Escape from the world to a magical village of song!

Friday, July 24, 5 pm - Sunday 26th 4 pm 2026

Historic Eastfield Foundation East Nassau NY

Shape-Note Singing schools taught throughout the weekend by Allison Blake Steel and Tim Eriksen.

Lunch and dinner and primitive accommodation are included with tuition.

Make A Tuneful Noise! Please join us for a weekend of harmony, singing and history. A workshop for absolute beginners and experienced singers alike. Tim Eriksen and Allison Steel will share their contagious love of singing with students as they delve into the Shape-Note style of singing used in The Sacred Harp, a songbook first printed in 1844 and still actively in use today. Participants will learn the basic rudiments and explore the cultural and stylistic traditions of Sacred Harp-style singing, uplifted by a community of singers. Specific workshops will explore local 19th-century tune book “The Easy Instructor,” the work of quirky locals, tune-smithing, hearth-cooked meals and harmony!

Allison Steel is a longtime Sacred Harp singer and gravestone carver and maker of new/old things. Obsessed with tune writing, she has had her songs published in the new edition of The Sacred Harp as well as the Shenandoah Harmony.  In all her practices, Allison endeavors to pick up where vernacular New England art left off in about 1815 when the railroad came through and kinda wrecked it all.  “What if we just picked up that thread and kept going?” Allison worked for many years as an interpreter of history at Old Surbridge Village, where she shared her knowledge and enthusiasm for the past while milking cows, baking bread, dipping candles, plowing fields, singing songs, and shoveling manure.  

Tim Eriksen is a songwriter who has been covered by Alison Krauss, Bonny “Prince” Billy and Joan Baez, a ballad singer who received the Jean Ritchie Musical Heritage Award from Ritchie herself, a prominent shapenote singer whose work appears in The Sacred Harp and a hardcore punk musician with a degree in South Indian veena. His PhD dissertation in ethnomusicology concerns the revival of 18th century New England choral music by antebellum senior citizens, and his scholarship has been published in journals including Ethnomusicology and The Massachusetts Review. His article about a haunted Yankee viol and its connections to musical revivalism, the creation of the imaginary New England village and the dystopian regionalism of H. P. Lovecraft will appear in the upcoming issue of The Viola da Gamba Society Journal

Guest instructors— Mysterious, brilliant, and yet to be announced.

Again this year, we will be joined by Hearth Cooking and traditional foodways instructor Becky Hendricks, who will be cooking a hearth-baked feast for us and helping fill our bellies for the rest of the weekend. A simple dinner on Friday is provided, on Saturday and Sunday a simple lunch is provided, and on Saturday a hearth-cooked dinner feast! Students must bring their own breakfast and extra drinks. Tea, Coffee and water will be provided.

Students have the opportunity, as part of their tuition fee, to sleep in the historic buildings in the Museum. You’ll need to bring your own bedding, this is very communal 18th-century style accommodation. We only ask that you bring 10 long white taper candles. A beautiful field for camping space is also available. There is limited access to electricity. Please visit www.historiceastfield.org for more information about the museum, what it’s like, and what to expect as-far-as accommodation is concerned.

Students can expect lots of singing lessons, kind and encouraging teachers, lots of social singing time, a deeply magical and transformative location, delicious food, community, and a transporting experience. If you would like to ask any questions or find out more about this event please don’t hesitate to email: eastfieldsing@gmail.com

A slightly reduced concession price for the weekend is available for students with financial need. Please contact eastfieldsing@gmail.com if you need to request this option.

Accessibility Information: Unfortunately, mobility accessibility is a challenge on this site due to the historic nature of the venue. There is uneven ground, outhouses, and stairs. There is very limited electricity available on site, but we have prioritised charging medical devices. We can accommodate most dietary restrictions except for nut allergies. If you have other specific questions about your accessibility needs, please reach out, and we will do our best to accommodate you. eastfieldsing@gmail.com