Author Archives: Robert T. Kelley

About Robert T. Kelley

Robert T. Kelley is a member of the Alternate Board of Directors of the Sacred Harp Publishing Company and is a Professor of Music at Lander University. He has been singing Sacred Harp since 2006.

Bound Together: What Makes an Effective Pairing of Text and Tune

Posted on December 31, 2017 by

In a skillfully composed [nineteenth-century American] composition, the whole acquired a larger significance not foreseeable by merely reading the words or examining the air. —Nicholas E. Tawa1 Why do the text and tune of certain Sacred Harp songs go so well … Continue reading →

Posted in Of Harmony and Composition | Leave a comment

Harmonious Union: How Sacred Harp Brings People Together

Posted on March 14, 2013 by

I recently gave a talk at Camp Fasola about the community-building aspects of the Sacred Harp tradition, and I would like to share my ideas again here. Shape-note singers, of course, already know very well the fellowship and bonding that … Continue reading →

Posted in Features | 2 Comments