane Nasis 30t; Derek Buckland 32b; Gerben Vos 531; Ludger Dünnebacke 210; Aislinn Ahern 176t; Elisabeth Schwallig 274t; Inga Buckland 521; Paul Kolenbrander 278t.

RECESS

The class was called back to order by Maria Neumann-Fraune leading 457. Leaders: Nathan Bowler 178; Jasmina Graf 542; Tobias Tenhaef 268; Anne Eringa 547; Marcos Sullivan 142; Nina Riegler 99; Derek Buckland 56b; Duane Nasis 430; Ludger Dünnebacke 300.

Derek Buckland gave the memorial lesson, remembering Eva as a person and her contributions to Sacred Harp singing, and closed the lesson by offering a prayer and leading 122.

Leaders: Aislinn Ahern 480; Gerben Vos 562; Elisabeth Schwallig 37b; Paul Kolenbrander 47b; Inga Buckland 411. Gerben Vos offered the prayer before the lunchtime meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was called to order by Anne Eringa leading 77t. Leaders: Jasmina Graf 444; Janna Itter 273; Nathan Bowler 181; Maria Neumann-Fraune 112; Tobias Tenhaef 29b; Marcos Sullivan 317; Nina Riegler 29t; Duane Nasis 383; Aislinn Ahern 454; Ludger Dünnebacke 448t; Derek Buckland 341; Elisabeth Schwallig 270; Gerben Vos 344; Paul Kolenbrander 203; Inga Buckland 515; Anne Eringa 377; Jasmina Graf 332; Nathan Bowler 504; Julia Sievert 472; Maria Neumann-Fraune 566.

RECESS

The class was called back to order by Nina Riegler leading 114. Leaders: Ulla Schlobohm 77b; Tobias Tenhaef 74b; Kristina Trieba 277; Duane Nasis 172; Sonja Funke 290; Marcos Sullivan 410t; Aislinn Ahern 569b; Ludger Dünnebacke 42; Derek Buckland 70b; Elisabeth Schwallig 282; Paul Kolenbrander 481; Gerben Vos 111b; Inga Buckland 361; Anne Eringa 503; Jasmina Graf 500; Nathan Bowler 287; Maria Neumann-Fraune 146; Nina Riegler 217; Duane Nasis 216.

Nele Gilch thanked those who had worked to help organise the day. Seventy-five songs had been sung by twenty-seven singers with twenty-one leaders. All administrative costs had been met, and a donation would be made to the Ökumenisches Forum. Announcements were made.

Nele Gilch and Inga Buckland led 506 as the closing song. Derek Buckland offered the closing prayer and played a multi-track recording of 267 Parting Friends (First) which Eva had made when she was still a new singer. The class was then dismissed.

Chairman—Nele Gilch; Vice Chairman—Inga Buckland; Treasurer—Julia Sievert; Secretary—Derek Buckland