choirs
The Polina Shepherd Vocal Experience covers many aspects of vocal music from solo voice to large scale choral improvisation or highly arranged and conducted choir pieces and smaller chamber groups. As part of this Polina leads several choirs locally and also teaches choral workshops internationally.
Her specially developed choral teaching methods are based on ornamentation and modal experimentation with attention to spiritual and emotional sides of musical creativity and also history and context of choral material.
For Jewish music based choral workshops, she teaches Hassidic Nigunim – the age old songs without words (originally, the term refers to religious songs and tunes that are sung by groups) and Yiddish and Hebrew songs.
Polina′s Russian workshop and choral repertoire covers ritual calendar songs for pagan holidays, exorcism and sibylline song, circle dances, wedding songs, weeping songs all with correct attention to history and style.
Music lovers of all backgrounds and singing levels are invited to join Polina Shepherd′s choirs at any time. Teaching both by ear and with sheet music. No knowledge of foreign languages necessary.
chutzpah
Polina leads us with such infectious enthusiasm. I realise it has made me do something I never thought I could.
Cecile Levine
Chutzpah is the quality of audacity, for good or for bad. It is also the name of a choir based in Brighton & Hove made up of a diverse group of people who enjoy singing and performing Jewish folk songs. Chutzpah sing Jewish songs in Yiddish, Ladino (Judaeo-Spanish), Aramaic, Hebrew, Russian and Ukrainian. Another large part of the choir’s repertoire are niggunim, the age old Jewish songs without words. Please visit Polina’s facebook page for performance information.
venue
Ralli Hall (near Hove station), 81 Denmark Villas, Hove, East Sussex BN3 3TH; 1st floor, room 12. There is a small parking area on the left of the building and down the slope.
schedule
Wednesdays, 7 – 9 pm weekly with summer and winter breaks plus performances.
brighton & hove russian choir
The choir promotes Russian harmony singing and traditional Russian repertoire. We sing lyrical and epic songs, ritual calendar music for pagan holidays, wedding songs and weeping songs. Everything is sung in Russian but we carefully translate the texts and talk about history and context of each song. The group brings together music lovers of all backgrounds and singing levels with or without any knowledge of Russian language and culture. The Russian Song Contest Award winner, London, 2010. For our performance schedule please visit our facebook page.
venue
St John’s Centre, Palmeira Square, Hove BN3 2FL
schedule
Mondays 7 – 8.45 pm weekly with summer and winter breaks plus occasional performances.