Part of Sea Songs and Sea Lives
Past Program | Virtual
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Join chantey singers Lafayette Matthews (he/him) and Jules Peiperl (they/them), and sailor Miriam Rocek (she/they), former deckhand and educator on Seaport Museum’s Schooner Pioneer, to explore the history of queerness in traditional sailing as reflected in traditional songs – hidden in plain sight – as well as in the modern Tall Ships world. We’ll also discuss how the world of traditional music has become a gathering place for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Special guests include singer/songwriter Alex Sturbaum (they/them). The talk will be illustrated with live song performances and with images from the Seaport Museum’s collection. Lyrics will be provided so guests can sing along from home, and a brief Q&A will follow the presentation.
This online program has already taken place, but you can still enjoy the video. Click below to watch.
Reading and Reference Materials
About the Hosts
Lafayette Matthews (he/him) and Jules Peiperl (they/them) have been singing together since 2013. They came to New York City in 2017 and have been popping up around the folk music community ever since, including Chantey Sings at the South Street Seaport Museum, the Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival, and TradMad. As queer/trans musicians, they are dedicated to honoring the tradition of the songs they sing while making the folk community a more inclusive and welcoming space for all people.
Miriam Rocek (she/they) worked on board tall ships and other sailing vessels as deckhand, educator, and cook from 2006 to 2019, and was queer the whole time. She has a degree in English from Northwestern University, and is currently working on a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at NYU.
Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music: A Monthly Sea Song Sing Along
From our living rooms and kitchens, and even fom the deck of Wavertree, join us for our round-robin of shared sea songs, featuring members of The New York Packet and friends.
Past Programs
Head over to our Past Programs page where you can find video content from all of our previous virtual programs.