Polina Shepherd

Merlin & Polina Shepherd on Two Melodies a Day
2020-07-04 18:00 UTC | Granada
Hosted by Mark Kovnatskiy and Shendl Copitman Kovnatskiy
Every Saturday a klezmer violinist Mark Kovnatsky invites special guests from the leading klezmer players as part of his daily show “Two melodies of the day“.
July 4th will present a concert by the Merlin and Polina Shepherd Duo.
Merlin & Polina Shepherd perform together in a way that is rarely encountered. Playing music from several linked cultures and maintaining the styles, they also incorporate improvisation, freedom and spontaneity.
With a unique approach and dynamic, they perform Klezmer, Yiddish and Russian song and they weave a sound that, so like Music from these Cultures themselves, moves the listener physically, emotionally and spiritually.
There is no need to remind that because of the coronavirus pandemic, freelance musicians are not in the best situation right now. Any contributions and donations are more than welcome.
To do this, use this link: PayPal.me/MerlinMShepherd
Broadcast will be held on Mark’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mark.kovnatskiy
Time of the broadcast:
July 4th:
8 pm in Chisinau, Kiev, Moscow, Helsinki
7 pm in Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid
6 pm in London, Dublin
1 pm in New York, Washington, Montreal, Toronto
10 am in LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland
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Merlin & Polina Shepherd at JetLAG festival
2020-07-04 16:00 - 16:30 | Granada
Merlin and Polina Shepherd with a Russian and Klezmer set for JetLag Festival

Vovka Kozhekin & Vanya Zhuk, Fedor Chistyakov, Леонид Фёдоров, Vezhlivy Otkaz, Dobranotch, Daniel Kahn, Anya Umka Gerasimova, Дефеса feat Оля Чикина, Vadim Pevzner, Polina Shepherd, Слава Рутман, Nikolay Yakimov and many other JetLAG’s beloved ones (including your humble me) @ JetLAG stage at Платформа online. https://platformafest.ru/live

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Sing with Me 64
2020-07-01 19:00 - 19:40 | Granada
Russian & Yiddish Song Sessions Online are open to everyone!
Wednesdays and Sundays 11am California / 2pm New York/ 7 pm UK time / 8pm most of Europe

Please go to this page a few hours before the next session for zoom meeting information and a song sheet.
Wednesday 1 July – session 64 Yiddish song
Sunday 5 July – session 65 Russian song
Wednesday 8 July – session 66 Yiddish song

We’ve had over 60 sessions since the lock down and now moving on to twice a week with Russian Songs on Sundays and Yiddish songs on Wednesdays, sessions being 40 minutes. No knowledge of languages is needed. A song sheet is uploaded to this page at least two hours before we start and shown on the screen during the sessions. Session videos are posted online afterwards. We’ve had up to 90 people joining us from Russia, USA, Australia, Brazil, Iceland, Canada, Ukraine, most of Europe, and New Zealand!
Seeing I have lost all my work over the next months, I appreciate payments but you can join us free of charge too.
For previous sessions’ information and sheet music go here.

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Yiddish Song: Step Forverts
2020-07-01 08:00 - 17:00, 2020-06-28 17:00 - 18:30, 2020-06-24 17:00 - 18:30, 2020-06-21 17:00 - 18:30, 2020-06-17 17:00 - 18:30, 2020-06-14 17:00 - 18:30, 2020-06-10 17:00 - 18:30, 2020-06-07 17:00 - 18:30 and 2 more dates | Granada
Yiddish Song Forum: Step Forverts – Wednesdays and Sundays live on Facebook.
Project page

A unique international gathering of Yiddish song activists. Live on Facebook here.
Wednesdays and Sundays from 24 May at 9 am California/ 12 noon New York / 5pm London / 6 pm Berlin / 7pm Kishinev and Moscow
On 24 May we came together to take a step forward, we meet & greet and start a creative flow. Following that, two times a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays performers present solo sessions with short interviews about their approach to taking Yiddish song further.
Each session will have at least one world premiere of a newly composed or arranged song – we would like this to be a special feature of our series!
Another very important feature of the forum is our Russian speaking ‘Eastern branch’ – about a half of our presenters are originally from Eastern Europe. Let’s bring us all closer together!
We have over 30 presenters from Russia, Moldova, UK, Canada, USA, Brazil, The Netherlands, Estonia, Estonia, Latvia on board, representing a huge variety of styles and genres of Yiddish song – performers, composers, lecturers/researchers, event organisers who all sing their unique material. Coordinated and moderated by Efim Chorny (Moldova) & Polina Shepherd (Russia/UK).
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Sing with Me 63
2020-06-28 19:00 - 19:40 | Granada
Russian & Yiddish Song Sessions Online are open to everyone!
Wednesdays and Sundays 11am California / 2pm New York/ 7 pm UK time / 8pm most of Europe

Please come back here a few hours before the next session for zoom meeting information and a song sheet.
Further sessions:
Sunday 28 June – session 63 Russian song
Wednesday 1 July – session 64 Yiddish song
Sunday 5 July – session 65 Russian song
Wednesday 8 July – session 66 Yiddish song

We’ve had over 60 sessions since the lock down and now moving on to twice a week with Russian Songs on Sundays and Yiddish songs on Wednesdays, sessions being 40 minutes. No knowledge of languages is needed. A song sheet is uploaded to this page at least two hours before we start and shown on the screen during the sessions. Session videos are posted online afterwards. We’ve had up to 90 people joining us from Russia, USA, Australia, Brazil, Iceland, Canada, Ukraine, most of Europe, and New Zealand!
Seeing I have lost all my work over the next months, I appreciate payments but you can join us free of charge too.
For previous sessions’ information and sheet music go here.

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SOAS Summer Schools, Russian Harmonies Online
2020-06-15 19:30 - 2020-06-19 20:45 | Granada
Russian Harmonies: Monday 15th – Friday 19th June, 2020: ONLINE
Booking here
Monday 15th – Friday 19th June 2020, 7.30pm – 8.45pm
Course Fee: £65 (or £15 per session if booked as a ‘one off’)
Russian songs embrace the whole of the landscape and all of Mother Earth. Lyrical songs call to mind the vastness of Russian topography stretching toward a boundless horizon. Every snowflake and every blade of grass embodies the spirits of nature – and this connection is felt within each song for rituals, holidays, circle dances, laments, weddings, the Russian Art song (The Romance) and lyrical songs… Come and experience Russian harmonies through song. Music lovers of all backgrounds and singing levels are invited, no experience necessary. Learning by ear.
With Polina Skovoroda-Shepherd
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SOAS Summer Schools course Yiddish Songs Online
2020-06-15 18:00 - 2020-06-19 19:00 | Granada
Yiddish Songs: Monday 15th – Friday 19th June, 2020: ONLINE
BOOKING HERE

Monday 15th – Friday 19th June, 2020, 6-7.15 pm
Course Fee: £65 (or £15 per session if booked as a ‘one off’)

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. Some of the songs 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. Others are are spiritual and liturgical, particularly the nign – a melody that is believed to change consciousness. Join us in singing traditional and new Yiddish songs while also paying attention to the specific elements (ornamentation, phrasing, modes) of this singing style.
With Polina Skovoroda-Shepherd

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Sing with Me 60
2020-06-14 19:00 - 19:30 | Granada
Russian & Yiddish Song Sessions and Concerts Online are open to everyone!
11am California / 2pm New York/ 7 pm UK time / 8pm most of Europe
We’ve had 56 sessions running most days since the lock down and now moving on to twice a week with Russian Songs on Sundays and Yiddish songs on Wednesdays, sessions being 40 minutes. No knowledge of languages is needed. A song sheet is uploaded to this page at least two hours before we start and shown on the screen during the sessions. Sing With Me videos are posted online afterwards. We’ve had up to 90 people joining us from Russia, USA, Australia, Brazil, Iceland, Canada, Ukraine, most of Europe, and New Zealand!
More information here: https://www.polinashepherd.co.uk/sing-with-me/

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Sing with Me 59 Russian / Yiddish Song
2020-06-10 19:00 - 19:30 | Granada

Sing With Me 58 Yiddish Song
2020-06-03 19:00 - 19:30 | Granada

2020-05-31 20:00 - 22:00 | Granada
A fundraising concert with A Besere Velt Yiddish Chorus, Lorin Sklamberg & Polina Shepherd. Watch this space for more info.
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Sing With Me 57 Russian Song
2020-05-31 19:00 - 19:30 | Granada

Yiddish Song: Step Forverts
2020-05-31 17:00 - 18:30 | Live on Facebook

Classic Guitar, Russian &Yiddish. Grisha Nisnevich & P. Shepherd
2020-05-26 19:00 - 19:45 | Granada
7 pm UK time / 11 am California Time / 2 pm New York Time/ 8 pm Europe…
Live on Facebook here and on ZOOM.
Information how TO JOIN on ZOOM will be here a few hours before the event: https://www.polinashepherd.co.uk/sing-with-me/.
Enjoy a short & sweet online concert of classic 7-string guitar music from & Yiddish Song with Gregory) Nisnevich playing in Denver, USA and Polina Shepherd singing in her house in Brighton, UK.
Grisha (Gregory) Nisnevich is a classical guitarist and Argentine tango performer & instructor. He maintains an active touring schedule as a soloist and as a chamber musician, teaching and performing Argentinian tango. Recorded numerous CDs with Russian, Klezmer, Classical, Tango and his own compositions. His playing of the Classic Russian Art Song (Romance) is amazing, don’t miss!
https://www.gren-music.com/
I met Grisha on my tour in the US in December when him and his friends turned up at my concert in Chicago strait from his own gig. He had his guitar with him, and we launched into a whole long set of informal music making. The audience stayed for that and it was hard to stop. Grisha and I have all that classical Russian Art Song repertoire together which we would love to perform together at some point… someday, somewhere… For now, please hear Gregory’s beautiful Russian music and, hopefully, a couple of Argentinian Tangos too and me with a few Yiddish songs.
FREE but donations are appreciated, see that page for payment buttons and a PayPal address.
You can also watch it live here on Facebook on this page: https://www.facebook.com/polinashepherd/
This concert is part of Polina Shepherd’s Sing with Me Yiddish & Russian Song Classes & Concerts online

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Yiddish Song: Step Forverts. Opening Summit
2020-05-24 19:00 - 20:30 | Granada
Yiddish Song Forum: Step Forverts READ MORE HERE – Project page

A unique international gathering of Yiddish song activists. Live on Facebook here
At the initial summit on 24 May at 9 am California/ 12 noon New York / 5pm London / 6 pm Berlin / 7pm Kishinev and Moscow we come together to take a step forward, we meet & greet and start a creative flow.
Following that, two times a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays two performers present a 45 minute session each and a short interview about their approach to taking Yiddish song further; coordinated and moderated by Efim Chorny (Moldova) & Polina Shepherd (Russia/UK)
Each session will have at least one world premiere of a newly composed or arranged song – we would like this to be a special feature of our series!
Another very important feature of the forum is our Russian speaking ‘Eastern branch’ – about a half of our presenters are originally from Eastern Europe. Let’s bring us all closer together!
We truly hope that our international project will make a good impact on our culture and our world and help us all to Step Forwards!
Payments are optional but are highly appreciated. We are collecting donations which will be split between all the participants via PayPal. Also, each performer provides an option to receive direct payments on the day of their event.

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Socalled & Polina short intercontinental Yiddish & Russian gig
2020-05-21 19:00 - 19:45 | Granada
On a cold winter day in Montreal in December 2019 I was walking down a snowy street to visit Josh during his rare presence in his hometown. Montreal felt like Mother Russia that day… I had no idea this photo will come handy and Josh will be easy to find at home and get for a gig so soon…
So here we are: Socalled will be performing from his place in Montreal and I’ll throw a few Russian songs into the borsht all the way from Brighton UK.
This is part of my Sing With Me! Russian & Yiddish Song Classes + Concerts on Zoom.
In case you don’t know yet, Joshua Dolgin, better known by his stage name Socalled, is a Canadian rapper and record producer, known for his eclectic mix of hip hop, klezmer, and other styles such as drum & bass and folk music. A pianist and accordion player, he has taught the latter at Klezfest London, where he has also run workshops in “hiphopkele”… socalledmusic.com
I am Polina Shepherd, a performer and cultural activist from the UK via Siberia and Kazan, Tatarstan. www.polinashepherd.co.uk
Join on ZOOM (see below) or watch FB live streaming, more TBA.
Optional payments are appreciated. Information will be here ON THE DAY: https://www.polinashepherd.co.uk/sing-with-me/
Payment is optional but very much appreciated.
Use your debit or credit card for the buttons below. or PayPal directly via polina_shepherd @ yahoo. co. uk (with no spaces)
£5
£10
Feeling generous? Here is a good number: £27
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Sing With Me! Russian & Yiddish Song Classes + Concerts on Zoom
2020-05-17 19:00 - 2020-05-26 19:40 | Granada
To join the online class — every day at 11am California / 2pm New York/ 7 pm UK time / 8 pm most of Europe
Join on ZOOM via this page.
Each session is unique and newcomers are always welcome!
Siberia-born, Tatarstan-raised, and now UK-based Russian and Yiddish singer, pianist, and choir director Polina Skovoroda-Shepherd invites you to her SING WITH ME online class. Each session runs about 35 -40 minutes. Polina alternates teaching Russian and Yiddish songs from day to day.
No knowledge of languages is needed. A song sheet is uploaded to this page at least two hours before we start and shown on the screen during the sessions. Sing with Me videos are posted online afterwards. Every fifth day is a short concert with a guest star with lifestream on Facebook. We’ve had up to 90 people joining us from Russia, USA, Australia, Brazil, Iceland, Canada, Ukraine, most of Europe, and New Zealand and performers joining the concerts from New York, Moscow, Berkeley, Iowa City and Kishinev so far…
Join our international group any time! Payments are voluntary, you can join us free of charge too.
Sunday 17 May – Russian song
Monday 18 May – Yiddish song
Tuesday 19 May – Russian song
Wednesday 20 May – Yiddish song
Thursday 21 May – Concert with guest Socalled (Joshua Dolgin), Montreal, Canada.
Friday 22 May – Russian song
Saturday 23 May – Yiddish song
Sunday 24 May – Russian song
Monday 25 May – Yiddish song
Tuesday 26 May – Concert with guest TBA.
TO JOIN, please go to this page a few hours before each session for more information, a ZOOM meeting number and a song sheet: https://www.polinashepherd.co.uk/sing-with-me/
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An inclusive, international online festival for the 33rd Day of the Omer
2020-05-12 18:00 - 23:30 | Granada
An inclusive, international online festival for the 33rd Day of the Omer, featuring artists of all genders in Israel, Europe, North and South America.

Song, dance, theater, poetry, rabbinic teachings, haircuts, cooking demonstrations and much more!

All audience donations will go directly to the artists. Donations accepted via Paypal (cantor.sarah.myerson@gmail.com) and Venmo (@Sarah-Myerson). Thank you for your support!
The Facebook livestream will post here: www.facebook.com/events/237083090726917/
Contact us: fb.me/LagBaOmerCelebration
Tag us in your posts: #lagbaomer4allArtists include:
Zulema Benveniste (Argentina)
Eléonore Biezunski (USA)
Polina Shepherd (UK)
Nicole Borger (Brazil)
Joanne H Borts (USA)
Alejandra Czarny (Argentina/USA)
Cantor Magda Fishman (USA)
Tânia Grinberg (Brazil)
Omer Hallel (Israel)
Sima Halpern (Brazil)
Lea Kalisch and Rabbi Tobias Moss (USA)
Susan Abbe Hoffman Lankin-watts (USA)
Jeyn Levison and Josh Waletzky (USA)
Rabbi Bronwen Mullin (USA)
Cantor Sarah Myerson and Ilya Shneyveys (USA)
Alevtina Parland (Finland)
Rabbi Shira Rosenblum (USA)
Rabbi Raysh Weiss (USA)
Amy Zakar and Adrian Banner (USA)

The festival will be live streamed via Facebook, to this event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/237083090726917/
If audience members can say now that they’re “attending” the event, then it will be easier for them to access the livestream once it’s there.

Polina’s set is at 2:20pm – 2.40pm New York time, 7.20 – 7.40 pm UK time.

Koyekh Nigun by Polina Shepherd
Ovnt gang Lyrics by David Einhorn, music by Polina Shepherd
Zingt tsu im – Shiru lo (Sing unto Him a new song) Lyrics from Psalm 33:-3, music by Polina Shepherd
Strela Russian folk song
Fire down below Lyrics by Seth Rogovoy, music by Polina Shepherd
Gemiter Lyrics by Leyb Kvitko, music by Polina Shepherd
Dint Got mit Simkhe (Serve the Lord with gladness, come before his presence with singing) Lyrics from Psalm 100:2, music by Polina Shepherd

SEE OR DOWNLOAD THE FULL PROGRAMME AND PRESENTER’S BIOGS HERE: Lag BaOmer Celebration
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Sklamberg & the Shepherds Intercontinental
2020-05-11 18:00 - 18:45 | Granada
Monday 11 May 6 pm London / 7 pm Berlin / 1 pm New York/ 10 am California / 20.00 Moscow on ZOOM
Stretching the possibilities of transatlantic and intercultural performances, Sklamberg & the Shepherds are hitting hard with a coming together from three diverse continents. Yes, Russia is a continent. Yes, New York is a continent too and so for that matter is Brighton. Kind of. Mostly.
Presenting a diverse collection of songs and instrumental music from the Russian Jewish, Jewish Russian and just downright everything in between, these three hardcore, beautiful and handsome fanatics and veterans of World Music will delight, thrill and entice you into a world that is delightful, thrilling and enticing. Come along, join in the lockdown fun. Get your gatkes off and join us for a transatlantic party like no other.
Join online on ZOOM
Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83309789609
Password, please insert with no spaces: a p e r o l
Join free of charge or make a voluntary payment which we would appreciate a lot. PayPal to polina_shepherd@yahoo.co.uk or use these buttons and out in any combination you like.
£5
£10
£15
Lorin Sklamberg (USA) – vocals, accordion, guitar
Polina Shepherd (Russia/UK) – vocals, piano
Merlin Shepherd (UK) – clarinets
Sklamberg & the Shepherds website

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Mageyfe Khasene - Plague Wedding Spectacle
2020-05-10 19:00 - 20:30 | Granada
Hosted by Yiddish Arts and Academics Association of North America

Come to a Mageyfe Khasene (plague wedding) spectacle featuring famous Yiddish artists and academics :

Alicia Svigals,
Michael Steinlauf,
Psoy Korolenko,
Polina Shepherd,
Yale Strom,
Elizabeth Schwartz,
Mikhl Yashinsky,
Anna Rozenfeld,
Lea Rosenfeld,
Rafi Caplan,
Amelia Gleser,
Tanja Yakovleva!
We are raising money to hire more Yiddishists in order to transform our small organisation into a House of Yiddishland, to operate both locally in San Diego and internationally.

Date: Sunday, May 10th, 2020
Time: 11 am to 12.30 pm PDT ( (2 p.m. EDT, 7 p.m. in the UK, 8 p.m. in Europe, 9 p.m. in Israel)
Admission: donation-based, donate what you can, from $18 to $1,800! (https://www.jewcer.org/project/yaaana/)
Registration: please email us at info@yaaana.com to access the Zoom link. Due to security reasons, all guests must be registered.
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Vanya Zhuk & Polina Shepherd short gig 6pm UK /10am New York
2020-05-06 18:00 - 18:40 | Granada
Vanya Zhuk & Polina Shepherd come together for a short & sweet intercontinental house concert online. Vanya will be performing from Moscow and Polina will join with a few songs from her house in Brighton UK.
Vanya Zhuk is a Moscow-based singer and guitar player. He started with blues and rock, then developed interest for roots music and formed a klezmer-rock band Nayekhovichi. He plays traditional Russian 7-string guitar, like Oleg Timofeyev (already known to this series’ audience), and sings Russian Roma and Yiddish songs. He also plays lead guitar with many singers, including Daniel Kahn and “Gitar-gitar jump in my jaguar” guy Peter Nalich.
Polina Shepherd, called The Robert Plant of klezmer by Seth Rogovoy (The Essential Klezmer), will present a few songs in Russian and Yiddish.
Join free of charge, voluntary payments are welcome.
This concert is part of Sing With Me! Russian & Yiddish Song Classes + Concerts on Zoom
ZOOM meeting information will be on this page a few hours before the concert
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