Oxford Sacred Harp Singing

Oxford Sacred Harp Singing We sing traditional American and English four-part shapenote music for our own pleasure and enjoyment. Beginners are always welcome.

Further details to be found on our website at:
http://oxfordsacredharp.org/articles/whatis.htm Oxford Sacred Harp now holds its monthly Singing - both for beginners and for those who know have sung this glorious music for some time - on the first Sunday in each month from 3 pm to 5 pm. This takes place at:
The Coach House, 46 Quarry Road, Headington, Oxford OX3 8NU. Contact, in the first instance

, Julie Fox
Telephone: 07907-202408
Email: Julie Fox

Experienced Sacred Harp and shapenote singers are most welcome - but you do not need to be able to read music to enjoy this four-part harmony!

05/04/2026

Vacation time dates after Easter 2026
April 7th

Venue
The Old School House,
38 Hertford Street,
OX4 3AJ.
(Donations toward the hire
of this room please !)
Hertford Street lies between the Iffley and Cowley Roads.
Bus routes on Iffley Road are 3 and 3A
Bus routes on Cowley Road are 1, 5, 5A, 10, and 100

Trinity term dates
April 21
May 5 & May 19
June 2 & June 16

18/03/2026

Minutes of the seventh singing at St John the Evangelist, Iffley Road
17 March 2026
The class was called to order with 31b Webster - Peter
274t The Golden Harp - David
49t Old Hundred - Sue
447 Wondrous Cross - Kate
501b O'Leary - Sheila
115 Holbrook - Edwin
188 Ephesus -Toby
542 I'll Seek His Blessings - Peter
192 Schenectady - Janet
56b Villulia - Julie
535 Shawmut - Sue
284 Garden Hymn - David
159 Wondrous Love - Sheila
413 Buffam Falls - Rosie
163b China - Kate
367 Nassau - Sheila
453 Newbury - Edwin
48b Kedron - Elliott
426b Jasper - Samuel
58 Pisgah - Peter
254 Warsaw - Toby
452b Martin - Janet
42 Clamanda - Julie
31t Ninety-Third Psalm - Sue
156 Jesus Rose - David
The class was closed with 34b St. Thomas - Peter, with "Happy Birthday" to Edwin!
13 singers sang 26 Samaria songs.
Reminders of the Palm Sunday (29 March) All-day singing at Cumnor, and the Oxford All-day on 27 June.
There will be an informal Eastertide singing from 12:30-approx. 4p.m. on Saturday 11 April in the cloister adjacent to St John's (weather permitting, otherwise in church).
Importantly, the Oxford regular singing will move to the 1st, 3rd and (where applicable) 5th Tuesdays of the month from the 21st April.
A singing elsewhere in Oxford to be explored by David for the 7th April.
Thank you all so much for another great term of singing

03/03/2026

Minutes of the sixth singing at St. John the Evangelist, Iffley Road
3 March 2026
The class was called to order with 55 Converse - Peter
133 Hebrew Children - David
299 New Jerusalem - Kate
163b China - Sheila (for Brenda and John)
155 Northfield - Edwin
74t The Enquirer - Toby
342 The Old-Fashioned Bible - Samuel
364 Southwell - Peter
63 Coronation - Caleb
70b Save, Mighty Lord - Beatrix
90 Look Out - Janet
334 Bainbridge Island - David
350 Nativity - Caleb
159 Wondrous Love - Stella
178t Africa - Kate
453 Newbury - Sheila (for Caecilia)
71 Leander - Edwin
472 Akin - Toby (for Caecilia)
430 Arbacoochee - Samuel
130 The Old Graveyard - Peter
413 Buffam Falls - Beatrix
460 Sardis - Janet
The class was concluded with 531 Clayton - Peter

Notices were given, including a reminder of the Palm Sunday (29 March) all-day singing at Cumnor, and the 11 April Easter "House" singing at St Stephen's House, the college attached to our usual church.
The date of the next meeting is 17 March.
13 singers sang 23 songs.
Thank you so much for coming, especially our newcomers, to what was such a wonderful class with some great and unusual songs!

16/02/2026

A reminder that we meet to sing tomorrow (17/2): 7:30, St John's Iffley Road!

03/02/2026

Minutes for the 4th singing at St. John the Evangelist, Iffley Road

3 February 2026

The class was called to order with 49t - Old Hundred - Peter
New and returning singers were welcomed to the class.
34b - St Thomas - David
49b - Mear - Sheila
47t - Primrose - Edwin
312b - Restoration ("Southern Harmony", formerly "First") - Peter
163b - China - Julie
300 - Calvary - David (for Stella)
146 - Hallelujah - David
39t - Detroit - Sheila (for Lorraine)
276 - Bridgewater - Sheila
277 - Antioch - Edwin
219 - He Hath Saved Us - Peter
86 - Poland - Julie
156 - Jesus Rose - Sheila (for Janet)
457 - Wayfaring Stranger - David
178t - Africa - Sheila (for Lorraine)
268 - David's Lamentation - Sheila
99 - Gospel Trumpet - Edwin

Notices were given, with the date for the next class set for Tuesday 17th February.

The class was closed with 565t - Hebron - Peter.

Eight singers sang twenty songs.

Thank you so much to those who came out on such a cold and rainy night, you sounded fab!

Gosh, is it February already? We meet to sing again tomorrow: 7:30, St John the Evangelist, Iffley Road. Be there and be...
02/02/2026

Gosh, is it February already? We meet to sing again tomorrow: 7:30, St John the Evangelist, Iffley Road. Be there and be square (and bring a friend)!

20/01/2026

Minutes for the 3rd singing at St. John the Evangelist Iffley Road

The class was called to order with 27b Rochester - Peter

34b St Thomas - David (with "Happy Birthday" for Alicja)
47t Primrose - Sue
49t Old Hundred - Rosi
81b Windlesham - Sheila
569 Sacred Throne - Edwin
145t Warrenton - Samuel
38b Windham - Toby
276 Bridgewater - Peter with Lizzie
277 Antioch - Julie
159 Wondrous Love - Alicja
209 Evening Shade - David
344 Rainbow - Sue
45t New Britain - Rosi with Ian
451 Milton - Sheila
121 Florence - Edwin
282 I'm Going Home - Samuel
425 Golden Streets - Toby
112 The Last Words of Copernicus - Peter
417 Weeping Pilgrim - Julie (assisted by Sheila)

The class was concluded with 410 The Dying Californian - David.

14 singers sang 21 songs.

Thank you all so much for coming! We look forward to seeing you again on 3 February.

We look forward to welcoming you to the first singing of the New Year *next* Tuesday, 20th January! Please bring your fr...
13/01/2026

We look forward to welcoming you to the first singing of the New Year *next* Tuesday, 20th January! Please bring your friends and spread the word to anyone you think might enjoy an evening's singing in good company.

We meet again TOMORROW (Tuesday 2 December) at St John the Evangelist, Iffley Road, at 7:30pm. Please bring your books, ...
01/12/2025

We meet again TOMORROW (Tuesday 2 December) at St John the Evangelist, Iffley Road, at 7:30pm. Please bring your books, if you have them!

Be there and be square!

18/11/2025

Minutes of the 1st singing at St. John the Evangelist, Iffley Road

25 singers (of whom most were first-time shape-note singers) sang 23 songs.

The class sang from the Sacred Harp: 2025 Edition.

The class was called to order with 49t Old Hundred led by Peter.

Peter greeted the class and offered a word of welcome on behalf of the Principal of St Stephen's House, and led a short overview of the shapes and major and minor scales.

Wa'el gave a singing school on the history of the Sacred Harp, dynamics, leading, and fuguing.
45t New Britain - Wa'el
276 Bridgewater - Wa'el
We thank Wa'el for his exemplary teaching.

34b St. Thomas - David
178t Africa - Sue
162 Plenary - Wa'el
107 Russia - Sheila with Rosi
287 Cambridge - Edwin
472 Akin - Toby
333 Family Circle - Sam
A short recess was called.

The class was called to order with 130 The Old Graveyard - Peter
114 Saint's Delight - Alicja with assistance from David
457 Wayfaring Stranger - Julie with assistance from Wa'el
464 Millbrook - Ed
133 Hebrew Children - David
535b Shawmut - Sue
265 Gwehelog - Ed
216 He Hath Saved Us - Peter
47b Idumea - Wa'el
115 Holbrook - Sheila
99 Gospel Trumpet - Edwin
159 Wondrous Love - Julie with assistance from David
The class was closed with 347t Christian's Farewell - Peter.

The date of the next session was fixed for Tuesday 2 December.

We all agreed that this was an exceptionally strong class given the number of brand new singers in attendance. Many thanks to all who came, and most especially to Wa'el Qasim for his class, and Sheila and Edwin Macadam for providing loaner books. Many thanks also to the London group for allowing the use of their 2025 Edition loaners, and to singers visiting from Southampton and London.

We hope to welcome you back at 7:30 on Tuesday 2 December for another wonderful evening of singing!

We can’t wait to welcome you to our first singing at St John the Evangelist, Iffley Road, TONIGHT at 7:30! The entrance ...
18/11/2025

We can’t wait to welcome you to our first singing at St John the Evangelist, Iffley Road, TONIGHT at 7:30!

The entrance to the church is on Iffley Road, and the church door is via the left fork of the church path. The bus stop for the Number 3 is right outside the church (as pictured!), and the Numbers 1 and 5 are a short walk down James Street.

If you have a book, please bring it— it would really help!

We are looking forward to welcoming you to St John the Evangelist, Iffley Road, next week! Please also keep Tuesday 2 De...
11/11/2025

We are looking forward to welcoming you to St John the Evangelist, Iffley Road, next week! Please also keep Tuesday 2 December in your diary, for the second and final singing of this term.

Please share this to any and all singers you may know, both those in the Shape Note community and those who aren't (yet)! We are hoping to begin this session with a singing school, so this will be a good introductory session for those unfamiliar with our tradition.

Two notes:
1. Unfortunately the church does not have a kitchen on-site, so please bring water bottles/Thermos flasks with you.

2. Parking is not terribly easy around the church. The nearest car parks are Union Street (8-10mins walk away) and St Clement's (12-15mins walk away), both pay and display. Where possible, it's better to use public transport: the 1, 3 and 5 buses all stop at the church or a 1 minute walk away!

Address

St John The Evangelist Church, 109A Iffley Road
Oxford
OX41EH

Opening Hours

3pm - 5pm

Telephone

01865 865773

Website

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