Yiddish Songs: Open and Free session in Essen.

Join an inspiring and uplifting Yiddish singing experience with an international cultural activist and professional educator Polina Shepherd (UK). Deep your toes into Ashkenazi vocal culture and enjoy singing in an easy going and welcoming atmosphere, learn new material and go home singing!

This session will introduce traditional wordless songs - Nigunim - and a few Yiddish folk songs. Some of them are rooted in spiritual and liturgical music, particularly the nign – a melody that is believed to bring a change of consciousness and bind communities together. Others describe the diverse lives of Jewish people across Eastern and Central Europe and all the countries they have emigrated to – their history, hopes, memories, celebrations and resistance. They tell people’s everyday stories and express every colour of human emotion.

Join us to make this connection in the most heart to heart way - making music together.