Learner's Group: Sacred Harp as a Generous Practice

My theme for the Learner's Group this week was "generosity". We talked about how leading can be a generous act, and how song selection can be a generous act.

While leading often looks like conducting, nothing could be further from the truth. A leader is giving the class the tempo, and the leader is helping the class to sing together. This act can be done in the service of the mood of the class. Are there a lot of new singers who are unfamiliar with a tricky song? A generous leader might select a slower tempo to give people more time to get their mouths around the shapes and the words. Is the class looking bored or sleepy? A good leader might pick a faster tempo to bring the class back to life. It takes time to learn judgment and to cultivate the perceptions required, but a considerate leader works on those skills because that is one way to serve their fellow singers.

A generous leader will take time by themselves to become a better leader. This includes studying songs in the book and practicing outside of singing, to gain confidence and familiarity with the music. A generous leader will work to improve the arm movements of leading a tune to ensure that their leading is strong, graceful and clear.

It is even possible to lead generously when NOT in the center of the square. Leading from one's seat is a great way to be generous to the class. In particular, when a leader sees the class mirroring back their arm motions, it gives the leader a warm feeling of being in harmony with the class. Beating time while seated increases the energy of the singing and helps keep the class together. It is also a tremendous gift to the altos, who often cannot see the leader directly.

Song selection also plays into the concept of generosity. Individual tunes have special meanings and associations for singers. A generous leader might choose a particular tune to honor another singer or to show how much they mean to the leader. A generous leader might pick a familiar tune such as 159 (Wondrous Love) or 162 (Plenary) or 45t (New Britain) so that a new singer can have that "aha!" moment of recognition and connection.

Generosity also plays into the Sacred Harp traditions of hospitality and inclusiveness.

What other ways can a singer practice generosity?

Learner's Group: Introduction the the Shapes

Our Learner's Group, which meets every third Monday from 7-7:30, now features lessons from experienced singers! Thanks to Will Fitzgerald, who kicked us off with an introduction to the shapes on February 20.



This lesson was perfectly timed with a very large class of beginning singers. Will started us off by raising our voices together, saying "We call this shape note music, but it's really music. The music is primary." We sang through a scale to emphasize the way it naturally breaks into FA SOL LA, FA SOL LA, MI FA. Will shared some history of how the shapes were developed, as well as some helpful mnemonics to remember the shapes.

The class sang through 49t and 49b to practice the shapes, first on the tenor line and then in full harmony.

Before closing the lesson I reminded singers that the shapes might take a while to get used to, but that with practice they will see the shapes become a tool rather than a hindrance.

Want to learn more about the shapes?
See p. 18 in the rudiments section of the Sacred Harp.
Read the wikipedia article. It describes the history of shape notes, 4 vs. 7 shape systems, and a fascinating study about the effectiveness of shape notes as a teaching tool.

Please join us for the next Learner's Group on March 19! The lesson will be on leading with Hal Eisen.