#RevelsConnects: A Sea Chantey Sing with David Coffin and Special Guests

The waves may be rough, but luckily, Revels has Artist-in-Residence and master chantey man David Coffin to lead us through the songs of the sea. Sing along with us as we explore the history and traditions of sea chanteys!

Through the course of the evening we explained and sang many different forms of chanteys; capstan/pumping/windlass, halyard, long and short haul chanteys, to name a few. We shared video clips of chanteys “in action” taken from past Sea Revels productions led by the legendary Lou Killen and others. Plus we took a brief look at the TikTok Chantey craze and share some examples from the platform.

Celeste Bernardo

Celeste Bernardo worked as an interpreter, educator, and manager for twenty-five years at maritime sites in New York, Connecticut, California, and Massachusetts. Along the way, she collected songs to interpret people’s relationship with the sea. Accompanying herself on the anglo concertina, guitar, or 5-string banjo, her repertoire includes sea chanteys and traditional songs of the sea. She holds a Master’s degree in history from Northeastern University and is a graduate of Mystic Seaport Museum’s Munson Institute of American Maritime Studies. She can be heard on recordings of Mystic Seaport Museum’s 22nd, 25th, and 32nd Sea Music Festivals.

Meet the Performers
David Coffin
Revels Artist-in-Residence and Chanteyman
David Coffin
Revels Artist-in-Residence and Chanteyman

David Coffin has performed throughout New England since 1980. He is widely known for his rich baritone voice and his impressive collection of musical instruments, which includes concertinas, recorders, penny-whistles, bombards, gemshorns, cornamuse, shawm, rauschphieffe – or, as he explains, “generally anything that requires a lot of hot air”. At the heart of David’s work is his extensive collection of songs from the Maritime tradition. To date, David has recorded four solo CDs; his latest, Last Trip Home, was released in the Fall of 2009 and features his daughter, Linnea, who is also a Revels performer.

David has performed with Revels since 1980 as a singer, instrumentalist and, since 1991, as Master of Ceremonies. Since 2014, David has served as Artist in Residence at Revels and has presented his acclaimed School Enrichment Programs to schools across the region as an extension of Revels Education. He runs tours of Boston Harbor during the summer months, leading over 5,000 inner-city children on boat trips to George’s and Spectacle Islands. He also directs the narration program for Boston Harbor Cruises and hosts the Brunch Cruises every weekend from May to October.

Celeste Bernardo
Chantey Expert and Songleader
Celeste Bernardo
Chantey Expert and Songleader

Celeste Bernardo worked as an interpreter, educator, and manager for twenty-five years at maritime sites in New York, Connecticut, California, and Massachusetts. Along the way, she collected songs to interpret people’s relationship with the sea. Accompanying herself on the anglo concertina, guitar, or 5-string banjo, her repertoire includes sea chanteys and traditional songs of the sea. She holds a Master’s degree in history from Northeastern University and is a graduate of Mystic Seaport Museum’s Munson Institute of American Maritime Studies.

Rave Reviews

I cannot express how greatly I appreciate you, Mr. Coffin and the Revels for putting this on. I’m an “ex-pat”, living in Iowa for the time being, who makes the trip out east yearly for the Sea Music Festival at Mystic. With the festival canceled this year, I desperately needed something like what you have provided. Thank you.

Liam O.

Fabulous evening. By the end, I was singing and dancing in my study

Sue T.

Thank you so very much for getting me to sing out very loud to my three cats…who didn’t seem to mind at all! What a joyful and informative evening. Thank you for your hard work and persistence with organizing this event!

Ann M.
Ticket Information
Free on Facebook Live!

#RevelsConnects: A Sea Chantey Sing with David Coffin and Special Guests

February 19, 2021 7:30 pm

Watch for free now on YouTube!