Festival Workshops - 2025
Workshop Fee: $50 per class (limited to 12 students, 60–90 minutes each)
Master Class Fee: $60 to participate | $25 to observe
Thursday, September 18
12:00 PM – Paulus Schäfer (LUMC) Langley United Methodist Church
Workshop: Rhythm/Melody/Improvisation | Soloing for Beginners
Paulus will guide students through rhythm, melody, and improvisation using songs like All of Me, Coquette, and Bossa Dorada. Chords, rhythm, melody, and improvisation will each be explored separately. Suitable for all levels.
10:00 AM – Lisa Liu (LUMC) Langley United Methodist Church
Workshop: Sweet Georgia Brown
Join Lisa Liu for a hands-on session exploring creative approaches to soloing and chord voicings over the classic standard Sweet Georgia Brown. Whether you’re looking to expand your improvisation or add fresh textures to your rhythm playing, this workshop will give you practical ideas to take home and play with.
Friday, September 19
10:00 AM – Sam Farthing (LUMC) Langley United Methodist Church
Workshop: Rhythm/Soloing for Beginners
Learn rhythm and soloing fundamentals: technique, chord shapes, melody playing, basic improvisation, and practice strategies.
10:00 AM – Christine Tassan (LUMC) Langley United Methodist Church
Workshop: Lead Guitar and Rhythmic Workshop
Explore the gypsy jazz rhythmic idiom (“la pompe manouche”), core chord progressions, phrasing, and improvisation. Hands-on practice with repertoire themes in a relaxed and friendly setting.
11:30 AM – Jimmy Grant (LUMC) Langley United Methodist Church
Workshop: Getting the Right Sound – Gypsy Jazz Rhythm Guitar
Jimmy breaks down La Pompe rhythm mechanics, muting, chord voicings, and attack. Learn the difference between simply playing chords versus supporting the whole band with authentic swing.
11:30 AM – Tim Kliphuis (LUMC) Langley United Methodist Church
Workshop: The Minor Swing Workshop
Work directly with gypsy jazz violin legend Tim Kliphuis on Stéphane Grappelli’s iconic Minor Swing solo. Learn phrasing and how to shape your sound.
11:30 AM – Craig Sharmat (LUMC) Langley United Methodist Church
Workshop: DJ Semetrics Can Explode Creativity!
Using “musical fragments,” Craig introduces a system for creating fresh ideas in the gypsy jazz style. Includes course materials. Intermediate to advanced level.
10:00 AM – Craig Sharmat (LUMC) Langley United Methodist Church
Workshop: DJ Semetrics Can Explode Creativity!
Craig reprises his innovative workshop on creating improvisational flow through musical fragments.
Saturday, September 20
10:00 AM – Michael Horowitz (LUMC) Langley United Methodist Church
Workshop: Advanced Gypsy Rhythm
Learn advanced rhythm and harmonic devices: shuffle, triplet, double time, tremolo, reharmonization, and gypsy-style chord shapes. Taught by the founder of DjangoBooks.com and author of Gypsy Picking.
Sunday, September 21
10:30 AM – Master Class: Paulus Schäfer with Friends (WICA Mainstage)
Workshop: Playing Jazz and Gypsy in Parisian Style
An intimate session with Paulus and his quartet following their headline concert. Learn about improvisation, swing, and the Parisian gypsy tradition. Includes Q&A and opportunities to play.
$60 to participate
$25 to observe