Slavic Voices London & Brighton choir present music of all styles from the Slavic world: Orthodox chants, beautiful classics by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Schnittke and others, refined XVIII-XIX-centuries Art songs and gritty folklore from the far corners of Siberia to the banks of the Black Sea. The choir’s repertoire is sung mainly in Russian but also in Polish, Ukrainian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Belorussian, sometimes even Yiddish or Romanian. Slavic Voices’ perform in a way that is rarely encountered in the choral world. There is freedom and spontaneity in their approach to folklore as well as precision and deep focus in their classical repertoire, presented with great attention to cultural context, history and style.
“A mesmerising sonic journey through Eastern Europe’s rich musical heritage, the concert was a vibrant blend of heart-warming, uplifting, and classical tunes. Every singer poured their soul into the performance, creating an unforgettable experience. At the heart of it all, Polina's brilliance and passion drive this exceptional ensemble, turning music into pure joy for both performers and audience alike.” - G.S, audience member in Brighton, March 2025.
"In the current geo-political climate, culture and humanity are more important than ever, and these are qualities close to the heart of Polina Shepherd...I highly recommend the choir to anyone with the slightest interest in music." - DG, audience member in London, February 2025
"I was totally captivated by the harmonies and thoroughly enjoyed the performance. I was particularly taken with Polina's style of conducting which I felt drew the audience deeper into the music. An absolute pleasure to listen to." - L.R, audience member in Brighton, March 2025.
"‘A beautiful mix of voices, uplifting harmonies and moving Slavic melancholy." - audience member in London, February 2025.
Led by Polina Skovoroda-Shepherd, granddaughter of a Cossack, an internationally acclaimed performer, educator and cultural activist.
We opened in September 2023 and now have around 90 singers with all kinds of backgrounds. We've performed joint concerts with a Macedonian Folk Duo Filip Arilon and Stojan Stojanov (Macedonia), Maspindzeli Georgian choir (London), Bulgarian dance group Vezanitsa (Brighton) and even collaborated with Buffo’s Wake - a UK Klezmer-Punk Carnival Chaos Band.
Please get in touch if you have any questions or join Polina's monthly mailing list to receive the news.
Concerts
14 June - Bristol
Join us for an open workshop and concert in the stunning setting of St Mary, Redcliffe with support from Heartwood Chorus. Read more and book here.
10 December - London (TBC)
Pre-Christmas concert at King's College London, watch this space for the date.
28 February - Brighton
Slavic Voices Brighton and London choir will perform a joint concert with the Icelandic Choir of London at St. Luke’s Church. Doors: 2.30pm, concert – 3pm. Booking link will be ready in September.
Choir member Graham Tuthill (Brighton) writes:
"In 2023 I saw Slavic Voices perform in Hove and was deeply moved by the beauty and variety of the pieces performed. Little did I know that four months later I would be participating in this friendly choir and also impressed by the intelligent and varied songs that capture the essence of each Slavic country represented.
By my own admission I am linguistically challenged at the best of times especially with my own native tongue!
Taking on the pronunciations of Macedonian, Yiddish, Russian, and Slovakian is indeed an uphill challenge as my main exposure of these languages has been through watching films and relying heavily on subtitles to interpret plot and content. I still half-jokingly say to my colleagues during practice “Where are the subtitles?..” To be fair the learning of the songs adds immeasurably to the pleasure of performing.
Saturday's performance was a joy to not only participate in, but also to know that I and sixty other members touched a sacred place in audience and choir members alike.
To be a part of Polina's vision and love of musical styles outside of the constraints of expected ‘Western’ listening brings a freshness to these songs we perform and makes them as new as they were at their inception. This is no ordinary choir and all the better for it.
If you want to experience something out of the ordinary look no further this is the best place to be."
See our playlist on Youtube
JOINING SLAVIC VOICES in London and Brighton
We are a non auditioned choir and welcome all singers. Join any time.
Taster session is free. Full term fee when joining the choir. Discounts available when joining half way through the term. Please get in touch if you are interested in joining and specify which choir.
Members of SVL can come to Brighton choir rehearsals as a bonus and vice versa.
Our Autumn, Winter and Spring terms are usually blocks of 10 sessions with a fee of £80 (£60 students) term fee payable in cash, cheque to Polina Shepherd or via PayPal using Friends and Family option here
LONDON Slavic Voices rehearse on Thursdays 7-9pm near Victoria / Pimlico. The summer term dates are 22, 29 May and 5, 12, 19 June. This is a shorter term and full fee is £40 (30 students).
BRIGHTON Slavic Voices rehearse on Tuesdays 6-8pm in central Brighton. The Spring term dates are 25 March, 1, 8, 22, 29 April, 6, 13, 20, 27 May, 3 June. Our summer term will be short: 10, 17, 24 June with the term fee of £25.
We will resume weekly sessions in mid September.
photo by Kirill Nikitin
