GMF VALENCIA JAZZ WORKSHOP 2025
JULY 26 -29
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TEAM
CLAIRE MARTIN - VOCALS
GUILLERMO ROZENTHULER - VOCALS
MARTIN SÖJESTEDT - PIANO
MARK HODGSON - BASS
FRANCESCO PETRENI - PERCUSSION & DRUMS
STEPHEN KEOGH - DRUMS & PULSE
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ABOUT THIS COURSE
A dynamic celebration of music, rich in jazz, latin, blues, and creative music, in a dazzling series of workshops, performances and after-hours sessions with world-class artists, and showcasing some of the next generation of stars. The spectacular setting, the team of outstanding artists and teachers, and the varied schedule of activities, all add up to an unforgettable experience for everyone who takes part.
The course offers
• Intensive studies - 4 hours of daily classes, including supervised rehearsals, vocal and rhythm classes, group workshops plus opportunities to perform each day
• Free admission to all concerts offered by faculty members and guest artists included in GMF Valencia 2025 and Villamalur Music Festival
• A stimulating program of activities to develop musical skills and concentration: choir, samba, pulse training, ear training, coordination and movement
• Martial Arts training under the guidance of world renowned masters
All located in the historical town of Villamalur, set in the beautiful nature reserve of the Sierra de Espadán.
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Timetable
July 26
Arrival Day
18.00 - 20.00 register at Ayuntamiento de Villamalur
21.30 welcome concert
23.00 jam session
July 27 - 28
09.00 - 09.50 tai chi and chi gong
10.00 - 10.30 pulse / listening / concentration / silence
10.30 - 11.45 vocal classes | location TBC
12.15 - 13.15 samba & choir | location TBC
13.30 - lunch break
14.30 - a period where participants can choose to rest, play, practice, or take in the local scenery
16.00 - 17.00 vocal and rhythm session - preparing pieces for performance the final concert
17.30 - 18.15 Singers Corner at Bar xxxxx
18.15 - 19.00 Jazz Aperitivo at Bar xxxxxx
20.30 - 21.15 Main Concert at Plaza de la Iglesia
22.30 - 00.30 Jam Session at xxxxxx
July 29
09.00 - 09.50 tai chi and chi gong | location TBC
10.00 - 10.30 pulse / listening / concentration / silence | location TBC
10.30 - 11.45 vocal classes | location TBC
12.15 - 13.15 samba & choir | location TBC
13.30 - lunch break
14.30 - a period where participants can choose to rest, play, practice, or take in the local scenery
16.00 - 17.00 vocal and rhythm session - preparing pieces for performance the final concert
20.00 - end of course concert by the faculty and students of GMF Valencia Jazz Workshop 2025
July 30
Departure day
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The Programme
Morning Sessions and Workshops
We begin each day by coming together to participate in a unique sequence of activities which collectively stimulate self-awareness and enhance creativity.
These sessions will feature a different combination of activities every day: expect regular workshops on pulse, rhythm, vocal/body/breathing, movement and connection.
Chi kung & Tai Chi
Chi Kung is an a introspective work based on the consciousness of oneself using simple, though not necessarily easy, exercises. The person listens to his body connecting physically with the earth and the sky and finding his place between them as part of nature. This kind of work allows one to connect all different parts of the body in one and feel new sensations of fullness.
Tai Chi Form is used to make the body strong in various ways; through understanding the principles of relaxation and connection, spiral movement, expansion/contraction, movement on one point, exertion of force, and much more...This type of training, when applied to a musician's relationship to his/her instrument, can bring tremendous physical and mental ease, composure and command when performing in concert.
Pulse Training - by Stephen Keogh
Pulse lies at the heart of music, and developing one's own inner pulse is the goal of these sessions. The work fosters awareness – of the pulse, of silence, of the other members of the group. This workshop is hugely beneficial to musicians of every kind.
Samba Training - with Francesco Petreni
A group workshop in which we train and learn the various different calls and rhythms, under the guidance of Francesco Petreni. We will learn some of the traditional songs and rhythms as performed at the carnivals of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo as well as from other areas of Brazil.
Vocal and Body
The workshop explores the use of energy and the voice, and fine tuning body and mind coordination within a musical context. Using song material from all around the world we work at enhancing the quality of our listening skills and the sounds we produce.
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Afternoon Sessions
The Playing Session
After lunch break a period for playing has been incorporated into the timetable. A space for the students for playing through tunes and rehearsing pieces simply for enjoyment, or in preparation for performing at the masterclass or the after hours jam session.
Masterclasses with Q&A
Each of member of the team of artists carry an immense amount of experience which is shared generously with
the participants though playing, listening, feedback and discussion; in these sessions there is always with a period with a Q&A in which no question is ever treated as a stupid question.
Ensemble
Guided by one of the tutors students learn and prepare pieces for public performance. The art of blending and playing as one is the focus of this session. Group composition is also an important part of these sessions.
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More about the Artists
Award winning international artists and teachers:
Vocalist Claire Martin Claire Martin has to worldwide critical acclaim established herself as a tour de force on the UK jazz scene gaining many awards, including winning the British Jazz Awards eight times during her career which spans over three decades. In 2018 she was the proud recipient of the BASCA Gold Badge Award for her contribution to jazz.
Claire has since released 18 CDs with the prestigious label Linn Records, collaborating with musical luminaries including Martin Taylor, John Martyn, Stephane Grappelli, Kenny Barron, Richard Rodney Bennett and Jim Mullen on many of these recordings.
Vocalist Guillermo Rozenthuler is a an extremely versatile singer who moves with ease through the genres of Latin, Jazz, Tango and Ethnic music. He is a highly sought after performing and recording artist. His main passion is in education and he is an inspirational teacher and workshop leader.
In 2020 Guillermo launched a collaborative vocal improvisation project: Anthropos - Songs of Humanity alongside five other outstanding vocalists: Sylvia Schmidt, Kate Smith, Marcia Willis, Jaka Skapin and Uran Apak. It started with a question: did early humans sing before they could speak? This has led us to explore many ways into spontaneous, leaderless collective song without the use of language.
Singing for Health Guillermo views this as a chance to give back to society at large the blessing of having become a professional musician. He believes in the link between music and wellbeing and is passionate about bringing music to community spaces where it wouldn’t usually happen. He began work in the field of music and health as soon as he arrived in the UK in 2000. He has helped thousands of people bring joy and well being into their lives through singing.
Percussionist Francesco Petreni is director, arranger and conductor of “Bandao Percussion Orchestra” with which he performed in more than 500 concerts, festivals and carnivals (London, Salvador de Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, Coburg,Venice, Milan, Viareggio, Rome, Paris, first European group that played in the official Ensaio of Ile Aiyè in Salvador, etc.) After 8 years teaching at the Siena Jazz International Workshops, he is now teacher of Jazz Basic Course and Advanced Jazz Drum Technique at the Conservatory of Livorno. He is professor at Siena Jazz University, and a member of the International pool of teachers and performers of Global Music Foundation. He is Winner the “New Talents Awards” by Rotary club Cittadella and Nominee for Latin Grammy Award 2015
Bassist Mark Hodgson is an international touring Jazz artist, performing regularly around the world in a range of settings from trios to orchestras. He has performed and recorded with the cream of UK and international Jazz artists including: Cedar Walton, Pharaoh Sanders, Phil Woods, Charles McPherson, Dick Oatts, Peter Bernstein, Steve Grossman, Dave Liebman, Bill Charlap, Steve Wilson Jerry Bergonzi, Bruce Barth, Michel Legrand and many more. Mark has recorded and performed with numerous international Rock and Pop stars including: The Rolling Stones, The Police, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Pink Floyd, Bryan Adams and American rapper Ice-T.
Drummer and GMF Artistic Director Stephen Keogh has, during the last 45 years, appeared around the globe with an extraordinary list of musicians that contains many of the great names in jazz including: Johnny Griffin, Lee Konitz, Harrold Land, Brad Mehldau, Mark Turner, Bill Charlap, Jerry Bergonzi, Deborah Brown, Herb Ellis, Benny Golson, Steve Grossman, Rene Marie, Dick Oatts, Benny Carter and many more.
In 2023 / 2024 he has played on concerts and/or recordings with Bruce Barth Trio, Jerry Bergonzi Quartet, Eddie Henderson Quartet, Jocelyn Gould, Rick Margitza, Terrel Stafford, Steve Davis, Mark Gross, Jim Ridl, Danny Grisset, Perico Sambeat and Carla Cook.
He has also lead workshops and given masterclasses at Royal Academy of Music, Trinity Laban, Birmingham Conservatoire, Leeds Conservatoire, Napier University Edinburgh, Taller de Musics Barcelona, JZ School Shanghai, Prince Claus University Groningen in Holland, Jazz Standard Discovery Programme New York. He founded Global Music Foundation (GMF) in 2005 with Marney O’Sullivan. Since then GMF has produced and staged more than 50 workshops, music and arts festivals and hundreds of concerts in multiple countries including Italy, UK, China, Croatia, Germany, Ireland and Spain