Polina Shepherd

En Masse Festival. Ballads of Eastern Europe. Bristol. UK
2025-10-10 17:00 - 22:00 UTC | Cafe Kino, 108 Stokes Croft, Bristol, BS1 3RU, United Kingdom
En Masse Festival. Workshop and Concert at Cafe Kino.
Workshop 6-7.30pm, concert – 8.30pm (doors 8pm) – 9.30pm.
Book workshop here (free of charge)
Book concert here (free of charge)
Link to RSVP for workshop (information on concert below) > https://forms.gle/u47HfXb1c9wSAsJNA (Limited space)
Workshop:
Shepherd presents a rich combination of her two blood cultures. These are songs from the Steppes and the Shtetl with extra spices from a Tatar Bazaar, washed down with a fisherman’s song from Odessa… Folklore and popular songs, powerful and profound wordless, traditional and Art songs in harmonies in Russian, Yiddish and Ukrainian. Explore new ways for your voice to flow – free, inspiring, exciting.
DOWNLOAD WORKSHOP MATERIALS HERE: Ballads of Eastern Europe workshop
Concert:
A mixture of original, classical and folk songs mainly in Yiddish with a few visits to cultural neighbours. This multi-faceted weave of songs will present a few ballads, drinking songs and grandparents’ tales mixed with some sweet, dreamy folklore plus a few songs for the audience to join in. Workshop participants are invited to perform in this concert. This is a unique opportunity for individuals of all backgrounds to engage meaningfully with East European Jewish culture through music.
Polina Shepherd presents Ballads of Eastern Europe (Workshop & Concert) is part of En Masse’s 2025 Community and Arts Programme. This free-to-attend programme aims to enhance access to creative opportunities in Bristol, empower a diverse range of individuals to pursue creative careers, and nurture Bristol’s independent arts ecosystem by making it more connected and resilient.
Polina Shepherd is a composer, performer, educator and cultural activist originally from Siberia. She grew up in Tatarstan singing at gatherings where she accompanied her whole Cossack / Jewish family and community from the age of seven. Her singing, based on traditional forms, cuts a sound deeply rooted in east European Jewish and Russian folklore. Growing up in Tatarstan also placed her close to Islamic ornamentation and timbre, which can be heard in her unique East European vocal style.
Since 2021, Polina has served as the Artistic Director of the Caravan Orchestra and Choir, a cross-cultural initiative that brings together around 40 young musicians from Israel, Palestine and Germany to explore East European Jewish (Yiddish), East Mediterranean and Middle Eastern music traditions. Her multi-lingual and multi-cultural style explores themes of deep humanity & spirituality, and exemplifies how communal singing can preserve heritage, promote unity & build community.

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