Everyone is welcome at our singings and no experience is necessary. The singing is participatory, not a performance or rehearsal. There are songbooks to borrow, and sometimes we have books available for purchase. Check the calendar for upcoming dates.
Third Wednesdays — Friends House
Come and sing shape note music from The Sacred Harp (2025 edition) every third Wednesday of the month in the Meeting Room at Friends House, 60 Lowther (near the Bedford exit from St. George station). Please enter via the accessible entrance at the northwest corner of the building or via the parking lot. For complete info on accessibility, go to the torontoquakers.org website.
Our room rental runs from 7 to 10 p.m. so feel free to arrive at 7 to help with setup. Then, as usual, we begin with an intro and warmup at 7:15 p.m., followed by full-out singing from 7:30 to 9:30, with a short break around 8:30. There is no charge to participate, but donations are welcome to help cover rent.
Weekend afternoons — Tranzac
We also sing on various Saturday or Sunday afternoons at the Tranzac in the Living Room, 292 Brunswick Ave. Due to a busy musical schedule at the Tranzac the singing day changes from month to month, so check the calendar for upcoming dates. Accessibility information is on the Tranzac website.
We start with a quick introduction to shape note singing for 10 to 15 minutes at 1:45 p.m., followed by the main singing until 4 pm, with a recess in the middle. There is no charge to participate, but donations are welcome to help cover rent.
Sunday — Shenandoah Harmony, Northern Harmony and Christian Harmony
We also hold monthly home singings from The Shenandoah Harmony, Northern Harmony, and The Christian Harmony songbooks on various Sunday afternoons. We also have a limited supply of loaners available; please bring books if you have them.
These singing typically have some snacks available; feel free to bring something to share if you want, but it’s not a requirement.
The dates, times, and locations for these home singings are announced via email. If you want to be notified for these singings, email singing@torontoshapenote.org to get put on the list. RSVP-ing is very helpful for the hosts to prepare.
Please note that some members of our community have perfume allergies; so we ask that everyone come fragrance free. And please stay home if you feel iffy or unwell.