The South Street Seaport Museum’s monthly Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music program—the original NYC Chantey Sing—continues on the first Sunday of every month. This Winter, the free program will be presented in a hybrid format, both indoors at the Museum and online.

From November 2023 to April 2024, you are invited to join the lively chantey experience either in-person at the Seaport Museum’s introduction galleries or virtually via Zoom, allowing you to join from anywhere. Each sing will be hosted by a local artist who will lead the sea-song sing-along that will feature a variety of traditional maritime work songs and ballads. Attendees are encouraged to sing along with the chorus or just sit back and enjoy the music. Throughout the event, both in-person and virtual attendees take the stage for this round-robin where you can sing and share the chantey of your choice.

Singers of all levels, as well as listeners, are welcome to attend and can lead or request a traditional maritime work song or ballad. The program will offer a round-robin where anyone can sing and share the chantey of their choice, join in the choruses throughout the event, or just listen.

The December hybrid sing will be hosted by Deirdre Murtha.

Hybrid dates include:

Sunday, December 3, 2023, 2–4pm ET
Sunday, January 7, 2024, 2–4pm ET
Sunday, February 4, 2024, 2–4pm ET
Sunday, March 3, 2024, 2–4pm ET
Sunday, April 7, 2024, 2–4pm ET

The hybrid event is free, and registration is encouraged.

seaportmuseum.org/hybrid-chantey-sing

In-Person Registration

Advanced in-person registration to join the event in the 12 Fulton Street introduction galleries, is encouraged for this event but walkups will be accommodated as possible. Any in-person attendee is welcome to lead a song during the round-robin; if you have a specific song in mind, please inform us of the song title when you register.

Zoom Registration

For all Zoom attendees, advanced registration is required. Please note that due to capacity limitations, only a limited number of online participants will be able to lead a song during the event. If you wish to lead a song on Zoom, please provide the song title when you register. You can register to join the Zoom event until the start of the program, but registration for leading a song on Zoom closes one week in advance.

Can’t decide whether to join in-person or via Zoom? All registrants will receive the Zoom link in their confirmation email, regardless of their registration choice. If there’s a chance you might attend in-person, please sign up for an in-person ticket to help us with our planning.

Extend Your Visit

Before and after the Chantey Sing, participants are invited to take advantage of Pay What You Wish General Admission to the Seaport Museum. General Admission includes access to three gallery exhibitions at 12 Fulton Street as well as a walk through Wavertree at whatever price is right for you––free in-person admission, the full ticket price, or any amount in between. seaportmuseum.org/general-admission

About the December Host

Deirdre Murtha grew up with Irish traditional music, but found her way to chanteys in her 20s after singing in New York City Irish sessions for five years and participating in the New York Revels for two years. A fellow Reveler told her about the monthly Chantey Sings at South Street and Deirdre fell in love with the robust choruses and harmonies, history, and the community. She has been a member of both The New York Packet and The Johnson Girls for 25 years and has led a monthly Chantey Sing in Rowayton, Connecticut for many years.

About the South Street Seaport Museum

The South Street Seaport Museum, located in the heart of the historic seaport district in New York City, preserves and interprets the history of New York as a great port city. Founded in 1967, the Museum houses an extensive collection of works of art and artifacts, a maritime reference library, exhibition galleries and education spaces, working 19th century print shops, and an active fleet of historic vessels that all work to tell the story of “Where New York Begins.” seaportmuseum.org