Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, September 30

The 45th session of the New England Sacred Harp Convention was held on the first Sunday and Saturday before in October. The Saturday session met at The Bay Spring Community Center, Barrington, Rhode Island. The class was called to order by Mike Richards leading 36b. Dana Wilde offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Charles Biada 42; Ron Trial 46; John Hughes 501; Joseph Dunn 178; Gwen Gethner 40; James Baumgartner 171; Lizzy Dunn 335; Owen Stoddard 31t; Ben Sachs-Hamilton 100; Rachel Farber 101t; Christina Foley 35; Kerry Cullinan 569t; Sally Langendorf 73b; Bill Holt 82t; Linda Shea 371; Tarik Wareh 117; Michaela Natal 278b; Joan Frankel 284; Will Harron 230.

RECESS

Pippa Stoddard led 81t to bring the class together. Leaders: Margaret Hughes 110; Gabriel Zuckerberg 106; Wendy Sibbison 220; Marie Brandis 157; Richard Schmeidler 474; Jesse C. Polhemus 72b; David Durstewitz 122; Magdalena Zapedowska 163b; Robin Luckwaldt 86; Becky Wright 123t; Jacob Hamidi 183; Sophie Soloway 425; David Brodeur 444; Christine Andrews 445; Martin Hamilton 29t.

RECESS

The class was brought back to order by Marie Brandis leading 34b. Leaders: Laura Hodges 436; Phillipe Doyle-Gosselin 542; Jim Bean and Nathan Bean 148; Mary Skidmore 270; Nic Tuff 48b; Anabel G. Chabot 61; Ann Kazlauskas 218; Deidra Montgomery 470; Philou 53; Anayis Wright 189; Jeremy Galvagni 163t; Judy Contompasis 145b; Emily Ross 504; Tim Eriksen 192. The dinner blessing was given by Philippe Doyle-Gosselin.

LUNCH

John Hughes brought the class back to order by leading 352. Leaders: Holly Laws 430; Indigo Micciche 268; Andy Ditzler 349; Em Ekelund 384; Tim Gregg 540; Cheri Haire 422; Pippa Stoddard 438; Elsa Phemayotin 383; Baxton A 229; Kit Walsh 447; Pattie Wareh 228; David Brodeur 362; Nathan Bean 146; Linda Shea 448b; Liz Cantrell 31b; Richard Schmeidler 495; Christine Andrews 30t; Christina Foley and Tom Foley 318; Will Harron 330t; Ron Trial and Anayis Wright 497; Wendy Sibbison 475; Magdalena Zapedowska 200; Nic Tuff 276; Judy Contompasis 344; Tim Eriksen 385t; Jeremy Galvagni 440; Gabriel Zuckerberg 455; Carson Evans and Charles Biada 162. Announcements were made.

Mike Richards led 56t as the closing song. The class was dismissed with prayer offered by Liz Cantrell.

Sunday, October 1

The Sunday session of the New England Sacred Harp Convention met at The South Kingstown Land Trust Barn, South Kingstown, Rhode Island. The class was called to order by Mike Richards leading 283. The morning prayer was offered by Liz Cantrell.

Leaders: Kelly House 73t; Pippa Stoddard 313t; Ben Sachs-Hamilton 37b; Tarik Wareh 345b; Bill Holt 48t; Margaret Hughes and Martin Hamilton 35; Joan Frankel 148; William Schuller 39t; Holly Laws 276; Jacob Hamidi 112; Laura Hodges 500; Joseph Dunn 448t; Martin Hamilton 270; Kate Bergren 378t; Philou 209; Marie Brandis 134; Elsa Phemayotin 335.

RECESS

Becky Wright led 74b to bring the class back together. Leaders: Owen Stoddard 547; Anabel G. Chabot 114; Tim Gregg 185; Esther Wade 532; Liz Cantrell 107; Andy Ditzler 536; Lizzy Dunn 384; Yael Tarshish 440; Robin Luckwaldt and Indigo Micciche 131b; Jesse C. Polhemus 105; Mary Skidmore 187; Gwen Gethner 517; David Durstewitz 122; Kit Walsh 165; Em Ekelund 269.

RECESS

The class was brought back to order by Elsa Phemayotin leading 312b. Leaders: John Hughes 280; Rachel Farber 398; Davenport Wallace and Ben Sachs-Hamilton 410t; Myles Louis Dakan 222; David Brodeur 140; Philippe Doyle-Gosselin 138b; Margaret Youngberg 485.

Laura Hodges led 229 for the following sick and homebound: Uschi Nolte, Dan Hertzler, Tom Padwa, Amy Frankel, Inez Benichasa, Jay Wu, Molly Ellis, Yuka Oiwa, Joan Nagy, Cindy Bean, Gratien Chabot, Corrone Bryant, Ruth Bryant, Joanne Fuller, Halina Zapedowska, and Dan Phemayotin.

Kelly House directed the memorial lesson, leading 31t in memory of the following deceased: Ned Roberts—Florida; Chris Martin—Oregon; Charlotte Ehrman, Tom Bonefede, Dan Milner—New York; Sheldon Adelson—Michigan and Florida; Melanie Hauff, Ted Mercer—Illinois; Eva Striebeck—Germany; Lydia Lewallen—North Carolina; Graham DeZarn—Virginia; Bill Dunn—Rhode Island; John Holt, Rob Taylor—Maine; Cheryl Foreman—Texas; Pearl Guier, Claudene Townson, Cora Beasley Jones, Hubert Nall, Norma Green, Marlon Wootten—Alabama; George Burnette—Georgia; Mary Lila Gregg, Tony Barrand, Larry Gordon—Vermont. Tarik Wareh closed the memorial service with prayer.

Leaders: Ann Kazlauskas 201; Kerry Cullinan 486; Michaela Natal 473; Carol Crompton 228. The dinner blessing was given by Yael Tarshish.

LUNCH

Pattie Wareh brought the class back to order by leading 72b. Leaders: Charles Biada 382; Emily Ross 215; Jesse C. Polhemus 214; Deidra Montgomery 320; Andy Ditzler 573; Tim Gregg 426b; Kate Bergren 99; Martin Hamilton and Margaret Hughes 372; Indigo Micciche and QC singers 472; David Brodeur 556; Tarik Wareh 319; Owen Stoddard 454; Becky Wright 411; Joseph Dunn and Lizzie Dunn 34b; Nathan Bean 163b; Jacob Hamidi 225b.

RECESS

Owen Stoddard led 59 to bring the class back together. Leaders: William Schuller 57; Marie Brandis 172; James Baumgartner 77t; Ben Sachs-Hamilton 302; Gwen Gethner 47b; Pippa Stoddard 213t; Philou 323b; Em Ekelund and Esther Wade 274t; Mary Skidmore 92; Philippe Doyle-Gosselin 227.

A business meeting was held in order to hear reports from various committees. Jesse C. Polhemus reported for the Finance Committee that expenses were met. Mike Richards thanked Chairperson Molly Ellis for all her hard work, though she could not be present, and the officers and committee members for their service, as well as those who brought the delicious food. Christopher Kain gave the Secretary’s report stating that sixty-five leaders representing thirteen states and Canadian provinces led eighty-one songs on the first day and fifty-four leaders representing ten states and Canadian provinces led seventy-five songs on the last. The meeting was closed. Announcements were made.

Mike Richards led 62 as the closing song. Yael Tarshish offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairperson—Molly Ellis; Vice Chairperson—Mike Richards; Secretary—Christopher Kain