LONDON SACRED HARP
Sacred Harp singing is 4-part polyphonic singing from the United States, with musical roots in the UK. Every part has a melody, and they blend together to form complex and strongly rhythmic harmonies. The Sacred Harp was first published in 1844 by singers from Georgia, USA, but it remains a vibrant and increasingly international tradition: the newest edition of the book, published in 2025, includes living composers from the UK.
We are a community, not a choir, and when we sing we are a class continuously learning from each other. We do not rehearse, we just sing what people in our group that night want to sing. Therefore, we invite you not only to come hear us but to join in with us: we will start with a primer on our shaped notes and some of the history of this music, before inviting singers to call a song in our book and lead it for us as we sing it to the best of our ability.
"Sacred Harp singing is loud, raw and guttural, sung and felt through the whole of the body." -- Guy MacKinnon-Little, Tank Magazine
"Their volume is impressive and the harmonic drones they create are mind-boggling... There is more than a small rapture going on among them and voices are all that it took." -- Maryna Fontenoy, Freq
Video: Rowan Simms leading 'Windlesham,' by UK Composer Steven Brett, at the 2025 UK Sacred Harp Convention https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt03sn_6Ods
Thanks to Rowan and to Werner Ullah for giving permission to use this video.
Friday 29 January 2027 - 6:30pm
Sacred Harp singing is open to all. Be aware that the singing can be very loud, so people with noise sensitivity might want to bring earplugs.
Our music frequently references death and suffering in its texts. It can also be very joyful, however: Sacred Harp singing is a powerful form of expression and you may experience strong feelings, so we recommend looking after yourself and taking the time out that you need.
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