Chicago Joins Jazz Tour & Singers' Workshop in Paris, June 2014

Singers from around the world will gather in the City of Lights as three master teachers lead an 8-day exploration of vocal technique, jazz literacy in song, interpretation of lyrics, and performance skills. Participants will take in Paris as a Jazz capital of the world with outings and tours to famous locales and hidden gems, led by native Parisians and local talent. The 8-day event kicks off with a performance by the workshop leaders and culminates with a public performance from the participants at the legendary Au Franc Pinot!

What do Chicago and Paris have in common? Great art, tall buildings, lots of ex-pats, tourists, traffic jams AND a deep pool of talent among their cabaret, theatre and jazz singers.

While there is a long history of individual collaborations, ours appears to be the first collective exchange between singers. It took two Americans (one living as an ex-pat in Paris and one Paris-born living in Chicago) to make the connection. Claudia Hommel was escorting a group of her Chicago fans to France in May 2013, when she heard Keri Chryst singing at the Hotel du Louvre Jazz Lounge. Introductions and comparisons were made, and plans for an exchange evolved quickly.

This program has been embraced enthusiastically and is supported by the Paris Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International as the first of a projected annual Chicago-Paris exchange of singers. For more information about the Chicago Sister Cities division of World Business Chicago, please visit www.chicagosistercities.com

Workshop Leaders
Keri Chryst is a renowned Jazz vocalist and teacher. An American-born Parisienne since 2001, Chryst is a U.S. Cultural Ambassador to Africa with a Master's in Jazz Pedagogy from Northwestern University. Chryst is the founder of Jazz Vocal Academy & Arts Embassy International in Paris.

Claudia Hommel is Chicago's chanteuse. A favorite from Art Institute of Chicago to the Musée de Montmartre, Hommel is a Paris-born, Chicago-based performer. She is a sought after teacher as the founder and director of SongShop and cabaret champion co-founder of Chicago Cabaret Professionals.

Maja Savi? is an international musical gem. Croatian born, she has trained all over Europe, performing with prominent jazz musician Zé Eduardo in Portugal. Savi? is the founder of JAZZart, the Association for Promoting Jazz Music and Culture and teaches at Mikrofon Star School in Zagreb.

What to Expect:

Jazz Literacy & Musicianship
We've created a program to help singers and auditors alike to become more knowledgeable and especially more comfortable with the ins and outs of what it takes to sing jazz.

Balanced Schedule
We've taken care to strike a balance between active learning, fun entertainment, and a bit of down time for you to explore the City of Lights on your own.

Group Outings - by day and by night
We're particularly excited about all of the group activities which allow for singers and their friends and family to discover famous sites and jazzy hot-spots at different times and locations throughout the week.

Quality Content
As for the workshops themselves-the Jazz Vocal Academy International's curriculum is designed to provide singers of all ages with the necessary tools and skills to take their place among today's musicians. For more information about individual workshop topics, please visit the JVA website!

Performance Experience... in Paris!
We believe that hands-on training is the best kind - and we're thrilled to create the opportunity for all Active Participants to have their moment in the spotlight at one of Paris' oldest hotspots for live jazz!

If you're interested in finding out more about the curriculum and general topics of study, please visit:
Keri Chryst's Jazz Vocal Academy's website at http://jva-intl.webs.com/
Claudia Hommel's The SongShop website at www.songshoplive.com
Maja Savic's JAZZart Association website at www.jazzartassociation.org

Registration and a non-refundable deposit is due by May 1st. Secure your spot today by visiting www.singersjazzworkshop.com today!