Odessa – A Musical Portrait of Jewish Life by the Black Sea

Presented by Atsind with guest musician Kateryna Ostrovska

Atsind‘s latest program brings the multicultural soundscape of Odessa to life—through music, story, and song. This program explores Jewish life in Odessa and its deep interconnections with Ukrainian culture.

Located on the Black Sea, Odessa has long been a cultural crossroads—home to writers, musicians, and communities from across Eastern Europe. Jewish life in the city has always been vibrant, complex, and inseparable from the broader urban fabric. In this program, the audience experiences that diversity firsthand: through traditional melodies, Yiddish and Ukrainian songs, rhythms from klezmer to folk dance, and stories that offer a window into daily life and cultural exchange in this unique city.

Joining violinist Nicolaas Cottenie and accordionist Ira Shiran is Ukrainian-Jewish singer and percussionist Kateryna Ostrovska. A native of Ukraine, she brings an authentic voice to this program. Her expressive singing in Yiddish, the little-known Lemke language and Ukrainian, combined with traditional percussion, adds depth and immediacy to the musical journey.

The program encourages curiosity about Jewish culture and its role in broader historical and social contexts, while fostering empathy, intercultural understanding, and an appreciation of shared heritage through music.

Whether presented in a concert hall, cultural center, private event, school auditorium or classroom Odessa – A Musical Portrait offers a lively and thought-provoking experience that connects the audience to European history in a personal and memorable way.