Jazz Workshop “Classic Jazz & Bossa Nova” from Monday, 8 March, to Saturday, 13 March 2027 (7th edition)
Welcome. This page provides the most important information about our annual Jazz Workshop: the venue, the team, the objectives, the daily schedule, registration, the fees and more. Please take the time to read or scroll through the page.
Venue: Hotel Apollo Terme, Montegrotto (near Padua and Venice), Italy (see also: Google Maps)
Spa, thermal-bath and wellness hotel with thermal pools; medical treatments are also available.
Information on travelling by car, train or plane is available here under “HowToReachUs”.
Programme for accompanying persons: The hotel offers a wide range of excursions and relaxation activities.
Styles: Classic Jazz and Latin Jazz in a mainstream approach, i.e. a) swing and mainstream styles using songs from the Great American Songbook (typical combo: vocals, saxophone, piano, guitar, bass), b) Bossa Novas and Jazz Sambas in a mainstream or Jobim style, etc. (see also the workshop Facebook page).
Photos from previous workshops and the hotel: see picture gallery
Main feature of the workshop: combo training: every participant has the opportunity to play in a combo, learn the interaction typical of jazz and develop their improvisational skills.
- On average, no more than 5 participants per coach and combo. A maximum of 15 workshop participants in total.
Participants:
- Musicians playing any instrument, as well as vocalists, are welcome!
- The combos rehearsing in the morning and afternoon are formed in standard jazz line-ups (e.g. trio, quartet or quintet).
- The workshop is primarily intended for jazz amateurs through to semi-professionals. Jazz beginners can also benefit from taking part, but they should already have played their instrument for several years, for example in classical music. Depending on their previous experience.
- What should you bring? Vocalists: if possible, please bring your own microphone and cable; bass/guitar: please bring your own cable (electric bass and double bass are available on site); horns (trumpet, saxophone, clarinet, trombone, etc.): play unplugged; drummers: drum sets are available.
… drum set, double bass, electric bass, etc. are available on site (no additional charge)
Workshop objectives:
- Combo training: as described above, everyone has the opportunity to play in a combo in the morning and afternoon, learn the interaction typical of jazz and develop their improvisational skills.
- Music theory and ear training: topics include chord progressions, scales, etc.; improving the aural recognition of chords, intervals and scales; and typical forms of jazz pieces (AB, AABA, blues, etc.)
- Rhythm training: basic jazz rhythms and rhythmic patterns in improvisation and accompaniment in swing and Latin styles.
- Main objective: enjoying making music—in the combos, at the jam sessions and while learning in class.
- Song suggestions: Each participant can suggest two songs for their combo work before the workshop begins.
Daily schedule: (subject to change)
- First meeting: Monday, 8 March 2027, at 18:30 in the lobby of Hotel Apollo Terme; the first jam session starts at 21:00 (and on the following days always after dinner).
- Daily teaching schedule:
- 09:30–10:15: theory, ear training and rhythm (everyone together in a plenary session); fundamentals such as intervals, chords and chord progressions, scales and playing simple patterns together, etc. (with your instrument!)
- 10:30–12:00 and 15:30–17:30: band training / combo training in parallel; combos are formed for one or two days at a time, allowing participants to work with several teachers as combo coaches and to get to know more fellow participants.
- Daily jam session (for participants only): from 21:00. One advantage of a small workshop is that everyone gets plenty of opportunities to play 🙂 (song suggestions)
- Final morning (Saturday): 09:30–10:00: packing up (voluntary) and farewell from the coaches.
Workshop participation fees:
Early booking: €690. Please register as early as possible to secure a place. Our workshop is often fully booked by September of the preceding year. Participation fee for later registration: €750 after 1 October of the preceding year; €790 after 1 January of the workshop year.
In the event of a justified request to withdraw, we guarantee a full refund of the participation fee if you withdraw before 1 October of the preceding year and a partial refund if you withdraw before 1 February of the workshop year; for further details, see Teilnahmebedingungen.pdf.
- Your room at Hotel Apollo Terme can be booked directly via the hotel website Hotel Apollo Terme or by e-mail (apollo@termeapollo.it). The room price is not included in the workshop participation fee.
Please use only our online registration form to register. It requests all information required for organising the workshop.
Booking your hotel room: directly by e-mail with Hotel Apollo Terme (apollo@termeapollo.it); the available room categories can be viewed in the booking portal on the hotel website by entering your exact dates of stay. The hotel website and booking portal are available here: Hotel Apollo Terme; however, you should ultimately book the room by e-mail to ensure that you receive the workshop rate.
Room prices during the workshop: 5 nights with full board: single room / double room with an accompanying person: €635 / €1,130 (2026 prices)
Lunch and dinner are served in several courses and therefore each take approximately 60 minutes. You may, of course, skip individual meals (without a refund) or book breakfast only or half board (breakfast and dinner) if you would like more time for yourself. Breakfast is served as a buffet.
Handouts for jazz theory (harmony and improvisation) (for participants only; the following link will be activated during the workshop: handouts
Song lists: lists of pieces from which we may choose can be found here: W01 W02 W03 W04 W05 Songs. This is a very broad selection. We deliberately do not want to prescribe a narrow song list; with so many excellent jazz pieces, that would be too restrictive. Please take some time to look through the lists, choose two songs and prepare them a little. Better still, simply prepare two of your favourite songs. We will take your favourite pieces into account during the workshop. 🙂
Photo of Hotel Apollo Terme (the thermal pools):
