Join the South Street Seaport Museum for captivating performances in a drop-in mini-workshop that explores the rich musical tradition of sea chanteys––songs used by old-time sailors to facilitate their work at sea. These catchy rhythms served as a unifying force during various tasks like hauling on lines and engaging in labor that required synchronized effort and heave-hos.
Step aboard the 1885 tall ship Wavertree, where the knowledgeable chantey singer and educator, Chris Koldewey, will guide participants to different parts of the vessel. Through interactive demonstrations, he will showcase how these songs were sung while working with halyards, at the capstan, winch, and more.
For more information, please visit: https://southstreetseaportmuseum.org/chanteys-at-work/.
When: Sunday, August 20, at 12pm, 1pm, and 3pm (workshop will repeat).
Where: Aboard the Wavertree, 89 South St, New York, NY 10038.
Admission: Free with General Admission to the South Street Seaport Museum (pay what you wish). To book General Admission tickets online, please visit: https://southstreetseaportmuseum.org/general-admission/.
About Chris:
Chris Koldewey has been singing folk music since his teens, comes from a family rich in maritime traditions, and his lullabies as a child were traditional songs of the sea. He has performed in many states along the eastern seaboard of the US, the Maritime Provinces of Canada, and in the UK. A multi-instrumentalist, Chris might be heard playing guitar, concertinas, banjo, or mandolin. He spent twenty years working in the Chantey Department at Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut, where museum visitors could hear the songs and see the work for which they were used. Chris was privileged to sail and chantey on two historic vessels: the barque Picton Castle out of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, and the only wooden whaler left, the Charles W. Morgan out of Mystic, CT. Chris uses his experience, learned during a 32 year career as a public school music teacher, to engage and inspire audiences and workshop students as they expand their participation and enjoyment of traditional music.