Voicingers Workshops for Singing Musicians
Żory, August 11-18, 2024
The Voicingers Festival Workshops are music workshops led by artistically active European jazz musicians and improvisers, including vocalists and instrumentalists with extensive teaching experience.
The aim of these workshops is to deepen participants’ connection with their musicality through improvisation.
These workshops are intended for students of music schools and amateurs, both instrumentalists and singers.
The classes focus on rhythmic issues and improvisational exercises with the goal of creating a musical space for playing beyond conventional patterns through interaction with a band without a predetermined plan or arrangement.
The classes emphasize the development of music-making skills by ear, embracing mistakes in playing and using them as essential building material for improvisation, which, by pushing one out of their comfort zone, grants access to the sphere of intuition.
Each workshop culminates in a final concert featuring students and teachers.
One of the key objectives and advantages of Voicingers workshops is to enable students to learn from various approaches to teaching improvisation.
In the evenings, jam sessions are held with the workshop’s rhythm section and the Voicingers festival teachers. These jam sessions are often referred to as “night classes.”
1. How long will the workshops last?
The workshops will run for 8 days, with the final day dedicated entirely to preparing participants for the concert.
How many classes will be included in the workshops?
There will be a total of 24 daytime classes and 8 evening/night classes (jam sessions).
2. Who will lead the classes?
Our instructors comprise an international group of artistically active vocalists and instrumentalists. For full information about them click on the names below.
3. Can beginners or children participate in the workshops?
Yes. The workshops are open to anyone looking to develop their vocal abilities (technique, expression, improvisation) and learn through observing other participants. The minimum age for participants is set at 13 years, although younger vocalists occasionally attend the workshops.
4. Is knowledge of English required to participate in the workshops?
Basic English communication skills are welcomed. If you’re not fluent in English, there will always be time and someone to assist you. Our workshops also provide a great opportunity to enhance your language skills and motivation for future improvement.
5. What is the cost of participating in the workshops?
The participation fee is 1400 PLN or 325 euros. It covers attending our classes, vocal contest auditions, festival concerts, and jam sessions. Participants are responsible for their own travel, accommodation, and meals. For the first three people joining our workshops from abroad, we offer a 50 euro discount!
6. Can I schedule individual sessions with specific instructors?
Yes, but this needs to be arranged two days before the planned session. The cost of an individual session is an additional 150 PLN.
7. Will I have the opportunity to perform on stage?
Yes. Jam Sessions (the evening/night classes) provide a chance to play with experienced jazz artists in a club-like atmosphere. This is a significant part of the Voicingers workshops, creating space for musical encounters and personal transformations through the experience of improvisation. The last day of the workshops is dedicated to preparing for the final concert. Rehearsals and the concert take place in the well-equipped, stylish hall of the Żory Cultural Center. The concert is recorded in audio/video format. Jam sessions also offer opportunities to test your ideas for the final concert, with 7 sessions, each lasting 4.5 hours.
8. Can I receive recordings of my performances?
Yes. All concerts, jam sessions, and some of our day classes are recorded in audio format during the festival. If you’re interested in obtaining professional audio or audio/video recordings for personal use, please inform us at least two days before the performance. Prices for recordings vary.
Audio/video material from the final concert (raw): 25 Euros
Audio/video material from the final concert (fully mixed and edited): 75 Euros
Audio material from classes or jam sessions (raw): 15 Euros
Audio material from classes or jam sessions (mixed): 35 Euros
9. Will I be photographed during the festival?
Yes. Our photography specialists will be present at all festival events, including selected day classes. You can order and then purchase a set of 10 photos (day classes, jam sessions, final concert, portrait) for an additional fee of 50 Euros.
10. How to get to Żory?
By car: Highways from Łódź, Wrocław, Kraków, Ostrava, Gdańsk, Brno, Vienna, Prague, Berlin.
By plane: To Katowice or Kraków, then buses from Katowice directly to Żory, or from Kraków to Katowice and then to Żory as mentioned above.
By train: To Katowice, then buses from Drabas or Bus Brothers, or to Rybnik (from Warsaw, Budapest) and then a 10 km taxi ride or directly to Żory (from Opole, Wrocław, Bielsko-Biała, Poznań, Chodzież, Piła, Bydgoszcz, Kołobrzeg, Słupsk).
11. Where to find accommodation?
The festival has reserved 30 beds in Hotel Twinpigs (50 meters from the club where the jam sessions take place) with a special discount for workshop participants. The discount is valid for bookings made by June 15.
If you need assistance with a hotel reservation, write to Karolina at karolina@voicingers.com or contact the Hotel Texas directly at +48 32 41 60 888 or recepcja@hoteltexas.pl
12. Is the cost of food expensive in Żory?
No, you can have a decent lunch for around 20 PLN (around 4.5 euros). Delicious breakfast sandwiches cost about 10 PLN (2.25 euros). Just ask us where to find these places.
13. How to register for the workshops?
To register, send an email to karolina@voicingers.com and info@voicingers.com titled “Voicingers Workshops Żory 2024 Registration”. Include your name, surname, phone number, IG or FB identifier, and write why you want to participate in Voicingers workshops. Wait for an email with an invitation to participate. After receiving the invitation, pay a deposit of 150 euros. You will have 3 days to do it. Make the payment to the account of the Żorskie Towarzystwo Kulturalne Kontrapunkt, with the note “Fee for Voicingers Workshops, Żory 2024.”
Here is the legal information about our association for your reference:
The account number is:
IBAN: PL97160014621019570320000002
SWIFT: PARIBAS PPABPLPKXXX
Bank BNP Paribas
Address of the bank: ul. Koszarowa 1, 44-240 Żory
Name: Żorskie Towarzystwo Kulturalne Kontrapunkt
Address: ul. Dolne Przedmieście 1 44-240 Żory, Poland
Tax Number: 651-165-61-47
ID number – KRS 0000258433
REGON 240395395
14. Can I receive a refund of the deposit due to unforeseen circumstances?
You can receive 100% of the deposited amount if you find a replacement for your spot. Otherwise, we will deduct a 15% handling fee from it.”