Manchester Sacred Harp August Concert at The Whitworth

Join Manchester Sacred Harp for an afternoon of uplifting social singing. Their door is open – sit and sing if you want to give it a try – or pop in to listen.

For the best first-time experience, they recommend arriving at the start of a session. They’ll aim to seat you near someone experienced and make sure you have access to a songbook.

Sacred Harp Singing

Sacred Harp is an American choral tradition dating back to the 1800s. With its roots in the hymns and folk tunes of the time, it was created as an accessible way of singing in four-part harmony.

The four voice parts (treble, alto, tenor, bass) sit facing each other in a square formation, singing into the centre of the room. Together the massed voices make a massive sound.

Sacred Harp is sung for pleasure, not performance. It’s about connection rather than perfection – so we don’t practice, we just sing.

All voices are welcome, no experience is needed. People from all faiths and none are welcome, our focus is purely on the camaraderie of making music together.