Polina Shepherd & Red Thread

Overview

Polina Shepherd

Russian-born and UK-based Polina Shepherd is a central figure in global innovation of contemporary Yiddish music. Shepherd’s solo performances weave together 19th–20th century folklore with original compositions exploring themes of travel, identity, and cultural fusion, infused with humor, heart, and mesmerizing improvisation.

Born into a Russian Jewish family in Novosibirsk, Polina was then an active young Jewish leader in Tatarstan during the 1980s and 1990s, as Jews in the Soviet Union began to reconnect with their roots. At just 17, she joined Russia’s first professional klezmer band after Perestroika, Simcha, touring the former Soviet Union while studying her musical heritage. Since moving to the UK in 2003, Polina continues to lead choirs and collaborate with various bands, orchestras, and soloists, performing internationally.

Red Thread

Red Thread is a woman-fronted ensemble playing folk music exploring and exploding Yiddish, Balkan, Irish, and Scandinavian vocal traditions. With the tight harmonies of a family band and lush, innovative instrumentation, the ensemble shares traditional and new music with warmth and humor.