Singing school

:"O, tell me young friends, while the morning's fair and cool,:"O where, tell me where, shall I find your singing school.:"You'll find it under the tall oak where the leaves do shake and blow,:"You'll find a half hundred a singing faw, sol, faw.

::::::--from "The Social Harp" (1855) [Sung to the tune of Bluebells of Scotland. "The Social Harp" was compiled by John Gordon McCurry in Georgia in 1855. This song is attributed to J. H. Moss. The last three syllables, "faw sol faw", are the ordinary designations for the musical pitch of the last three notes in the song in four-shape systems of shape notes. Information from http://artofthestates.org/cgi-bin/piece.pl?pid=272#top, which also offers a recorded performance.]

A singing school is a school for teaching vocal music. Singing schools are a long-standing cultural tradition in the Southern United States.

Historically, singing schools have been strongly affiliated with Protestant Christianity. Sometimes they are held under the auspices of particular Protestant denominations that maintain a tradition of a cappella singing, such as the Church of Christ and the Primitive Baptists. Other singing schools are associated with the Sacred Harp and similar singing traditions, whose music is religious in character but sung outside the context of church services.

Often the music for a singing school uses shaped notes, in which the notes are assigned particular shapes to indicate their pitch. This is true in Sacred Harp singing schools, as well as churches (such as Missionary Baptist), that use hymnals printed in a shape note system.

While some singing schools are offered for credit, most are informal programs.

History

Singing schools began in the Northeastern United States in the early days of American history. The New England colonies were founded by settlers seeking religious freedom; they believed in the importance of congregational singing of hymns in Christian worship and thus saw it as important to train each churchgoer to sing. William Billings was one of the earliest and most important of the New England singing school teachers. One of his singing schools was held in 1774 in Stoughton, Massachusetts. According to Hall, "The school taught by William Billings is the first and only one with all the pupils given." A few members of this singing school later helped organize the Stoughton Musical Society in 1786, now the oldest surviving choral society in the United States.

According to Eskew and McElrath, "The singing school arose as a reform movement in early eighteenth-century New England." In some denominations controversies existed on whether congregations should sing audibly, and whether singing should be limited to the "Psalms of David". This New England controversy centered around "regular singing" versus the "usual way". The "usual way" consisted of the entire congregation singing in unison tunes passed on by oral tradition. "Regular singing" consisted of "singing by note" or "rule". [The word "regular" nowadays has multiple meanings; what was meant by "regular" at the time (Marini 2003, 75) was "according to rule", following the original Latin "regula", meaning "rule". See Oxford English Dictionary, entry for "regular".] Though intended for the entire congregation, "regular singing" sometimes divided the congregation into singers and "non-singers". Massachusetts ministers John Tufts and Thomas Walter were among the leaders in this "reform movement". Tufts' "An Introduction to the Singing of Psalm Tunes" is generally considered the first singing school manual. By the middle of the 18th century the arguments for "regular singing" had generally won the day. By the end of the 18th century, the singing school manuals had become standardized in an oblong-shaped "tunebook", usually containing tunes with only one stanza of text.

A shaped note system of music notation was developed to aid amateurs in singing songs from notation, and this tradition was incorporated into singing schools. In time divergent shaped note systems arose, including Sacred Harp, which had four different shapes, and a seven-shape note system. With these systems, it was possible to teach nearly any interested person to read music.

Eventually singing schools in the north faded to obscurity, while in the south and west they became a prominent social event for small town Americans looking for something to do.

Singing schools were often taught by traveling singing masters who would stay in a location for a few weeks and teach a singing school. A singing school would be a large social event for a town; sometimes nearly everyone in the town would attend and people would come for miles. Many young men and women saw singing schools as important to their courtship traditions. Sometimes the entire life of a town would be put on hold as everyone came out to singing school. In this way, singing schools resembled tent revivals.

One common tradition was the "singing school picture" taken of the teacher and students on the last day of school. Many old black and white photographs exist as records of these events from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; genealogical researchers often find these records useful. The pictures were often taken in front of a blackboard with the name of the teacher and date of the school. Some of these pictures show small classes, while others record very large schools.

Singing schools underwent many changes as cities grew and the population moved away from an agrarian lifestyle. One of the most notable changes was the length of schools; at one time it was common for schools to last four weeks. Then this was shortened to two weeks, and finally it became the norm for a singing school to last one week. Singing schools held less interest for the general public and could rarely get attendance from an entire town. Instead the schools would be attended by interested students from a much larger region. In the case of Sacred Harp singing schools, students usually attended because of their interest in the Sacred Harp singing tradition; in other schools, students attended because of an interest in vocal church music, especially for those churches that maintain an all "a capella" music tradition.

Travelling singing school masters faded away in favor of annual schools in the same location. "Primitive Baptists" have established three permanently located singing schools in the state of Texas (Harmony Hill at Azle, Harmony Plains at Cone, Melody Grove at Warren). The "Cumberland Valley School of Gospel Music" (org. 1983), a popular non-denominational seven-shape note singing school, meets annually in Pulaski, Tennessee. "Camp Fasola" represents a new venture (org. 2003) by Sacred Harp enthusiasts into a permanent annual singing school.

Laura Ingalls Wilder related attending a singing school as a young lady in Little Town on the Prairie, one of the Little House Books. Her husband, Almanzo Wilder, proposed to her there.Singing schools are also common in Missionary Baptist churches, as well as rural churches across the South. This would include Methodist, Church of God, Southern Baptist, and other denominations. Many of these churches still prefer to use shape note hymnals, as opposed to round note versions that many denominational publishing houses only provide. The Do Re Mi Gospel Music Academy in Tennessee carries on the tradition of a church affiliated singing school. They have a one week program each June, and many members of this organization are members of various Missionary Baptist Churches. They also use song books published by Leoma Music Co., Barry Witcher Publishing and Sammy Cornwall Publishing. For instructional use they use the "Rudiments of Music" and "Understanding Harmany" written by Marty Phillips of jeffress/phillips music co.

List of singing masters

Ordered chronologically by date of birth.

*William Billings (1746–1800)
*Justin Morgan (ca. 1747- ca. 1798)
*Joseph Funk (1778–1862)
*Benjamin Franklin White (1800–1879)
*William Walker (1809–1875)
*Aldine Silliman Kieffer (1840–1904)
*Wilson Marion Cooper (1850–1916)
*Seaborn Denson (1854–1936)
*Anthony Johnson Showalter (1858–1924)
*Thomas Denson (1863–1935)
*James David Vaughan (1864–1941)
*Tillit Sidney Teddlie (1885–1987)
*William Burton Walbert (1886–1959)
*Virgil Oliver Stamps (1892–1940)
*Robert Sterling Arnold (1905–2003)
*Joe Roper (1915–1990)
*Byron E. Reid (1929- )
*Hugh McGraw (1931 - )
*Richard DeLong (currently active)
*Eugene McCammon (currently active)
*Marty Phillips (currently active)
*Joel D. McKissack (1955-)
*Jeremy D. McKissack (1972-)
*RJ Stevens (1927- )

"Date needed:"

*Jesse B. Aiken
*Hayes, Autrey
*Key Dillard
*Gene Jeffress
*Jimmy L. Jeffress
*Reid, James E.

Biographies of singing school teachers

Jimmy Jeffress and Gene Jeffress are music educators by trade, and affiliated with the Jeffress/Phillips Music Company of Crossett, Arkansas. They are currently both State Senators in Arkansas, but keep involved in teaching, composing Southern gospel music, and in singing with the Jeffress Family music group. They both have had 30 years of public education in choral and school choir programs , in addition to singing schools. They teach in the annual Jeffress School of Gospel Music. Marty Phillips, the editor of the company, is a first cousin.

Eugene McCammon, current director of the Cumberland Valley School of Gospel Music and Music Editor of the Cumberland Valley Music Company, is a retired music educator. He has been a singing school teacher of over thirty years. In addition to teaching in the Cumberland Valley School of Gospel Music, he has taught in the North Georgia School of Gospel Music, Ben Speers' Stamps-Baxter School of Gospel Music, and various music seminars' over the years. He is a published composer of over 300 songs with Stamps-Baxter, James D. Vaughan, Jeffress and Jeffress/Phillips, Leoma, Gospel Heritage, National, Texas Legendary and other companies. He has served as President of the National Gospel Singing Convention, and is the current Executive Secretary of the Board of Directors. Prof. McCammons' influence in the field of Southern Gospel Music is having a major impact on all people of all ages today, and his music reaches untold thousands around the world.

Joel D. McKissack, noted Southern Gospel music composer and lyric writer, and former Music Editor of Leoma Music Company, has taught in singing schools over the last 30 years. He has taught in the Do Re Mi Gospel Music Academy and served on the Board of Directors for the Cumberland Valley School of Gospel Music. He has contributed to the industry by his design and use of computer graphics and in music notation. He is the director of Balt Music, McKissack Music Makers and Monjerlee Music and continues to work producing compact disks of this style of music. He has written over 200 songs by seven different publishers and continues to be a leading influence in the area of Southern Gospel Convention Music.

Jeremy D. McKissack, Southern Gospel music composer and lyric writer has taught in singing schools over the last 10 years. He is an instructor with the Texas School, Alabama School, Cumberland Valley and DoReMi Academy. Jeremy has written several songs, he now is playing ang singing baritone in the Texas based group, "Shiloh".

Byron E. Reid, Hayden, Alabama. (1929 - ). Taught over 300 singing schools across North Alabama, and has had over 100 songs published. Key Dillard, Murfressboro, TN., founder of the Cumberland Valley School of Gospel Music, and the Do Re Mi Gospel Music Academy, as well as taught singing schools across the South and in Jamacia, Trinidad and Tobago on Mission trips.

Byron L. Reid has over 200 published southern gospel convention songs by Convention Music Co., Stamps-Baxter Music, James D. Vaughan Music, Leoma Music Co., Jeffress Music Co., National Music Co., Cumberland Valley Music, Jeffress-Phillips Music, Ben Speer Music and Texas Legendary Music. He has taught singing schools over the last 30 years in various churches, as well as private music students. He is currently on staff with the DOREMI Gospel Music Academy. Dr. Reid served as President of the Tennessee State Gospel Singing Convention in 1990, and President of the National Gospel Singing Convention in 2006. He has served in various conventions in Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee over his years in Southern Gospel Music. His song writing class at the DOREMI Gospel Music Academy has produced from one to three new songs each year, collectively by the class or individually by some of his students. He continues to have an impact on many young people today.

James E. Reid, Minister of Music and singing school teacher, has taught in over 100 singing schools in North Alabama, including the Alabama School of Gospel Music. He has served as a Minister of Music in several Southern Baptist Churches in North Alabama, and has composed over 150 songs, co-writing some with his father, Byron E. Reid, and his brother Dr. Byron L. Reid. He has taught private students in the last 30 years, in addition to his church work. Loss of hearing has compelled him to retire prematurely from the music field. He was a student of Autrey Hayes, another great teacher in the Southern Gospel Music tradition. His contributions to Southern Gospel Music and the Alabama Southern Baptist Convention will remain for many years.

Joe Roper, native of Hayden, Al. 1915-1990. Inducted into Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame, October, 2005.

List of singing schools

*Foundation School of Church Music, Church of Christ, Buda, Texas
*Alabama School of Gospel Music, Snead State Junior College, Boaz, Alabama
*Camp Fasola (Sacred Harp-affiliated; annual)
*Cumberland Valley School of Gospel Music
*Leoma School of Gospel Music (LSGM) - Lawrenceburg, TN
*DOREMI Gospel Music Academy
*Haskell Singing School, Church of Christ, Haskell, Texas
*Jeffress School of Gospel Music, Crossett, Arkansas
*National School of Gospel Music, Tennessee, Kansas and California
*North Georgia School of Gospel Music, Cleveland, Georgia
*Southern Gospel Music School of America, Chattanooga, TN
*Stamps-Baxter School of Gospel Music
*Texas Southern Gospel School of Music, Navarro College, Corsicana, Texas
*RJ Stevens Singing School
*Four States Praise Camp"' teaches 7 shape a cappella singing schoolThe School meets the first full week of June every year at Canfield Camp in Canfield, Arkansas. Tom Chapin, Thomas Chapin, Charles Davis, Randy Daw, Joe Chase and Missy Weaver serve as instructors."'

See also the list of links to singing school websites, given below.

Notes

External links

Articles

* [http://www.louisville.edu/a-s/english/subcultures/mennonitesinging/lessons.html Rudiments and Elucidation of Vocal Music] - example from the "Harmonia Sacra"
* [http://www.arts.state.ms.us/crossroads/music/sacred_harp/mu4_text.html Shape-Note Singing Schools] - by David Warren Steel
* [http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/periodicals/bittersweet/fa74b.htm Singing with Sol-fa Syllables] - article about singing schools and shape notes

inging

* [http://pilgrimproduction.org/sacredharp/union/shapenote.html Musical samples] - from a shape note singing school in Union, Mississippi
*The [http://www.doremigospelmusicacademy.org Do Re Mi Gospel Music Academy] site includes music sung at the 2005 music program.

Web sites of singing schools

* [http://www.alvaok.net/collegehill/Singing%20School.htm Alva School of Music]
* [http://tradingpostchitchat.com/singz.html At Home Singing Lessons]
* [http://www.stampsbaxterschool.com Ben Speer's Stamps-Baxter School of Music]
* [http://fasola.org/camp/ Camp Fasola]
* [http://www.cvsgm.com/ Cumberland Valley School of Gospel Music]
* [http://www.doremigospelmusicacademy.org Do Re Mi Gospel Music Academy]
* [http://www.foundmusic.org Foundation School of Church Music]
* [http://www.fourstates.org/ Four States Praise Camp]
* [http://www.GospelSingersOfAmerica.org Gospel Singers of America School of Gospel Music] , Pass Christian, Mississippi.
* [http://www.harmonyhillsingingschool.org/ Harmony Hills Singing School]
* [http://www.harmonyplains.com/ Harmony Plains Singing School]
* [http://www.hollywoodpopacademy.com Hollywood Pop Academy]
* [http://www.karenknowles.com.au/singingschool Karen Knowles Singing School Australia]
* [http://www.leomamusic.net Leoma School of Gospel Music] , Lawrence County Youth Camp, Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
* [http://www.singingschool.org/ The Singing School at Abilene Christian University]
* [http://www.sgmsa.com/ Southern Gospel Music School of America]
* [http://www.singingschool.net/ RJ Stevens Singing School]
* [http://gospelsingingconventions.com/singing6.html List (partial) of singing schools]

References

*Bandel, Betty (n.d.) "Sing the Lord's Song in a Strange Land: the Life of Justin Morgan"
*Cheek, Curtis Leo (1968) "The Singing School and Shaped-Note Tradition", by Curtis Leo Cheek (thesis in partial fulfillment of a Doctor of Musical Arts, University of Southern California)
*Eskew, Harry and Hugh T. McElrath (n.d.) "Sing with Understanding", ISBN 0-8054-6809-9
*Foote, Henry Wilder (n.d.) "Three Centuries of American Hymnody"
*Goff, James R. (n.d.) "Close Harmony: A History of Southern Gospel"
*Hall, Roger L. (1989) "Music in Stoughton: A Brief Survey"
*Jones, Burt (n.d.) "A Practical Handbook for Singing and Songleading"
*Marini, Stephen A. (2003) "Sacred Song in America: Religion, Music, and Public Culture". Urbana: University of Illinois Press.