Join the WMSHC Announcements email list for updates!
If you would like to stay up to date about Sacred Harp singing in Western Massachusetts, including the process of resuming singings after our long pause due to COVID-19, please enter your email address in the wmshc-announcements list sign-up form, and we will add you to the list right away. Once you are added to the group, you can visit Google Groups to see past messages.
October 14, 2021 update
Beginning Sunday, October 24, we will be singing at a new location. In order to keep this page from going out of date, and to make clear which weeks are "A" singings and which are "B" singings, the WMSHC singing schedule appears in calendar form below. The calendar includes the location of the singing.
Board members will update this calendar as decisions about singing locations, times, and parameters are made. Community meetings and board meetings (which community members are welcome to attend) will also be added to the calendar. As always, the best way to stay up to date about singing information is by reading messages posted to the wmshc-announcements email list.
For more details about "A" singings and "B" singings, please see the WMSHC COVID-19 guidelines, which we are still following into October.
September 16, 2021 update
WMSHC is hosting singings every Sunday from 2 to 4 PM on the lawn outside Historic Northampton (46 Bridge St, Northampton MA) We currently have two types of singings, which alternate weekly. At "A singings", masks and social distancing of at least 6 feet are required for everyone, regardless of vaccination status. At "B singings", precautions vary according to current conditions in the county, based on the information at CovidActNow.org. For our full COVID-19 precautions, please see the WMSHC COVID-19 guidelines.
Parking and accessibility: There is free parking in the Historic Northampton lot off of Bridge Street and on surrounding side streets. Historic Northampton has an accessible bathroom which will be open to us. The singing will be on the lawn which can be accessed from the parking lot by a brick walkway. For more information, please email the board at wmshc-board@googlegroups.com.
What to bring: Singing at Historic Northampton is outdoors. Please bring a chair or blanket to sit on, and please bring extra chairs if you can! There are limited chairs for our use at this venue. We also recommend that you bring water, sunscreen, bug spray, a fan, a hat, or anything else you need to spend a few hours outside.
We can't wait to sing with you! Beginners and singers returning from a hiatus are very welcome!
June 6, 2021 update
The community met via Zoom on June 6, 2021, to discuss next steps for resuming in-person singing this summer. A committee is exploring locations for regular outdoor weekend singing during the summer; we are trying to be as safe and inclusive as possible. Our next steps for these regular singings, as well as any open-invite private singings, will be announced on the wmshc-announcements email list, so please be sure you are signed up if you would like to be a part of those conversations.
The Pioneer Valley All-Day Singing, usually held on the Saturday before the first Sunday in July, is canceled for 2021.