Polina Shepherd

Sing with Me 127
2022-01-10 18:00 - 18:45 UTC | Online
Sing with Me is back!
We will meet on four Mondays in January, 3, 10, 17, 24, for Yiddish songs.
Sing with Me Yiddish Song Sessions Online open to everyone.

A new Yiddish song in every 45 minute session.
Learn about cultural context and style.
No knowledge of Yiddish is needed.
Song sheets are shown on the screen during sessions.
Session videos are posted on Youtube.
Payments are appreciated but you can also join free of charge.
A Zoom link for each session, printable song sheet with music, lyrics, translation and transliteration appear on this page minimum two hours before the session.
Here are some basics for Yiddish transliteration

JOIN and read more HERE
Related Images:

Sing with Me 126
2022-01-03 18:00 - 18:30 | Online

Yiddish New York Film Festival Talkback session
2021-12-27 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
Talkback session – Monday, December 27 PM1 NYC time / 6pm UK time – with award-winning scholar/author of Russian Soviet history Elissa Bemporad and musician Polina Shepherd, moderated by Josh Waletzky.
To discuss Five Brides shown this week at the YNY Film Festival .
See more about the film here. To book to see the film, please please go to the YNY tickets link and scroll down to the Film only pass.
YNY Film Festival

Related Images:

Yiddish New York Film Festival - Five Brides, online
2021-12-25 - 2021-12-30 | Online
The Sound & Light Cinematic Duo accompany a Black & White Silent film as part of Yiddish New York 2021.
FIVE BRIDES [ПЯТЬ НЕВЕСТ / Pyat’ Nevest] (1929, 60 minutes — silent film)
Directed by Aleksandr Solovyov, screenplay by Dovid Maryan.
Live musical score composed and played by Merlin Shepherd and Polina Shepherd.
To book, please go to the YNY tickets link and scroll down to the Film only pass, otherwise join other evens – the festival has lots to offer.
Note– attendees whose registration allows access to this class (with a Full-Festival Pass, any Sun-Wed Day Pass, PM1 Course Pass, or any PM1 Single Session Pass) will be able to watch ALL of this year’s films – a moviephile mekhaya!
This is a rare piece of Soviet agit-prop from 1929, made by Ukrainian film director and former Red Army soldier, Aleksandr Solovyov. Cinematography by Albert Kyun brings us almost-dizzying camera tilting, close-up, panning shots, camera rolling etc. The minimalist yet meaningful screenplay is by Dovid Maryan.
A peaceful Jewish village in Ukraine is under threat from the Petliurian Army. Symon Petliura’s soldiers fought against the Red Army and the Bolsheviks. They demanded Ukrainian independence. Part of their plan was to carry out pogroms against anyone who wasn’t Ukrainian enough. A commander kills an old woman in the village square and a small group try to retaliate but get nowhere. The evil commander then threatens a pogrom and to burn the entire village. Unless the villagers agree to give five virgin girls (five brides), for the pleasure of five Officers.The Jewish council decides they have no choice but to comply… Enter a detachment of partisans of the Red
Army!
Although the last reel is missing, the film narrative retains all its power and emotion. And we’re left with a superb cliff-hanger.
Talkback session – Monday, December 27 PM1 – with award-winning scholar/author of Russian Soviet history Elissa Bemporad and musician Polina Shepherd, moderated by Josh Waletzky.
YNY Film Festival

Related Images:

The London Russian choir last weekly session before the break
2021-12-16 19:00 - 21:00
The London Russian Choir is open to all. Read about the choir and contact for joining here.
This is our last session in 2021 and we will restart in January.
Related Images:

The Brighton & Hove Russian choir last weekly session before the break
2021-12-14 18:00 - 20:00
This is our last session in 2021 and we will restart in January.
The Brighton & Hove Russian Choir – read about the choir and contact for joining here.
Related Images:

Brighton & Hove Yiddish Choir last weekly session before the break
2021-12-14 11:15 - 13:15
Weekly sessions on Tuesdays 11.15 – 13.15 in Hove.
The Brighton & Hove Yiddish Choir will stop for a break after this date and restart in January. More about the choir here
Please get in touch for joining.
Related Images:

Brooklyn Conservatory of Music Klezmer Fellowship Presentation ONLINE
2021-12-12 17:00 - 18:00 | Online
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music
KLEZMER NEW LEADERS FELLOWSHIP FINAL PRESENTATION
Sunday, December 12, 2021 – 10.00 am New York time– FREE

Join us for a virtual presentation and conversation with our Klezmer New Leaders fellows and mentors, hosted by BKCM

Klezmer New Leaders Fellows: Melissa Markoff, Beth Silver and Lorie Adi Wolf

Mentors: Zoe Guigueno, Cookie Segelstein and Polina Shepherd

This is the second year that BKCM has selected three women or gender-nonbinary fellows interested in expanding their knowledge of the klezmer repertoire, arranging, improvisation and composition. Led by klezmer accordionist Ira Temple, with assistance from cellist Francesca Ter-Berg, the fellows receive mentorship from established women and nonbinary musicians in the klezmer scene. The fellows learn about band-leading, finding performance opportunities, recording and producing their own music.

Link for the free event is here

Related Images:

The Workers Circle Khanike Party online
2021-12-05 18:00 - 19:30
5 December. Online More info and booking here
The Workers Circle Khanike Party 1 pm New York / 6 pm London
Our group, Yiddish Songs for Love and Harmony, part of The Workers Circle Autumn schools, will take part in this online celebration of Khanuka.

Join The Workers Circle on Zoom for our Yiddish Khanike Party, with Khanike candles and warm greetings from our wonderful teachers and students from all over the world!

Sing Khanike lider with us together with: KinderKlub Yiddish, Polina Shepherd and her online group, Deborah Strauss and Jeff Warschauer, Psoy Korolenko, Judy Bressler, Cindy Paley, Paula Teitelbaum, Tânia Grinberg and surprise guests. Enjoy skits from Daniel Galay, Matthew ‘Motl’ Didner and Mikhl Yashinsky.

All participants will be entered in our Annual Khanike Raffle for a chance to win free registration to any of our Winter 2022 semester Yiddish classes! To secure your spot in the raffle, please register by Saturday, December 4 9PM EST.

This event is free, but we welcome an $18 suggested donation that will go to strengthening our world-renown Yiddish program.

#chanukah #Hanukkah #chanukkah

Related Images:

Yiddish Songs for Love and Harmony, online
2021-11-22 18:00 - 19:30, 2021-11-15 18:00 - 19:30, 2021-11-08 18:00 - 19:30, 2021-11-01 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
Yiddish Songs for Love and Harmony
Part of The Workers Circle Autumn schools

6 – 7.30pm UK time, 1 – 2.30pm New York
This short workshop course will explore the expression of Love in Yiddish song, from laments to joyous dance songs plus modern compositions, with focus on the phrasing, the modes, the ornamentation and influences from neighbouring cultures. More information and booking here.
25 October, 1, 8, 15, 22 November Online

Related Images:

Sing with me 124
2021-11-03 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
Sing with Me 124 Yiddish and Russian song – WEDNESDAY 3 November
Sing with Me Russian & Yiddish Song Sessions Online open to everyone.
For more information and joining please go to SWM project page
Please bear in mind that the UK change to Winter Time on 31 October. Please check your time difference.
Yiddish song session
6 – 6.45 pm London and Reykjavik/ 10 – 10.45 pm Dubai / 7 – 7.45 pm Paris, Berlin… / 2 – 2.45 pm New York / 3 – 3.45 pm São Paulo /
Russian song session
6.45 – 7.30 pm London and Reykjavik / 10.45 – 11.30 pm Dubai / 7.45 – 8.30 pm Paris, Berlin… / 2.45 – 3.30 pm New York / 3.45 – 4.30 pm São Paulo
Join the both sessions or come to either of them. Please come exactly on time.
Please come back to this page a couple of hours before the session for information about the songs.
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87691809819
Meeting ID: 876 9180 9819
Passcode, please insert without the spaces: f a s o l

A 45-minute Yiddish session followed by a 45 minute of Russian session
A new song in every session.
Learn about cultural context and style.
No knowledge of languages is needed.
Song sheets are shown on the screen during sessions.
Session videos are posted on Youtube.
Come to one session or both
Payments are appreciated but you can also join free of charge.
A Zoom link for each session, printable song sheet with music, lyrics, translation and transliteration appear on this page minimum two hours before the session.
Here is some help with Russian pronunciation and here is some basics for Yiddish

Related Images:

Yiddish Songs for Love and Harmony online
2021-10-25 18:00 - 19:30 | Online

Magical Songs Of The East - A singing week in Spain
2021-10-16 - 2021-10-23 | Cortijo Romero, Apartado de Correos 31, Orgiva, Granada, 18400, Spain
16-23 October – Cortijo Romero, Spain – in person!
Magical Songs Of The East
A singing week in a holiday center in the Andalusian mountains
booking link and more information is here.

*Dive into an explosive mixture of songs from the Steppes and the Shtetl.
*Add extra flavour with spices from a Tatar Bazaar, and wash them down with an Odessa fisherman’s tune:
Russian traditional and art songs in harmonies, Yiddish folklore and popular songs, the powerful and the profound and wordless songs.
* Tune up your whole body and mind with your voice in full.
* Develop new ways for your voice to flow free, inspiring, and exciting.
The course will also include a meditative sound bath, some fun folk rituals and simple circle dances. We will look into connecting with other cultures through singing, learn new repertoire and style and enjoy the depth and beauty of singing together. Open to all.

Polina’s teaching utilises a rich combination of her two blood cultures learnt at source. She uses vocal experimentation with particular attention to the personal and emotional aspects of our musical creativity. Each group is different, so the songs we learn, the pace and the energy of the week will be very fluid and dependant on who we have. The course is very interactive and flexible. We can go into history and culture of the music and we can work with voices and bodies, the songs can be short and easy to learn or complex and challenging. Usually, there is a bit of everything!
Anyone can join and there will be benefits for professional singers, experienced choristers as well as for those who consider themselves home singers or have never sung in their lives. Willingness to explore is, however, essential.

Related Images:

Library.Live - Russian and Yiddish song online workshop
2021-10-13 19:00 - 20:00
Library.Live World Music Workshops
More information and booking here

Library.Live is a digital home for Cambridgeshire Libraries – powered by our local librarians, bringing together events, information, recommendations and more!
Come and enjoy the variety of experiences on offer from Arts La’Olam, a Suffolk based company which invites amazing artists from all over the world to share their skills and experience in transformative and joyful workshops in song, percussion and storytelling.
Fiston Lusambo (DR Congo), Ling Peng (China), Daphna Sadeh Neu (Israel) and Polina Shepherd (Russia) lead workshops individually and collaboratively, engaging audiences in celebratory explorations of diverse cultural heritages, and stories of migration & belonging. No instruments required, but you are welcome to bring any you have, and your voices!
13 October – Polina Shepherd, Russian and Yiddish song
3 November – Fiston Lusambo, Guitar Music from DR Congo
1 December – Ling Peng, Chinese Strings
8 December – Daphna Sadeh, Israeli and Middle Eastern Melodies
Running time: 1 hour
Suitable for: All ages and abilities
Tickets are here
Related Images:

Sing with Me 123 Yiddish and Russian Song session online
2021-10-11 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
See more about Sing with Me on the project page

Sing with Me Russian & Yiddish Song Sessions Online open to everyone.
Sing with Me run from 20 March 2020 until 3 June 2021 regularly, from every day to twice a week, with online concerts with international musicians every fifth day, with up to 90 people turning up (one we even had a whole choir from Greece!) in the first months of the pandemic. By the end of the long2020 – 2021 stretch we became a lovely group of people from USA, Brazil, Iceland, Canada, France, Germany, the United Arab Emirates and other corners of the world. We sung folk songs (lyrical, drinking, dance, celebratory songs…), Art songs (The Russian Romance and Yiddish art songs) plus a bit of classics like Shostakovich and Rachmaninoff.
6-6.45 pm UK time (1-1.45 New York) for a Yiddish song and 6.45-7.30pm UK time (1.45-2.30pm New York) for a Russian song.
Please come exactly on time. You can them separately or come to both.

Related Images:

International Music Afternoon - Brighton, UK
2021-10-09 13:00 - 16:00
An afternoon of music from around the World by some of Brighton’s finest global musicians.
Free entry. Part of Libraries Week 2021.

Jubilee Library, Brighton
Line up includes
The Brighton & Hove Russian and Yiddish choirs – 3.30pm
Bashir Al Gamar (Sudanese music)
Jamal & Alaa (Syrian/Arabic popular folk songs)
This event is a collaboration between
Brighton and Hove City Libraries and Best Foot Music

This is a FREE event, all are welcome

Related Images:

Sing with Me 122 Yiddish and Russian Song session online
2021-09-27 18:00 - 19:30

Singing Stencl - Concert live stream
2021-09-24 19:00 - 20:30
24 September – in person and online via live streaming.
Yiddish song concert – 7pm GMT

Watch here on Youtube
or on Facebook here

Renowned singer, composer and choir leader Polina Shepherd will bring to life two beautiful poems by the late poet Abraham Nehum Stencl. This concert will be tribute to Stencl, and to the Yiddish musical and poetic traditions.

This project is a collaboration between SOAS Music Department and their library, which recently acquired some materials by poet Abraham Nehum Stencl (1897-1983), who lived in London in his later years and who was a Yiddish culture hero. This concert will be tribute to Stencl, and to the Yiddish musical and poetic traditions.
I was asked to compose two songs for his poems. This will be their premiere.

There will be some traditional klezmer music and my vocal cycle Di Khasene. The band is Merlin Shepherd on clarinet, Anna Lowenstein on fiddle, Simon Diamond on double bass and Polina Shepherd on voice and piano.

Booking (voluntary contribution) and links to watch are here.

Alternatively, follow the event page on Facebook to sign up and learn more!

Related Images:

London Zingeray
2021-09-19 15:00 - 17:00 | Hargrave Hall Community Centre, Hargrave Road, London, N19 5SP, United Kingdom
19th September 3-5 pm – in person. Islington, London. BOOK HERE
London Zingeray. Yiddish Song: Dig deeper. Take it further.
Join Polina Shepherd, The London Yiddish Choir leader, for the first post-pandemic Yiddish song workshop and sing-along. Let’s dig into a whole variety of songs from known to newly discovered or composed, all with attention to context, history and style. Let’s come together and enjoy the beauty of singing together, making the walls shake and krekhtsn with us!
A couple of songs will be taught with 2-3 part harmonies. All welcome, teaching with sheet music and by ear.
Book here
Fee £10, concessions available, please get in touch.
Venue: Hargrave Hall , Hargrave Road, London N19 5SP
Related Images:

The London Russian Choir resumes weekly sessions
2021-09-16 19:00 - 21:00
The London Russian Choir – The Brighton & Hove Russian Choir – read about the choir and contact for joining here.
Related Images:

The Brighton & Hove Russian Choir resumes weekly sessions
2021-09-14 18:00 - 20:00
Brighton & Hove Russian Choir resumes weekly sessions

The Brighton & Hove Russian Choir – read about the choir and contact for joining here.

Related Images:

The Brighton & Hove Yiddish Choir resumes weekly sessions
2021-09-14 11:30 - 13:30
The Brighton & Hove Yiddish Choir resumes weekly sessions. More about the choir here
Please get in touch for joining.
The Brighton & Hove Yiddish Choir

Related Images:

Sing with Me 121
2021-09-13 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
See more about Sing with Me on the project page
Sing with Me Russian & Yiddish Song Sessions Online open to everyone.
Sing with Me run from 20 March 2020 until 3 June 2021 regularly, from every day to twice a week, with online concerts with international musicians every fifth day, with up to 90 people turning up (one we even had a whole choir from Greece!) in the first months of the pandemic. By the end of the long2020 – 2021 stretch we became a lovely group of people from USA, Brazil, Iceland, Canada, France, Germany, the United Arab Emirates and other corners of the world. We sung folk songs (lyrical, drinking, dance, celebratory songs…), Art songs (The Russian Romance and Yiddish art songs) plus a bit of classics like Shostakovich and Rachmaninoff.
Our first session this autumn – Sing with Me 121 – will be on Monday 13 September. 6-6.45 pm UK time (1-1.45 New York) for a Yiddish song and 6.45-7.30pm UK time (1.45-2.30pm New York) for a Russian song.
Please come exactly on time. You can them separately or come to both.
I will add more information about our first session in the beginning of September, please watch this space. Let’s see how this goes. I would be happier with sessions on a Wednesday but we cannot do it in September because of the Jewish High Holidays. Come, it would be great to see you all again and have a reunion, bring friends. Sing with us, it’s good for you!
Related Images:

My Goat is on the Roof - interactive workshop and concert ONLINE
2021-08-25 18:00 - 19:15
Wed, 25 August 2021 19:00 – 20:15 CEST (6-7.15 pm UK time) ONLINE

Join singer and performer Polina Shepherd on a heart-opening journey from the madness of the world back to your own power on solid ground

My Goat Is On the Roof ~ An interactive event – workshop and concert – with Polina Shepherd
This unique song programme presents two East European cultures: Russian and Yiddish. My Goat is On The Roof is about beauty in the heart surrounded by madness of the world, about finding one’s own solid ground to stand on, strength in the voice to carry on singing and the power to move forward. It presents a mixture of original, classical and folk songs, some of which will be taught to the audience. You can sing along, no language is needed. This new, multi-lingual, multi-cultural, and multi-faceted weave of songs will take you on a deep emotional journey.
Polina leads Magical Songs of the East at Cortijo Romero, 16 – 23 October
BOOK HERE

Related Images:

Yiddish Choral Sing-In! Weimar, Germany
2021-08-20 18:30 - 19:30
Yiddish Choral Sing-In!
First ever public community singing event @ YSW, followed by Jam SessionAugust 20 Fr 07:30 PM Berlin time @Beethovenplatz WeimarFree admission. Donations gratefully accepted.If you love choral singing, this evening is for you! The first ever Yiddish Summer Weimar Choral Sing-In! Since the Corona pandemic began, choir director Polina Shepherd has brought together hundreds of people throughout the world in joyful, online singing sessions. Tonight, it happens live! Polina will lead us through a set of beautiful Yiddish choral songs. We will supply the music and the words (in Latin alphabet), so no previous knowledge of Yiddish song or Yiddish language is required. Whether you’re a soprano, alto, tenor or bass, or none of the above, join us for this community singing event. And after the Sing-In, stay around and experience the last official Jam Session of Yiddish Summer Weimar 2021.
Event link
Related Images:

Yiddish Summer Weimar Choir workshop
2021-08-18 - 2021-08-21
18 – 21 August – in person, outdoors
Yiddish Summer Weimar Choir workshop

Yiddish Choir Workshop
Aug 18 – 21
10 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 3 – 6 p.m.
with Polina Shepherd
You know how beautiful a choir sounds, but what is the sound of a Yiddish choir? The masterful choir director, singer, pianist and composer Polina Shepherd is ready to show you what Yiddish sound, phrasing and expression means in a choir setting. In this workshop you will sing a touching and exhilarating mixture of folk and original songs, including some rare gems collected over 100 years ago in towns and villages in Ukraine and Belarus during the famous An-ski expeditions. Thanks to the work of the Kiselgof-Makonvetsky Digital Manuscript Project, we’ll be able to sing these songs again for the first time in decades during Yiddish Summer Weimar. Starting with powerful nigunim that warm up the voice, open the heart and energize the body, the Yiddish Choir weaves together all of our voices into an instrument of great beauty and power. No knowledge of Yiddish is necessary, just a love of singing together and a passion to learn!
Workshop fee: 120 € Standard / 90 € Reduced / 150 € Sponsor / 60€ under 18 / 40 € Affected by the Corona pandemic

The YSW Yiddish choir workshop offers a unique opportunity to experience a fascinating repertoire in an inspiring atmosphere. For several years now, the course has been focusing on specific aspects of Yiddish singing, including language, musical style, history and cultural context.

All workshops in 2021 will take place outdoors.
Related Images:

Village Harmony workshop
2021-08-15 19:00 - 20:00
Excited to be part of!

Come on and join Village Harmony for a joyous summer-long celebration of global song!

Summer ’21 Virtual Weekend Workshops

Village Harmony is the umbrella organisation for a diverse range of choral, world music and harmony singing activities under the direction of Larry Gordon and Patty Cuyler.

Polina will be teaching a workshop in Yiddish song as part of Village Harmony Virtual Summer – Weekend Workshop Series 2021. Each of the 22 workshops in the series will be unique; all will be led by experts in their music genres. Traditions represented include: Appalachian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Corsican, Cuban, Georgian, Gospel, Iranian, Malagasy, Nigerian, Quebecois, South African, Swedish, Ukrainian, Yiddish and singer-songwriter taught new songs in English.
More here.

From Saturday June 12th through Sunday August 30th, two unique teaching sessions will take place every weekend (except July 3-4). Unless otherwise noted, the workshops will take place on Saturdays from 8-9pm EDT and on Sundays from 1-2pm EDT.

Each live, interactive zoom session will be backed up on our online learning platform with word sheets, individual voice parts, performance recordings and videos and a recording of the zoom session itself.

Sign up for the complete series of 22 @ 60-minute sessions on a self-chosen sliding scale. Full tuition is $300, with a tier of available self-chosen reduced fee levels as low as $75.

For details, please visit VC’s website: www.villageharmony.org
Note: Saturdays are 8-9PM EDT and Sundays are 1-2PM EDT (with the exception of July 18, which will take place from 11-12noon EDT)

Related Images:
