Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, October 18

The 35th New York State Sacred Harp Convention was held at the German American Club in Albany, New York, singing from the new 2025 edition. The class was called to order by Ginny Huszagh leading 34b. The opening prayer was led by Sarah Underhill. A business meeting followed to elect Pattie Wareh as chairman.

Leaders: Pattie Wareh 49t; Alison Forster 472; Mary Skidmore 27b; Barbara Swetman 484t; Tarik Wareh 381; George Sigut 448t; Jean Seiler 87; Eileen Raab 268; Sarah Underhill 39t; Laura Densmore 41; Dennis Leipold 40; Sally Langendorf 176b; Kathy Chillemi 47t; Bob Wheeler 107; Seth Rutledge 163b; Kathy Collett 474.

RECESS

The class was called together by Eric Bean leading 49b. Leaders: Kerry Cullinan and Jesse Karlsberg 188; Becky Wright 366; Ernest Blake 48t; Sage Chase-Dempsey 531; Anne Evers 255; Will Harron 486; Mary Skidmore 486; Tom Evers 29b; Joan Nagy 547; Paul Bird 319; Evelyn Lamb 393; Erin Fulton 123t; Dev Crasta 122; Lily Hammond 532.

RECESS

The class was called together by Sage Chase-Dempsey leading 30b. Leaders: Guy Bankes and Anna Bowen 543; Kyle Johnston 544. Jesse Pearlman Karlsberg, who served on the Revision-Music Committee, gave a special lesson in which he described the committee’s process of choosing songs to add to the new edition and made special reference to composers from the Northeastern U.S. whose songs are included. He led 50b, 223, 395, and 367. Hollie Long led 115. A blessing was given by Anna Bowen.

LUNCH

The class was called together by Dev Crasta leading 36b. Leaders: Sally Langendorf 81t; Rachel Hall 413; Faith Potter, Erik Potter, and Nina Potter 72b; Paul Bird 71; Anne Evers 130; Becky Wright and Rachel Hall 257; Jean Seiler and Jesse Karlsberg 231 (in memory of George Seiler); Kyle Johnston 93; Alison Forster 442; Will Harron 480; Lily Hammond 344; Jean Seiler, Eric Bean, Laura Densmore, Ginny Huszagh, Barbara Swetman, Dennis Leipold, and Kathy Chillemi (attendees of the first New York State Sacred Harp Convention) [475-2025-2025]; Sage Chase-Dempsey 29t; Kathy Chillemi 178t; Tom Evers 37b; Barbara Swetman 211; Tarik Wareh 507; Erin Fulton 345b; Bob Wheeler 452b.

RECESS

The class was called together by Erin Fulton leading 106. Leaders: Evelyn Lamb 353; Kerry Cullinan 566; Kathy Collett 38t; Dennis Leipold 300; Seth Rutledge 163t; Sarah Underhill 332; Pattie Wareh 276; George Sigut 303; Joan Nagy 504; Hollie Long 541; Ginny Huszagh 189; Dev Crasta 47b; Ernest Blake 84; Anna Bowen 182; Jesse Karlsberg 183; Mary Skidmore 334; Guy Bankes 534; Rachel Hall 487; Lily Hammond 513; Tom Evers and Anne Evers 384; Becky Wright 30t; Will Harron 269. Pattie Wareh led 323t as the closing song.

Sunday, October 19

The class was called to order by Pattie Wareh leading 101t and 171. Leaders: Barbara Swetman 40, 41; Tarik Wareh 452t, 467; Mary Skidmore 50b, 570; Ernest Blake 49t, 49b; Kyle Johnston 357, 162; Tom Evers 163b, 484t; Jean Seiler 50t, 51.

RECESS

The session was called to order by Anne Evers leading 85. Leaders: Paul Bird 551, 236; Laura Densmore 313t, 370; Mary Skidmore 113; Sarah Underhill 102, 345t; Julie Richard 115, 176t; Erin Fulton 341, 497b; Kerry Cullinan 461, 491.

RECESS

The session was called to order by Jesse Karlsberg leading 57. Leaders: Annie Reynolds 381, 396; George Sigut 86, 444.

The memorial lesson was given by Lily Hammond and Jon Adler. Lily led 516 for the sick and shut-ins: Sally Roberts, B.R. Black, Katy Black, Nicole Collins, Denise Kania, Gina Balestracci, Greta Holbrook, Amy Betz, Ginny Ely, Paul Sandefur, Hannah Parrott, Brigitte Humbert, Ernest Arnett, Frank Arnett, Brenda Waters, Ed Walton, Joanne Fuller, Rio Seiler, Brenda Dunlap, Jody Kolodzey, Marilyn Embser, Pat Waggener, Tom Waggener, and Bill Shetter.

Jon led 400 for the deceased: Dorothy Vicra, Gabrielle McGhee, Mary Lou Pritchett, Nancy Tellier, Daniel Stewart, and Cate Skidmore—New York; Peter Amidon, Bill Fellinger, and Virginia Douglas—Vermont; Bob Franke—Massachusetts; Corrone Bryant—Maine/Florida; Dan Phemayotin—New Jersey; Barrie Jane Kintner—Pennsylvania; Phil Perrin—North Carolina; Alice Bejnar—Florida; Grady Wade Denney Burgess—Georgia; Buell Cobb—Alabama; Mike Hinton—Texas; Thomas Owen Reynolds—California/Oregon/Alabama; Bernard Collard—United Kingdom.

Leaders: Jesse Karlsberg 347b, 380 (in memory of Mike Hinton); Joan Nagy 56b, 348t; Micah Walter 561, 274t; Jim Griffin 159. A blessing was given by Anna Bowen.

LUNCH

The class was called to order by Hollie Long leading 30b. Leaders: Rachel Farber 60, 402; Alison Forster 448b; Alison Forster and Jesse Karlsberg 245; Elsa Phemayotin 77t, 319; Evelyn Lamb 184, 132; Rachel Hall 181, 423b; Jason Steiner 335, 284; Lily Hammond 278t, 478; Ginny Huszagh 228, 299.

RECESS

The class was called to order by Jean Seiler leading 82t. Leaders: Jon Adler 462, 534; Guy Bankes 442, 65; Evelyn Lamb and Shaye Tung-Funaro 353, 524; Anna Bowen 472, 318; Anne Evers 254, 196; Hollie Long 420t, 488; Jesse Karlsberg 356, 357.

Treasurer Mary Skidmore reported that expenses were met, thanks to everyone’s generosity. Secretary Alison Forster reported that fifty-two singers had led one hundred sixty-one songs, and there were eighty-five singers registered from eleven states and Canada. The Resolutions Committee, Evelyn Lamb and Jason Steiner, gave thanks to God and to the singers, resolved that the New York State Sacred Harp Convention would next be held in 2026 on the third Sunday and Saturday before in October, and further resolved to adopt The Sacred Harp: 2025 Edition as the official tune book, which was met with applause.

Pattie Wareh, Alison Forster, and Mary Skidmore led 62 as the closing song. The closing prayer was offered by Mary Skidmore.

Chairman—Pattie Wareh; Secretaries—Alison Forster and Rachel Reed