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Yiddish, the 1000-year-old language of the Jews of Eastern Europe, is flourishing, as people young and old, Jewish and non-Jewish, explore its rich cultural heritage. Yiddish songs are hugely varied. Some are spiritual and liturgical, rooted in cantorial and hassidic music, particularly the nign – a spiritual melody that hassidim believe changes consciousness. Others come from the Yiddish theatre and cinema, or describe the diverse lives of Jewish people across Eastern and Central Europe and all the countries they have emigrated to – their history, hopes, memories, politics, celebrations and resistance to oppression. The Brighton & Hove Yiddish Choir Chutzpah explores all these traditions and builds on them, adding four-part arrangements of folk songs, contemporary compositions and some improvisation, while respecting and learning about the history, style and cultural contexts in which the music originated and developed.

The London Yiddish Choir is open to people of all backgrounds and singing levels, without auditions. Sheet music, translations and transliterations are available.

Our dates and times change sometimes, as well as the fees, so or a taster session, joining or booking a performance, please get in touch. We have a sliding scale for payments, nobody is excluded for lack of funds.

The choir is led by Polina Shepherd under the umbrella of The Polina Shepherd Vocal Experience, which covers many aspects of vocal music, from solo voice to large scale choral improvisation, and from highly arranged and conducted choir pieces to smaller chamber groups.

Here is our YouTube playlist. The London Yiddish Choir and The Brighton & Hove Yiddish Choir performing together at various events: