WELTMUSIK CHORkonzerte. Dannenberg, Germany
2026-03-13 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | Bahnhof Dannenberg, Am Ostbahnhof 1, Dannenberg (Elbe), 29451, Germany
SCROLL DOWN FOR ENGLISHFree admissionEintritt frei

Eine Woche singen mit Polina Shepherd (Magical Songs of the East) und Nathaniel Damon (Music from around the world) vom 9. bis zum 14.3.2026 im Tagungshaus Carnap in Pisselberg (Dannenberg, Elbe). Zum Abschluss des Workshops gibt es zwei Konzerte mit allen Teilnehmenden:Fr., 13.3., 19 Uhr, Bahnhof Dannenberg, Sa.,14.3., 19 Uhr, St. Simeon-Kirche, Dörpfeld-straße 58, Hamburg-Osdorf, jeweils Eintritt frei.Der Weltmusik-Chor Hamburg lud ein zu einer musikalischen Reise mit Liedern aus USA, Frankreich, Deutschland, Andalusien, Bosnien, Georgien, Mazedonien, Kuba und Südafrika.
Seit 2005 reist der Weltmusik-Chor Hamburg durch spannende Harmonien und Klangwelten. Die musikalische Vielfalt aus vielen Kulturen zeigt sich zum Beispiel in den kraftvollen Polyphonien aus Georgien, in den lebendigen Rhythmen und Dissonanzen des Balkans und in den treibenden Shape-Note-Hymnen, den Appalachen-Lieder aus den USA. Unser Repertoire reicht von Renaissance-Musik bis zu zeitgenössischen Chor-Kompositionen.Chorleiter, Nathaniel Damon, stammt aus dem US-Bundesstaat Vermont, wo er als Teenager mit dem Weltmusik-Ensemble Village Harmony gesungen hat. Er studierte Gesang an der HfMT in Hamburg und gründete in 2005 den Weltmusik-Chor Hamburg, der sich zurzeit aus 60 Sänger*innen zusammensetzt. Er leitet Chorworkshops zum Thema Improvisation & Weltmusik und kooperiert dabei mit Chorleiter:innen aus verschiedenen Ländern. Als Multi-Instrumentalist und Sänger komponiert er seit 2018 eigene Chormusik.Polina Shepherd ist Sängerin, Komponistin und Musik-Pädagogin. Sie stammt ursprünglich aus Sibirien und lebt in England. Ihr Gesang ist tief in der osteuropäischen jüdischen und russischen Folklore verwurzelt.
Singing for a week with Polina Shepherd (Magical Songs of the East) and Nathaniel Damon (Music from around the world) from 9 to 14.3.2026 at the Carnap conference house in Pisselberg (Dannenberg, Elbe). At the end of the workshop there will be two concerts with all participants: Fri., 13.3., 7 p.m., Dannenberg train station, Sat., 14.3., 7 p.m., St. Simeon Church, Dörpfeld-straße 58, Hamburg-Osdorf, free admission.
The World Music Choir Hamburg invited to a musical journey with songs from the USA, France, Germany, Andalusia, Bosnia, Georgia, Macedonia, Cuba and South Africa.
Since 2005, the Weltmusik-Chor Hamburg has been travelling through exciting harmonies and worlds of sound. The musical diversity from many cultures is evident, for example, in the powerful polyphonies from Georgia, in the lively rhythms and dissonances of the Balkans and in the driving shape-note anthems, the Appalachian songs from the USA. Our repertoire ranges from Renaissance music to contemporary choral compositions.Choir director, Nathaniel Damon, comes from the US state of Vermont, where he sang with the world music ensemble Village Harmony as a teenager. He studied singing at the HfMT in Hamburg and founded the Weltmusik-Chor Hamburg in 2005, which currently consists of 60 singers. He leads choral workshops on the improvisation and world music and wollaborates with choir directors from different countries. As a multi-instrumentalist and singer, he has been composing his own choral music since 2018.
Polina Shepherd is a singer, composer and music educator. She is originally from Siberia now living in the UK. Their singing is deeply rooted in Eastern European Jewish and Russian folklore.
Related Images:

WELTMUSIK CHORkonzerte. Hamburg. Germany
2026-03-14 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | St. Simeon Kirche Langelohstraße 119, 22609 HAMBURG, St. Simeon Kirche, HAMBURG, 22609, Germany
SCROLL DOWN FOR DEUTSCHFree admissionEintritt frei

The World Music Choir Hamburg invited to a musical journey with songs from the USA, France, Germany, Andalusia, Bosnia, Georgia, Macedonia, Cuba and South Africa.
Since 2005, the Weltmusik-Chor Hamburg has been travelling through exciting harmonies and worlds of sound. The musical diversity from many cultures is evident, for example, in the powerful polyphonies from Georgia, in the lively rhythms and dissonances of the Balkans and in the driving shape-note anthems, the Appalachian songs from the USA. Our repertoire ranges from Renaissance music to contemporary choral compositions.
Choir director, Nathaniel Damon, comes from the US state of Vermont, where he sang with the world music ensemble Village Harmony as a teenager. He studied singing at the HfMT in Hamburg and founded the Weltmusik-Chor Hamburg in 2005, which currently consists of 60 singers. He leads choral workshops on the improvisation and world music and wollaborates with choir directors from different countries. As a multi-instrumentalist and singer, he has been composing his own choral music since 2018.
Polina Shepherd is a singer, composer and music educator. She is originally from Siberia now living in the UK. Their singing is deeply rooted in Eastern European Jewish and Russian folklore.

Eine Woche singen mit Polina Shepherd (Magical Songs of the East) und Nathaniel Damon (Music from around the world) vom 9. bis zum 14.3.2026 im Tagungshaus Carnap in Pisselberg (Dannenberg, Elbe). Zum Abschluss des Workshops gibt es zwei Konzerte mit allen Teilnehmenden:Fr., 13.3., 19 Uhr, Bahnhof Dannenberg, Sa.,14.3., 19 Uhr, St. Simeon-Kirche, Dörpfeld-straße 58, Hamburg-Osdorf, jeweils Eintritt frei.Der Weltmusik-Chor Hamburg lud ein zu einer musikalischen Reise mit Liedern aus USA, Frankreich, Deutschland, Andalusien, Bosnien, Georgien, Mazedonien, Kuba und Südafrika.
Seit 2005 reist der Weltmusik-Chor Hamburg durch spannende Harmonien und Klangwelten. Die musikalische Vielfalt aus vielen Kulturen zeigt sich zum Beispiel in den kraftvollen Polyphonien aus Georgien, in den lebendigen Rhythmen und Dissonanzen des Balkans und in den treibenden Shape-Note-Hymnen, den Appalachen-Lieder aus den USA. Unser Repertoire reicht von Renaissance-Musik bis zu zeitgenössischen Chor-Kompositionen.
Chorleiter, Nathaniel Damon, stammt aus dem US-Bundesstaat Vermont, wo er als Teenager mit dem Weltmusik-Ensemble Village Harmony gesungen hat. Er studierte Gesang an der HfMT in Hamburg und gründete in 2005 den Weltmusik-Chor Hamburg, der sich zurzeit aus 60 Sänger*innen zusammensetzt. Er leitet Chorworkshops zum Thema Improvisation & Weltmusik und kooperiert dabei mit Chorleiter:innen aus verschiedenen Ländern. Als Multi-Instrumentalist und Sänger komponiert er seit 2018 eigene Chormusik.
Polina Shepherd ist Sängerin, Komponistin und Musik-Pädagogin. Sie stammt ursprünglich aus Sibirien und lebt in England. Ihr Gesang ist tief in der osteuropäischen jüdischen und russischen Folklore verwurzelt.
Singing for a week with Polina Shepherd (Magical Songs of the East) and Nathaniel Damon (Music from around the world) from 9 to 14.3.2026 at the Carnap conference house in Pisselberg (Dannenberg, Elbe). At the end of the workshop there will be two concerts with all participants: Fri., 13.3., 7 p.m., Dannenberg train station, Sat., 14.3., 7 p.m., St. Simeon Church, Dörpfeld-straße 58, Hamburg-Osdorf, free admission.
Related Images:

The Stranniki concert in New York, NY, USA.
2026-04-04 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Davidzon Radio, 2508 Coney Island Avenue, FL 2 Brooklyn, New York, NY, 11223, United States
The Stranniki is a collaboration between Polina Shepherd and Psoy Korolenko, renowned multilingual artists in the Yiddish music scene for over two decades. Since 2016, the duo has toured the U.S. and internationally, performing programs like Schlepping the Steppes and the Shtetl. Their work centers on the concept of the wanderer, the nomad, and the folklore archetype of the road (path), blending Yiddish and Russian poetry, folklore, and music from the 19th and 20th centuries with their own compositions. Their first album connects themes of journeys, culture, and history, resonating today more than ever. Last year they completed a cross-America tour in various venues and universities.

Psoy Korolenko (Pavel Lion) is a multilingual singer-songwriter, translator, journalist, and scholar. Since 2023, he has been a Visiting Lecturer at Dartmouth College, hosted by the Jewish Studies Program, co-teaching the course “Jewish Folklore.” A former artist-in-residence at several U.S. universities, he has released numerous albums and books. His eclectic style combines Soviet urban folk, Yiddish theater songs, French chanson, and more. A Recording Academy voting member, he co-organizes the JetLAG festival in New York and co-created the Grammy-nominated Yiddish Glory, reviving WWII-era Yiddish songs from Ukraine in collaboration with historian Anna Shternshis.

Polina Shepherd, a Siberia-born, UK-based composer and singer, specializes in Yiddish and Russian music, blending East European Jewish, Slavic, and Turkic influences. She has collaborated with artists such as Merlin Shepherd, Lorin Sklamberg and Psoy Korolenko. During the pandemic, she launched Step Forverts and released Undzer Yiddishkayt, showcasing new songs by Eurasian klezmer artists. As artistic director of the Caravan Orchestra, a youth initiative fostering collaboration across cultures, her work spans choral direction, improvisation, and theatre, promoting Jewish music globally.

Related Images:

Yiddish Song Workshop and Concert, Boston, USA + online
2026-04-05 15:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Boston Workers Circle, 6 Webster Street, Brookline, MA, 02446, United States
Workshop 3pm
Concert 4pm
Venue: Boston Workers Circle, 6 Webster Street, Brookline, MA, USA
BOOK HERE

Polina Shepherd is a world-class performer, composer, educator, and cultural activist originally from Siberia, now living in Brighton UK.
Her singing cuts a sound deeply rooted in east European Jewish and Russian folk. Growing up in Tatarstan also placed her close to Islamic ornamentation and timbre, which can be heard in her unique vocal style.

– …a stunning vocalist with a four octave range and no slouch on piano, either. – Forward

Cost: $20 or pay what you can. Please use the Pass-the-Hat donation form to pay for tickets, and choose Yiddish Committee/Events when prompted on the form.
This event is cosponsored by A Besere Velt and the Yiddish Committee.
Related Images:

Enchanted Songs of the Slavic Soul. Oakland, CA, USA
2026-04-11 16:00 - 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | St Paul Lutheran Church, 1658 Excelsior Avenue, Oakland, CA, CA 94602, United States
Join acclaimed performer and educator Polina Skovoroda-Shepherd for an immersive vocal journey into the heart of Eastern Europe.

The Kitka Institute and Glenview Classical Series present Enchanted Songs of the Slavic Soul
BOOK HERE
Join internationally acclaimed performer and educator Polina Skovoroda-Shepherd for an immersive vocal journey into the heart of Eastern Europe. This workshop goes beyond mere singing; it is an exploration of the “Slavic Soul”—a cultural space existing between life and death, the earthly and the divine.
Participants will engage with a diverse repertoire that spans the vastness of the Slavic world.
• Ritual & Pagan Songs: Celebrate the turning of the seasons and connection to the spirits of nature—where every blade of grass has a voice.
• Lyrical & “Drawn-out “Melodies: Experience the Protyazhnaya, songs of deep expressive power and lyrical intensity that echo the boundless horizon of the steppes.
• Dance & Community Songs: From gritty folklore to vibrant circle dances that foster communal joy and resilience.
• The Intersection of Cultures: Discover the Macaronic songs of Yiddish culture—fascinating musical hybrids where Yiddish meets Ukrainian, Russian, and Belorussian influences, reflecting the shared history of the steppes and the shtetl.
Led by Polina Skovoroda-Shepherd, a composer and choir leader raised in a Cossack/Jewish family in Tatarstan, this workshop utilizes her specially developed teaching methods. You will explore ornamentation, modal experimentation, and the specific “East European sound” in a way that is both free and focused.
Whether you are a professional singer or a “home singer” who has never joined a choir, you will be guided by ear to find a new flow for your voice—one that is inspiring, exciting, and deeply rooted in heritage.
This workshop will take place in Nelligan Hall, downstairs at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Oakland’s Glenview District.
Workshop Tuition: Suggested donation $30 per person. Please consider a more generous pay-it-forward donation if you are able, otherwise, pay what you can. No one will be turned away for lack of funds but a donation (even a small one) is required to secure your spot.
Polina will offer a concert performance on Sunday evening, April 12 at 7:30pm at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church as part of the Glenview Concert Series is a special shared program with Greek vocalist and weaver Phoebe Vlassis, joined by members of Kitka. To register for the workshop, attend the concert and receive a $5 discount, select the Workshop + Concert package at check out.

Related Images:

The Joy of Jewish Music and Dance. Berkeley, CA, USA
2026-04-12 14:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Congregation Netivot Shalom, 1316 University Avenue, Berkeley, CA, 94702, United States
BOOK HERE
READ MORE HERE
Join the October-May monthly series celebrating The Joy of Jewish Music and Dance! Great for musicians, dancers, and enthusiasts to meet, learn, play, shmooze, or simply to take in the beauty of these rich traditions. Bring your instruments and dancing shoes.
For the April 12, 2026 session, music will be taught by Polina Shepherd. Read more about our instructors below.
Session format: During the first 90 minutes, participants choose between instruction in music or dance corresponding to the music. Then after a short break, musicians and dancers are brought together to perform what they’ve learned. Extra time after that continues the dance party or shifts into informal jam or instruction.
Basic instrumental proficiency is recommended for musicians. All instruments, singers, and dancers are welcome.
Tickets are $25 – $54 sliding scale. Online ticket sales will end on Friday, April 10 at noon. If not sold out, tickets may be purchased at the door. Kids 18 and under can attend free. No one turned away for lack of funds. Arrange volunteer/trade or reduced price entry in advance, or with the person at the door.
Additional donations are welcome to help sustain, grow, and cover the cost of this series. Additional donations would help cover travel costs of out of town instructors and many costs that are currently offset by donations.
The series is made possible by volunteer time and expertise of organizers Mike Perlmutter, Zina Pozen, and Bruce Bierman, as well as the financial support of Noah Youngs, Amos Lans, and other generous individuals, fiscal sponsorship and support by KlezCalifornia. We are grateful to our past host Sarah Wolfman-Robichaud and the JCC East Bay, and to our new hosts at Congregation Netivot Shalom.
Direct questions about the series to: JOY@KlezCalifornia.org

Related Images:

Interwoven: Phoebe Vlassis, Polina Shepherd & Members of Kitka. Oakland, CA, USA
2026-04-12 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | St Paul Lutheran Church, 1658 Excelsior Avenue, Oakland, CA, CA 94602, United States
An evening of songs inspired by textile arts.

The Kitka Institute and Glenview Classical Series present
INTERWOVEN
An evening of songs inspired by textile arts.
BOOK HERE
Artwork: Hung Liu, Woman Working: Loom (1999) National Museum of Women in the Arts

INTERWOVEN brings together three visionary forces in an evening of music inspired by the artistry of textile traditions. Greek weaver-musician Phoebe Vlassis transforms her loom into a percussive instrument, spinning rhythm and song into a living tapestry of sound. Siberian-born composer and vocalist Polina Skovoroda-Shepherd reimagines East European Jewish, Slavic, and Tatar folk heritage through original compositions and daring, spinning improvisations. Joining them are members of Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble, Oakland’s renowned women’s vocal ensemble celebrated for forty-five seasons of fearless exploration of Balkan, Baltic, Caucasian, Mediterranean, and Slavic vocal traditions. Together, these artists weave voice, rhythm, memory, and innovation into a radiant sonic fabric—where ancient threads are interlaced with bold contemporary expression.
Audience members will be invited to raise their voices and become a part of the sonic tapestry.
$30 per person suggested donation. Please consider a more generous pay-it-forward contribution if you are able, otherwise, pay what you can. NOTAFLOF, but a donation is required to reserve a seat.

Related Images:

KlezNorth. Youlgrave, Derbyshire, UK
2026-04-17 - 2026-04-19 | Youlgrave Village Hall, Holywell Lane, Youlgrave, Bakewell, DE45 1UT, United Kingdom
KlezNorth is an annual festival of Klezmer music, dance and song welcoming both Jewish and non-Jewish people to the wonderful world of Klezmer. KlezNorth is based in Derbyshire, but in this context, “North” regularly includes the Midlands, the Southwest, Wales and Scotland, the North East, East Anglia, and, dare we say, London and the South East. We have a few overseas participants as well.
Read more and book here.
Led by brass player Frank London, all the way from the USA, and singer Polina Shepherd we have Gica Loening on fiddle, Avia Moore teaching dance, Sanne Möricke on accordion and the always amazing Michael Alpert.
The full range of workshops and workshop leaders in 2026 will be announced as the programme is finalised.
Related Images:

Songs of the Spring Meadow with Slavic Voices. St Leonards-on-Sea, UK
2026-04-26 15:00 - 17:00 UTC | kino-teatr, 43-49 Norman Road, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex, TN38 0EG, United Kingdom
Kino-Teatr, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN38 0EQ

Sunday 26th April 2026 3:00PM

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, Czech, 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. Led by Polina Skovoroda-Shepherd, granddaughter of a Cossack, an internationally acclaimed performer, educator and cultural activist.

Related Images:

Her:Kol – Yiddish Women’s Song Cultures. Weimar. Germany
2026-08-01 - 2026-08-08
Her:Kol – Yiddish Women’s Song Cultures. New musical settings of Yiddish women’s poetry by contemporary women composer / performers of Yiddish music. This will be part of Yiddish Summer Weimar Festival week. Polina Shepherd will be one of the featured artists. Watch this space for more.
Related Images:

Festival of Song concert in Lewes, UK. TBA
2026-10-31 21:00 - 23:00 UTC
Merlin and Polina Shepherd Duo concert for Festival of Song
Late night series
More information is coming soon
Klezmer music and more.
Related Images:
