By Tyler White | Reporter
Baylor Sacred Harp Sing returned to the Piper Great Hall of George W. Truett Theological Seminary on Saturday, Feb. 11. This diverse group of harmonizers is made up of people of all ages and backgrounds spanning from Baylor, Waco and various cities across Texas.
Sacred Harp is a tradition celebrated across the United States since 1844, involving a group of people harmonizing to sing numerous hymns and anthems together. The group sits in a “hollow square” arrangement with the four sides being different harmonies led by someone in the middle of the square.
The “hollow square” seating allowed the symphony of voices to be experienced by everyone. Regardless of experience or singing talent, every person sang as loud as possible to each song, creating a worship and praise-filled atmosphere in the hall.
Dr. Stuart Ivey, assistant director of bands at Baylor, began the event with a “singing school” to teach those new to the format of Sacred Harp.
“We just all sing together, we have a great time and fellowship,” Ivey said. “We come from all walks of life and that includes Christians and non-believers and many other religions as well. It’s a place where hopefully everybody feels safe to sing and worship to the best of their ability.”
The event, which lasted five hours, was vibrant with nonstop singing of traditional hymns and anthems from the 1991 edition of “The Sacred Harp” book. Participants were called upon to come to the middle of the hollow square to lead the group in a song of their choice.
Dr. Randall Bradley, the Ben H. Williams professor of church music, said Sacred Harp is unlike most traditional worship. He said it’s an experience that is quite hard to explain and something people need to hear for themselves.
“It will remind you of folk music you can hear in other cultures, but it’s very loud and boisterous,” Bradley said. “And it doesn’t matter what the song is: just sing loud.”
Throughout the singing, those who were experienced in Sacred Harp were constantly helping those who were new to the tradition. When a new participant was called upon to lead the group in a hymn, a seasoned member would join them.
Dr. Maria Monteiro, lecturer in church music, said her first experience was back in 2017; she said it was tough to learn and keep up with the rest of the people at first, but there was something about the singing that made it unlike anything she heard before.
“I walked in there and saw this community that looked very different that was not really Baylor,” Monteiro said. “It was very diverse, but also very distinct in itself.”
Monteiro said Sacred Harp Sing is a unique way to experience music since it goes beyond just the notes and connects people with each other that share the same enthusiasm for the hymns.
Bradley said Sacred Harp is a great reminder to him of everyone from his past that participated in the event in his early life. He said the singing is important because it not only connects him with the past, but it also shapes him in a unique and powerful way.
“I think maybe it’s a way to experience the past in the present,” Bradley said. “Because on the one hand, it’s so untouched and yet it’s happening right now. It’s like stepping back a couple hundred years, but you’re in the middle of it right now.”
