Eastern Townships Sacred Harp All-Day Singing 2024

Join us on Sunday July 14, as we return to Way’s Mills Community Centre for a day of shapes, loud anthems & shouts of sacred joy! From 10 am to 4 pm, we will sing from the 1991 Sacred Harp edition. A potluck breakfast and lunch will be served. The event is free and open to all, no singing experience necessary. Loaner books will be available. Want to make a week-end of it? Our Montreal friends are hosting a singing school on Friday July 12 and an All-Day Singing on Saturday July 13, a mere two hours away. Oh, and here’s the facebook event for our day in Way’s Mills, if you’d like to join and share it on that platform.

WHAT IS SACRED HARP?

Sacred Harp is a traditional form of singing that originated in the early 19th century American colonies. It is characterized by three- and four-part harmonies sung in full, loud voices and shape-note musical notation, where geometric shapes are used to represent musical notes to facilitate learning to read music, even without formal music training. The repertoire consists of hymns and anthems spanning various religious denominations. Sacred Harp singings are neither performances nor religious services, they are opportunities for individuals to come together and share in the joy of communal singing and eating. There is no fee to participate, no choir director, no audience and no rehearsals in the Sacred Harp tradition. Singers sit in a square formation and take turns leading songs in an atmosphere of camaraderie conducive to learning at every skill level.

FOOD

A cold breakfast will be available from 8:30 am. The potluck lunch will be at 12. Hot and cold beverages will be available all day. Please bring a dish to share if you are able to. All dishes must be labeled with their ingredients. Please bring your own serving utensils and crockpots.

TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING

The Way’s Mills Community Center is an all wood heritage building located next to a small river in the municipality of Barnston-Ouest (approximately 2h South-East of Montreal / 3h North of Brattleboro, VT). There is free parking across the street and a few charging stations for electric vehicles.

Be in touch with the chairs Anabel and Virginia at info@sacredharpsherbrooke.org for housing requests.

ACCESSIBILITY

The venue is wheelchair accessible. Bathrooms, kitchen area and a patio are on the ground floor. Singing will take place on the upper floor, which is accessible by stairs and elevator.

Please write to the chairs Anabel and Virginia at info@sacredharpsherbrooke.org for further questions about accessibility.

PUBLIC HEALTH

We ask that you please stay home if you have flu-like symptoms. We also ask that you take a same-day COVID test and bring proof (photo is fine) at the door. We will have tests available at the door, including non-invasive saliva tests. Please test before coming to the venue as much as possible to ensure swift registration at the door. The venue is well cross-ventilated, and we will have fans and air purifiers to further mitigate risks of transmission. Masking is welcome but not mandatory.

OTHER SINGINGS IN THE AREA

In the Eastern Townships:

Sacred Harp Sherbrooke sings every Tuesday 6:30 -8:30 pm at Victoria Park in Sherbrooke. Join the Sacred Harp Sherbrooke FB group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sacredharpsherbrooke The Neville host a sing and potluck on the first Sunday of every month from 3-6 pm in Lennoxville, Québec. For exact dates and location, join the Sacred Harp Sherbrooke FB and mailing list.

In Montreal:

The Montreal Sacred Harp singers are hosting a singing school on July 12 and an all-day singing on July 13. Link to the FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/444476994900105 The Montreal Sacred Harp singers sing every Tuesday 7-9pm at La Poêle (5334 avenue de Gaspé, room 307 / alternate entrance 5333 Casgrain, room 307). Join their FB group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/156137994414473