Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Friday, October 4

A singing school was held at Spring Glen United Church of Christ in Hamden, Connecticut. Marie Brandis called the class to order leading 49b. Nathan Rees spoke on the musical styles contained in this tradition and led the following examples with the aid of volunteers: 338, 40, 29b, 566, 37b, 431, 546, 480, and 348t.

Saturday, October 5

The 46th session of the New England Convention was held at the High Lane Club in North Haven, Connecticut. Marie Brandis called the class to order leading 448b. Michaela Natal offered the opening prayer.

In a business session, and with unanimous consent, the following chairs and committees were appointed: Arranging—Charles Biada; Chaplain—Michaela Natal; Memorial Committee—Sage Chase-Dempsey and Keillor Mose; Food chair—Marlenne González; Treasurer—Michael Natal.

Leaders: Marie Brandis 150; Charles Biada 107; Gwen Gethner 52t; Jeremy Picker 270; Michaela Natal 32t; Jocelyn Kurtze 72b; Rachel Farber 56t; Michael Ipsen 496; Rachel Adelstein 268; Sebastian Beaghen 38b; Chris Geissler 51; Rob Arbelo 171; Barbara Swetman 145b; Lily Hammond 472; John Hughes 474; Owen Stoddard 475.

RECESS

Ben Sachs-Hamilton called the class to order leading 313t. Leaders: Ian Quinn 57; Sam Dembling 100; Erin Fulton 289; Kobi Bordoley 101b; Holly Laws 240; Daniel Zaloum 411; Jasmine Mendoza 564; Joseph Shenk 105; Joseph Dunn 148; Kerry Cullinan 27; Lindsay Kruse 200; Joel Rosen 228; Sue Peters 63; Molly B. Ellis 481; Jennie Brown 278b; Ron Trial 183; Elias Neuman-Donihue 344.

RECESS

Owen Stoddard called the class to order leading 59. Leaders: Gary Ryan 271t; Jana Yeaton 277; Carol Huang 528; Ellie Knickman 352; George Sigut 86; Michael Natal with Michaela Natal 99; MB Gowins 436; Joan Frankel 172; Will Harron 460; Laura Hodges 189; Bill Holt 454; Linda Shea 300; Christopher Kain 467; Anne Kazlauskas 447; Marlena Ospina 451. Colleen Hayes offered a pre-meal blessing.

LUNCH

Will Harron and Jana Yeaton called the class to order leading 81t. Leaders: Margaret Hughes 222; Rachel Rudi 336; David Brodeur 558; Becky Wright 377; Paul Landskroener 486; Colleen Hayes 536; Andy Ditzler 299; Anabel Gravel Chabot 114; Erika Wilson 498; Sam Thomas 440; Kevin Beirne 428; Christna Foley 532; Thom Fahrbach 423; Deidra Montgomery 181; Nathan Rees 217; Doug Kurtze 315; Porter Lontz-Underhill 142; Kate Bergren 417; Tom Evers 501; Jason Jack 198; Mike Richards 340; Wendy Sibbison 220; William Schuller 76b.

RECESS

Carol Huang called the class to order leading 29t. Leaders: Kit Walsh 124; Tim Eriksen 229; Anne Evers 290; Sam Kleinman 399b; Joan Nagy 504; Anayis Wright 362; Ryan Courtney 82t; Rowan Lupton 376; Evan Landon 535; Ben Sachs-Hamilton 298; Doug Kurtze and Jocelyn Kurtze 84; John Hughes and Sebastian Beaghen (registration card wits and wags) 106; Molly B. Ellis, Laura Hodges, John Hughes, Anne Kazlauskas, Deidra Montgomery, and Mike Richards (2023 New England Convention hosts) 153; Joseph Dunn, Tim Eriksen, Bill Holt, Joan Frankel, Porter Lontz-Underhill, Barbara Swetman, and Anayis Wright (attendees of at least one of the first twenty New England Conventions) 479; Kevin Beirne, Ryan Courtney, Carol Huang, Sam Kleinman, and Elias Neuman-Donihue (early-morning Metro North riders) 73t; Marie Brandis and Thom Fahrbach 36b. Gary Ryan closed the day with prayer. A social was held on Saturday evening at the home of Ian Quinn in Guilford, CT.

Sunday, October 6

Marie Brandis called the class to order leading 203. Michaela Natal offered the opening prayer. Leaders: Charles Biada 101t; Rachel Farber 60; Ian Quinn 345b; Michaela Natal 373; Jocelyn Kurtze 58; Ryan Konopka 155; Margaret Hughes 74t; Michael Ipsen 271t; Rachel Adelstein 351; Colleen Hayes 77b; Keillor Mose 170; Marlena Ospina 287; Jeremy Picker 163b; William Schuller 128; Mike Richards 129.

RECESS

Ian Quinn called the class to order leading 89. Leaders: Gwen Gethner 228; Harry Bernholz 186; Will Harron 384; David Durstewitz 122; Michael Natal 72b; Deidra Montgomery 197; Laszlo Bois 385b; Rowan Lupton 148; Don Youngberg with Margaret Youngberg 65; Rob Arbelo 455; MB Gowins 217; Evan Landon 162; Sebastian Beaghen 183; Holly Laws 410b; Dimitri Côté 480; Joan Nagy 56b; Ryan Courtney 31t.

RECESS

Rowan Lupton called the class to order leading 29t. Leaders: Erika Wilson 171; Kerry Cullinan 98; Kobi Bordoley 282.

Sage Chase-Dempsey led 95 after speaking for the following list of sick and shut-ins: Bridge Kennedy, Mary Ina Swetman, John Ryden Nelson, Ginny Ely, Martha Rogers, Marcia Johnson, Ted Johnson, Jay Wu, Melissa Howrey Fulton, Tim Gregg, Brenda Waters, Christine Andrews, Inez Benichasa, Matthew Leger-Small, Tom Waggener, Cornelia van den Doel, Tarik Wareh, Pattie Wareh, Mary Baumeister, Amelia Bilyeu, Meredith Doster, Chris Wilhelm, Amy Frankel, Philou, Marsha Camp, Matt Wojcik, Rosie Wojcik, and Richard Frankel.

Keillor Mose led 324 after speaking for those who had recently died: Earl Ballinger, Henry Guthery, Richard Mauldin, Tommie Spurlock, and Malik Williams—Alabama; P. Dan Brittain—Arkansas; Jeff Begley, Dan L. Burk, and Susan Fetcho—California; Alfred Saussotte and John Van Duzer—Colorado; Ruth-Anne Bryant—Florida; Bob Goodman, Martha Ann Stegar, and Anson Strickland—Georgia; Curtis Cook—Indiana; William Ralph Paris—Kentucky; A.O. Walsh and Ron Woodland—Massachusetts; Charlotte Ehrman, Holly Ruthberg, and Heather Wood—New York; Ann Schluter—North Dakota; Scott Swanton—North Carolina; Ellen Tepper and Tom Tucker—Pennsylvania; Gratíen Chabot and Alda Noël—Quebec; Chloe Webb—Texas; Bill Fellinger—Vermont; Reed Schilbach—Washington; Emily Mecklinberg. Michaela Natal closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

Leaders: Kit Walsh 214; Sam Dembling 390; Anabel Gravel Chabot 179; Erin Fulton 74b. Michaela Natal offered a pre-meal blessing.

LUNCH

Rachel Farber called the class to order leading 445. Leaders: Owen Stoddard 522; Jasmine Mendoza 397; Nathan Rees 272; Porter Lontz-Underhill 448t; Laura Hodges 291; Jennie Brown 534; Andy Ditzler 512; Thom Fahrbach 302; Barbara Swetman 484; Sam Thomas 112; Anne Evers 196; Lindsay Cruz 182; David Brodeur 527; Ben Sachs-Hamilton 383; Paul Landskroener 212; Lily Hammond 547; Sam Kleinman 426b; Chris Geissler 444; Sage Chase-Dempsey 142; John Hughes 67.

RECESS

Marlena Ospina called the class to order leading 146. Leaders: Margaret Youngberg 269; Tom Evers 39t; Laura Clampitt 535; Penny Henzel 83t; Lloy Cook 178; Thom Fahrbach and Erika Wilson (suppliers of Saturday-morning emergency coffee) 556; Andy Ditzler and David Brodeur 492; Sebastian Beaghen, Laura Clampitt, Chris Geissler, Holly Laws, Margaret Youngberg (New Haven singers who have moved away) 335; Andy Ditzler, Erin Fulton, and Nathan Rees (Sacred Harp Museum curators and associates) 103; Sage Chase-Dempsey, Kerry Cullinan, Colleen Hayes, Evan Landon, and Joan Nagy (2025 New England Convention hosts) 37b.

The business session was reopened for the purpose of hearing reports. It was reported that one hundred thirty-six singers registered from sixteen states or federal districts, two Canadian provinces, and the country of Chile, and that all expenses had been met. Thom Fahrbach and Ian Quinn gave the resolutions, and Colleen Hayes accepted the charge to host the 2025 New England Convention on behalf of the Vermont singing community.

Marie Brandis and Colleen Hayes led 347, with the class rising on the final verse to take the parting hand. Michaela Natal offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairperson—Marie Brandis; Secretaries—Rachel Farber and Jeremy Picker