Sacred Harp (or shape note) is full-voice, a cappella, 4-part harmony singing using shape note musical notation. The music is rooted in early New England, was kept alive in the American South, and has now spread worldwide! This singing tradition is all about participation; there are no tryouts, no rehearsals, and no performances. This workshop, appropriate for beginners and long-time singers alike, will give a brief background of Sacred Harp and give participants time to learn some songs.
Bay Area Sacred Harp is a group of singers who sing and spread the word about Sacred Harp and shape note music. They sing all over the Bay Area and their activities are always free and open to the public — join them sometime! Bay Area Sacred Harp members Peter Ross and Jenny Solheim will lead this session.
Peter Ross originally got hooked on shape note singing when he attended workshops in the 1990s at the SFFFF, due to the georgous harmonies and the inspiring music.He now sings regularly with the Palo Alto shape note singing group, and occasionally with the Santa Cruz, San Francisco, and East Bay groups. Before traveling, he checks the www.fasola.org website, and has found groups with which to sing around the country.
Jenny Solheim heard shape note singing for the first time when she was five days old, when the St. Louis shape note singers (including her dad) sang to her over the phone. She grew up singing shape note music and now sings regularly with the San Francisco, Berkeley, and Palo Alto shape note groups. She has traveled to shape note events throughout the US and in Norway, and she has also written several shape note songs.