Back in 2007, I hand coded the first incarnation of this website in HTML with what was then state-of-the-art CSS. It was a way to indulge some of my interests of that time — mountain dulcimer, abc notation, web development, etc. But I didn't do much with the site for the next three years.
I began singing Sacred Harp music in 2008. In 2010 I decided to convert this site to a Sacred Harp blog. I wanted to write about my experiences as a new Sacred Harp singer. When I was no longer a new singer, I continued blogging about all-day singings and conventions, as well as some of the unusual venues where I’ve sung Sacred Harp: on stage with poet Coleman Barks, in the Santa Cruz Baroque Festival, in a classroom at Stanford Univ., during a peace walk, etc. During the pandemic, I blogged about my experiences with online singing.
The blog gradually accumulated other material: William Billings tunes transcribed into shape notes, metrical paraphrases of psalms, other sacred songs and hymns. I also posted some of my feeble efforts at shapenote compositions (now thankfully deleted). After organizing a singing school in Palo Alto in 2011, I began adding material on learning to sing from The Sacred Harp.
Unfortunately, my Sacred Harp blog was compromised by criminal hackers in 2023. So I quickly made a simple static HTML website which contained the material I felt was of broadest interest. I plan to resurrect the blog, too, Real Soon Now.
Screenshot of the original Three Oranges website.
Began singing Sacred Harp in the Boston area in 2008 with Norumbega Harmony.
From 2011 to 2022, held various positions with Bay Area singings including (in alphabetical order): All California Convention, Coghlan/Helwig Memorial, Golden Gate All Day, Marian Bush Half Day, Palo Alto All Day, Santa Cruz All Day, Ziegler Memorial. At various times served as chair, vice-chair, secretary, arranging committee, kitchen committee, housing coordinator, chaplain. Helped start the Palo Alto All Day Singing in 2012, and served as first chair. Helped start the Dominic Ciavonne Ziegler Memorial Singing in 2013, and served as first chair. When COVID hit, helped other Bay Area singers set up real-time online singing, and participated in early Bay Area Jamulus sessions.
Moved to Massachusetts in 2022, where I now live more than an hour away from the nearest singing. Plus as a minister I work most weekends. Not singing Sacred Harp much these days.
Jack and Marianne leading at the first Dominic Ciavonne Ziegler Memorial Singing, Old Felta Schoolhouse, Healdsburg, Calif., in 2013.
I'm a Unitarian Universalist minister with an interest in American hymnody. Have sung bass in a traditional chorus, a labor chorus, church choirs, and smaller ensembles.
I'm most interested in early American vocal music, Renaissance vocal music, and folk and trad. musics. I've written some kids' songs and enjoy singing with children.
While I'm a mediocre singer and musician, I've done a fair amount of organizing. I started a folk choir in one congregation, helped organize a folk music jam session, managed the websites of a couple of vocal groups, etc.
Even though I've gotten used to singing while wearing a mask, these days I mostly play ukulele at home.
Singing Renaissance love songs on the street in San Francisco. We got thrown out by security not long after this photo was taken.
With the San Francisco Labor Chorus in 2014.
