Join us in Lausanne, Switzerland for masterclasses, group lessons, jam sessions, chamber music coaching, and concerts centered around CREATIVE Improvising String Playing! Teen, adult, professional, & amateur bowed string players are welcome.
Unleash Your Full Musical Expression
May 22 - 25, 2025
Evening concert schedule tba soon. (Click here to see 2022 Edition)
Violinists, Violists, Fiddlers, Cellists, and Teachers: join us in Lausanne, Switzerland for group lessons, jams, chamber music coaching, and special concerts.
Connect, jam, and learn with creative string players from around Europe. Join group lessons and chamber-music coaching for violin, viola, cello, and fiddle players and teachers. Teen, adult, professional, and amateurs interested in all styles are welcome.
Why You Don’t Want to Miss It
- Become creatively self-expressed and develop your original musical voice.
- Internalize harmony and groove.
- Become fluent in contemporary styles to jam with musicians outside classical.
- Get gigs and career opportunities.
- Connect with like-minded musicians to make friends and create music-making opportunities
- Teachers: Teach skills relevant to your students’ interests.
- Gain comfort in improvisation, composition, and arranging.
DISCOVERING NEW MUSICAL HORIZONS
I had a fantastic time….. I've been discovering new musical horizons, listening to great lessons on improvisation, having inspiring conversations and music with the participants, listening to excellent concerts. Simply feeling good and in the right place, judgement-free. Many thanks for making this happen and for being caring and supportive.
SCHEDULE
- Workshops: May. 23, 10am-6pm, May. 24, 10am-6pm, May. 25, 10am-4:30pm with breaks. (Lunch is served at the venue for 10 Swiss Francs per person).
- Festival concerts: May. 22, 7-11pm, May. 23, 8-11pm. May. 24, 8-11pm, and May. 25, 5-8pm.
- Optional Orientation Sessions (Jamming, Dinner, Social Activity) for Workshop Participants May. 22th (3:30 pm – 6:30 pm)
"I felt ACCEPTANCE"
Some Impressions from Last Year
Jam Session Video
Performance Videos
Playlist
List of Workshops
The Festival will take place on May 22, starting at 7 pm. Workshops will take place on May 23 – 25, starting at 10:00 am. Participants may arrive early for orientation activities beginning May 22 at 3:30 pm
- Improvisation, Arranging, and Composition
- Amplification, Looping, & Effects
- Free Improvisation and Non-Tonal Composition
- Blues-inspired idioms
- Groove and Accompaniment techniques
- Conducted Group Improvisation
- Modal Approach to Improvisation
- Internalizing Harmony
- Music Business Mastermind Seminar
past guest artists:
- Les Ministrings (Grand Ensemble) – Directed by Tina Strinning and Baiju Bhatt
- Falsetas – Marc Crofts (Violin), Yardani Torres Maiani (Violin), Antonio Perujo (Percussion and dance)
- Compagnie Muance – Fanny Balestro-Bergeron (Cello, performance art, electronics), Félix Bergeron (Percussion, electronics)
- Cécile Delzant (Solo Violin)
- Odayaka – Victor Darmon (Violin), Adam Naylor (Guitar), Cyril Billot (Bass)
- Howes/Bhatt/Braun Trio – Christian Howes (Violin), Baiju Bhatt (Violin), Stephan Braun (Cello)
- Alba Obert Quartet – Alba Obert (Violin), Julien Ménagé (Piano), Blaise Hommage (Bass), François Christe (Drums)
- Simon Heggendorn & Michael Zisman – Simon Heggendorn (Violin), Michael Zisman (Bandoneon)
- Eva Slongo Quartet – Eva Slongo (Violin/Voice), Julien Ménagé (Piano), Blaise Hommage (Bass), François Christe (Drums)
- Bruno Ducret (Cello)
- Nomadim 4tet – Marc Crofts (Violin), Louis Matute (Guitar), Cyril Billot (Bass), Marton Kiss (Drums)
- Lucie Göckel Quintet – Lucie Göckel (Cello/Voice), Edwin Correia (Guitar), Julien Ménagé (Piano), Blaise Hommage (Bass), François Christe (Drums)
- Robin Antunes Duo – Robin Antunes (Violin), Benjamin Garson (Guitar)
- Yanna Pelser Quartet – Yanna Pelser (Viola/Voice), Julien Ménagé (Piano), Blaise Hommage (Bass), François Christe (Drums)
- Axone – Michèle Pierre (Cello/Voice)
- 2-Birds Band – Tony Bird (Violin)
- Nightly Jam Sessions – Julien Ménagé (Piano), Blaise Hommage (Bass), François Christe (Drums), and 2023 Workshop Participants
Featuring:
Christian Howes
Co-host and Teacher
American teacher, performer, and musical entrepreneur. He founded Creative Strings to expand music education to include improvisation, contemporary styles, jazz violin courses and related subjects through online curricula, music retreats, fiddle camps, and school residencies.
Baiju Bhatt
Co-host and Teacher
Swiss-Indian jazz violin virtuoso, acclaimed teacher, and leader of the award-winning jazz-rock quintet Red Sun. He currently lives between Switzerland and Paris, and teaches at the Lausanne Conservatory.
Stephan Braun
Guest Teacher, Cello
Stephan currently resides in Berlin, Germany where he teaches at the “Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler” and the “Jazzinstitute”. He has played and taught at many cello courses, cello institutes, and festivals including the New Directions Cello Festival, Cello Akademie Rutesheim, North Sea Jazz Festival, Umbria Jazz Festival, and Montreal Jazz Festival and recorded as leader on two CDS- The Raid (2008) and Façon (2012).
Venue: All events will be held in a beautiful space here: Théâtre 2.21, Rue de l’Industrie 10, 1005 Lausanne
The space is centrally located and easily accessible. Lausanne has ALL the modern conveniences of a small to medium-sized safe European city.
COVID-19 Safety: Participants will be expected to adhere to all COVID-related directives in force in Switzerland at the time of the festival. the current national policies are here.
Accommodations: The workshop does not provide lodging. There are many hotels and air bnbs within walking distance. Email chris@christianhowes.com with questions.
Become a More Creative, Versatile String Player
Improvisation, Arranging, and Composition
Gain strategies to play over progressions and grooves.
Discover how to make your own accompaniment parts.
Improvise in many styles.
Amplification, Looping, & Effects
Technology for teaching, practice, and performance.
"The Chop" and Extended techniques
Learn modern bowing techniques and more
Swing Phrasing
Learn to incorporate rhythmic structures and language.
Blues-Inspired Idioms
Harmonic and rhythmic tension and release in the context of Blues.
Free Improvisation and Non-Tonal Composition
Compose in small groups using “composition games.”
During this interactive session you will feel empowered to perform/record your own “Free” pieces.
Conducted Group Improvisation
Follow cue cards and a system of hand signals in large group improvisations.
Participants will also conduct the ensemble!
Catered to classical string players.
Modal Approaches to Improvisation
Learn how to apply a modal approach to your improvisation, arrangements, and compositions.
Internalizing Harmony on the Violin, Viola, and Cello
Gain the ability to:
- memorize harmonic relationships on the fingerboard
- voice-lead arpeggios, scales, & double/ triple stops.
- Internalize chord progressions
Music Business Mastermind Seminar
Attract more projects, gigs, or students.
Register Today
Super Early Bird Full Workshop Participant Package– 299 CHF (compared to full price of 650 CHF)
Full Access to all Workshops and Concerts.
Special ends 1/03/2023
Super Early Bird Full Workshop Participant Package- DEPOSIT ONLY 150 CHF now, Remaining 200 CHF by February 15, 2022
Full Access to all Workshops and Concerts.
Special ends 1/15/2022
Early Bird Full Workshop Participant Package– 400 CHF
Full Access to all Workshops and Concerts.
Available only for a limited time and in limited quantities
Early Bird Full Workshop Participant Package– 525 CHF (compared to full price of 599 CHF)
Full Access to all Workshops and Concerts
Special ends 9/8/2023
Full Workshop Participant Package– 599 USD
Full Access to all Workshops and Concerts
Early Bird Full Workshop Participant Package– 499 USD if nonrefundable deposit of 150 is made before February 1st.
Full Access to all Workshops and Concerts
Early Bird Weekend Only Workshop Participant Package– 375 USD if nonrefundable deposit of 150 is made before February 1st.
Full Access to all Workshops and Concerts during the weekend.
Weekend Only Workshop Participant Package– 450 CHF
Access to Saturday/Sunday Workshops and Friday/Saturday/Sunday Concerts only
Refund Policy: Workshop Packages are non-refundable except in the event that the event is cancelled due to COVID-19.
Have friends or family that don't play but love listening?
Workshop participants will receive tickets to all concerts automatically.
Sponsored by:
