Caravan Orchestra and Choir is an international young musicians exchange project between Yiddish Summer Weimar, the Department of Music of the University of Haifa and F. Liszt University of Music, Weimar, exploring East European Jewish, East Mediterranean and Middle Eastern music.

Every year, the Orchestra invites around 40 young musicians from Israel / Palestine and Germany to for an intensive rehearsal period and concerts - originally in both countries, as well as fun social activities, workshops and excursions. Together with the artistic directors, participants explore both East European Jewish (Yiddish), East Mediterranean and Middle Eastern music traditions. It is the synthesis of those cultures that makes the sound of the Caravan Orchestra unique. While having clear differences in the repertoire and style, these traditions share some forms, tonal material and, most importantly, a performance philosophy with similar approach to improvisation, ornamentation, modality and many other concepts that we discover again each time.

Polina Shepherd has been Caravan Orchestra and Choir Artistic Director since 2021.

Caravan Orchestra and Choir website