Participation Type
Workshop
Session Title
Songs of the Shakers: A workshop on 19th-century songs about love and community
Session Abstract or Summary
Who are the Shakers? What about their beliefs made them live in separate communities throughout the eastern U.S. and along the edges of Appalachia? Where are they now? Long associated with furniture, celibacy, and dance, the Shakers of the last 260-plus years are so much more, including prolific songwriters who have contributed much to the American repertoire. In this workshop, we will explore historic Shaker culture by learning 19th-century Shaker songs with their themes of love, humility, and community. Our songs will reflect the diverse songwriters of the Shaker villages, including African-American women and first and second generation European immigrants. Through these songs we will also explore how Shaker men and women enjoyed equal rights and governance privileges, and how African-American members enjoyed these same privileges even before the Civil War. All levels of singing experience are welcome. We will teach several melodies, play with “layering” song parts on top of each other to create interesting polyphonies, and might get in time for some nice harmonies as well.
Presentation #1 Title
Songs of the Shakers: A workshop on 19th-century songs about love and community
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Who are the Shakers? What about their beliefs made them live in separate communities throughout the eastern U.S. and along the edges of Appalachia? Where are they now? Long associated with furniture, celibacy, and dance, the Shakers of the last 260-plus years are so much more, including prolific songwriters who have contributed much to the American repertoire. In this workshop, we will explore historic Shaker culture by learning 19th-century Shaker songs with their themes of love, humility, and community. Our songs will reflect the diverse songwriters of the Shaker villages, including African-American women and first and second generation European immigrants. Through these songs we will also explore how Shaker men and women enjoyed equal rights and governance privileges, and how African-American members enjoyed these same privileges even before the Civil War. All levels of singing experience are welcome. We will teach several melodies, play with “layering” song parts on top of each other to create interesting polyphonies, and might get in time for some nice harmonies as well.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Miranda is a Kentuckian with a passion for building community through culture. She helped establish Casa de la Cultura Kentucky and has produced a bilingual migrant interview program for Lexington Community Radio. Her experience with historical and musical interpretation at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, near Harrodsburg, Kentucky, inspired her ongoing commitment to learn, sing, and teach Shaker music.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Saro is a ballad singer, folklorist, illustrator, and audio producer from Asheville, NC. Her passion for traditional music, people’s struggles and Appalachian traditions has called her to perform, teach and produce media that tell the stories and songs of the region’s social history. She recently completed a Certificate in Documentary Studies from Duke University and is currently pursuing her master’s thesis in Appalachian Studies from East Tennessee State University.
Conference Subthemes
Diversity and Inclusion
Songs of the Shakers: A workshop on 19th-century songs about love and community
Who are the Shakers? What about their beliefs made them live in separate communities throughout the eastern U.S. and along the edges of Appalachia? Where are they now? Long associated with furniture, celibacy, and dance, the Shakers of the last 260-plus years are so much more, including prolific songwriters who have contributed much to the American repertoire. In this workshop, we will explore historic Shaker culture by learning 19th-century Shaker songs with their themes of love, humility, and community. Our songs will reflect the diverse songwriters of the Shaker villages, including African-American women and first and second generation European immigrants. Through these songs we will also explore how Shaker men and women enjoyed equal rights and governance privileges, and how African-American members enjoyed these same privileges even before the Civil War. All levels of singing experience are welcome. We will teach several melodies, play with “layering” song parts on top of each other to create interesting polyphonies, and might get in time for some nice harmonies as well.
