TEMPORARILY CANCELED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO COVID-19
We plan to resume singings as scheduled once it has been deemed safe to do so. To stay tuned for more info as things develop, please contact us at [email protected]
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Join us for the Midcoast 4th Sunday Sacred Harp Singing from 2-5pm on the 4th Sunday of the month. From October through April or May we will be singing at St-Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 11 Glidden St, Newcastle, Maine 04553 (after May we usually sing at St Paul’s Chapel in Waldoboro). ***Important note: as the location changes for this singing, if you’re not on the mainesacredharp.org mailing list, you’re advised to contact us confirm the location before attending – FMI email [email protected] or call Sara Sandberg: 207-254-9116 or Chris Holley 207-380-4911. Also, please see note below for schedule exceptions & more location specifics.
About Sacred Harp singings
Sacred Harp singings are open participatory community events, where all are welcome and invited to join in and sing. Singings are intentionally inclusive and warmly welcome beginners, curious friends, and passing strangers. Don’t worry – there’s absolutely no prior musical ability or experience expected or required! We sing unaccompanied in 4 part harmony, primarily from The Sacred Harp (1991 Denson edition). We also have loaner tunebooks available to use during the singing for those who don’t have their own copies.
The Sacred Harp is a shape note tunebook that has been in continuous publication with periodic revisions since 1844. The music consists of hymns, fuguing tunes, anthems, and other songs in a style rooted in colonial New England, popular in Maine up until the Civil War and in areas of the rural South and West up to the present day. For more about Sacred Harp singing in Maine visit www.maineshapenotesinging.org (also on facebook). Another great resource is www.fasola.org.
Note about the schedule exceptions for this singing:
The singing occurs on nearly every 4th Sunday of the month from 2-5pm, with the following exceptions:
- JULY: which conflicts with the Maine All-Day Singing Weekend.
- MOST SEPTEMBERS: which usually conflict with the Sacred Harp singing at the Common Country Ground Fair (every once in a while the Common Ground Fair falls on a 3rd Sunday and doesn’t conflict – the next times being in September of 2025, 2031, & 2036).
- CHRISTMAS EVE/DAY: the singing is usually rescheduled if it falls on December 24th or 25th due to the Christmas holiday.
Note about location for this singing:
The location for this singing shifts to a different location depending on the time of year.
- In cooler months: typically Oct or Nov – Apr or May, the singing will be held at St-Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 11 Glidden St, Newcastle, Maine 04553.
- In warmer months: typically May or June – Oct or Nov, we usually sing at Saint Paul’s Chapel at 1055 Dutchneck Rd in Waldoboro 04572, which is unheated and thus is usually only be used during months with more moderate weather.
- IMPORTANT: If you’re not on the mainesacredharp.org mailing list, please confirm the location before attending – by emailing [email protected] or by calling Sara Sandberg: 207-254-9116 or Chris Holley 207-380-4911.