All-Day Singing School, October 28, 2000, Great Falls, VA

The Potomac River Sacred Harp Singers Present

The Four-shape "Fasola" system of musical notation: American hymns, fuging tunes, and anthems in unaccompanied four-part harmony from The Sacred Harp

Saturday, October 28, 2000
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

The Great Falls Grange
9818 Georgetown Pike (Route 193)
Great Falls, Virginia

Singing Master Jesse Roberts

Jesse Roberts of Jacksonville, Florida, comes from a long line of Sacred Harp Singers from the south end of Sand Mountain, Alabama. His parents moved to Georgia before he was born, so his personal experience with Sacred Harp came from the Atlanta area. He grew up singing in Ebenezer Church, where the DeLong Memorial Singing is held. He led his first song, "Lenox" when he was four years old, at a "Cooper Book" singing school taught by J. Elmer Kitchens. He has taught three 4-shape singing schools and one 7-shape singing school. He is known as a specialist in leading anthems. The Sacred Harp tradition continues in the younger generation of Jesse Roberts's family. This singing school will cover the following topics:

History of a Sacred Harp singing family
Rudiments of The Sacred Harp
Sacred Harp harmony contrasted with other harmony styles (gospel, Christian Harmony, Primitive Baptist hymn books, etc.)
Leading anthems
Sacred Harp etiquette
Singing, singing, and more singing!

All are welcome: beginners, experienced singers,and listeners
No admission charge: free-will offering

The Sacred Harp (1991 Edition) tunebooks will be available for loan and purchase.

Bag Lunch/Dutch Treat: There are many restaurants within walking distance. Participants may eat out or carry lunch back to the outdoor pavilion or the dining hall.

For information, contact Katharine Manning at kmanning@erols.com or 703-534-9065, or the Folklore Society of Greater Washington Information Hotline at 202-546-2228, ext. 56. Updated information will be posted at http://go.to/shapenotes.

Limited housing is available; contact Joni Seidenstein at joni@cox.rr.com.

Children are welcome. However, parents are responsible for arranging supervision for their own children, as no childcare will be provided.

Sponsored by

The Folklore Society of Greater Washington

The Great Falls Grange: 9818 Georgetown Pike (Route 193). This classic public assembly hall, a product of the Grange Movement, was completed in 1929.
Directions: A. If coming from I-495 (Beltway), exit at Virginia Exit 13 (Route 193, Georgetown Pike) and turn onto Route 193 going west toward Great Falls, VA. (If coming on I-495 from Maryland, you must exit onto a right service lane just after crossing the American Legion Bridge over the Potomac River.) Travel west on winding Rte. 193 toward Great Falls for 6.2 miles to the red-brick Grange on the right, next to the public library and just prior to the Village shopping center. B: If approaching from the west on Rte. 7, turn eastward onto Rte. 193 at Dranesville and go 3.1 miles east to Great Falls Village and continue 0.2 mile to the Grange on the left. Park in lots and spaces for the Grange only.

Sacred Harp Singing is not “Southern Singing;” it is “Populist Singing.” You cannot import a particular sound from one area to another. Wherever a singing is held, its sound will reflect the special characteristics of the singers who make up the Class.
~ Paraphrased from Jesse Roberts

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