David Coffin

David Coffin has performed throughout New England since 1980. His venues range from concert halls and coffeehouses to schools, radio, and museums. He has performed for weddings, birthdays, memorials, festivals, bonfires - you name it. He is equally adept at firing up a crowd to sing, or at playing music in the background to create an atmosphere (often during the same occasion!) Widely known for his rich baritone voice, his impressive collection of musical instruments includes concertinas, recorders, penny-whistles, bombards (loud Breton double reeds), gemshorns, cornamuse, shawm, rauschphieffe - or, as he explains, "generally anything that requires a lot of hot air." Many of these instruments are used in his interactive school enrichment program: Music from the King's Court: Exploring the Early Winds.

At the heart of David's work is traditional and contemporary folk music. He draws on vocal and instrumental music from North America as well as England, Scotland, Ireland, and Brittany. David also has an extensive collection of songs from the Maritime tradition. Sea-chanteys, ballads, and the songs of the sailors comprise his main repertoire, though he still will rise to an occasion to perform his favorite Baroque recorder sonatas.

David has performed with the Cambridge-based Revels since 1980 as a singer, and instrumentalist and, since 1991, as Master of Ceremonies. As of 2009, with the Christmas and Spring performances combined, he has appeared in over 50 different Revels productions, celebrating the solstices through the traditions of many cultures.

In 2000, David quit his "day job" to become a full-time performer, bringing original Enrichment Programs to schools throughout New England. In 2007, he was named Director of Education for the Boston Early Music Festival. His one-of-a-kind presentation highlighting period instruments, Music from the King's Court: Exploring the Early Winds, highlights the history of the recorder and related period wind instruments. David's dynamically interactive performance has inspired novice musicians and "wowed" more advanced students, in hundreds of schools. Life at Sea: A Voyage in Song is no less lively program based on an imaginary whaling voyage that gets audiences singing authentic, historical sea songs as they learn about mariners' lives long ago and far from home.

David also provides rollicking group tours of Boston Harbor for private parties, meetings, and celebrations. You pick the day, time, and season, and make the sailing arrangements; we promise an unforgettable educational experience in song and story. Suitable for all ages.

During the summer months, David leads 200 inner-city children a day on boat trips through Boston Harbor to George's and Spectacle Islands for a day of history, music, and fun. It's a mind-broadening experience of Boston's own harbor and maritime history. Many of the participating children have never been on a boat, let alone walk on sand or swim in salt water. For more information about the All Access Boston Harbor programs, please visit http://www.savetheharbor.org/index.php/all-access-boston-harbor

To date, David has recorded four solo CDs and has participated in numerous other recording projects both vocally and as an instrumentalist.