Changes and Chances in a Multipart Singing Community and Its Tradition, before and throughout the Global Isolation.

The article focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Sacred Harp community, a trans-cultural multipart a cappella singing tradition rooted in nineteenth-century American Protestant culture. It examines how pandemic-related social isolation disrupted live singing practices and interpersonal dynamics traditionally centered around the "hollow square" formation and in-person gatherings. In response, the community adapted by developing virtual singing strategies, including online workshops, multi-track recordings, and immersive audiovisual projects that sought to recreate the communal sound environment and social interactions of live singings. These adaptations highlighted ongoing transnational exchanges within the community and revealed new dimensions of musical learning, participation, and cultural transmission, while also underscoring diverse participant attitudes toward virtual versus in-person singing experiences.