CHORO CAMP SEATTLE
BRAZILIAN JAZZ “CHORO” CAMP 2026
Vintage popular music- For those with classical, jazz, or folk experience
Who is eligible? For professional players, music teachers, and advanced and intermediate level students age 13-adults. For strings, guitar, trombone and percussion. Registration is on a 1st come, 1st served basis. Send a brief video if we don’t already know your playing! Location: Choro camp is held at Karen’s home in North Seattle. We often play outdoors under the canopy in the Zen garden. Winter camps are indoors in large rehearsal areas! Faculty: Karen Iglitzin, violin and Stuart Zobel, 7-string guitar. This is their 9th choro camp; including both summer and winter workshops.
Breaking choro news for musicians from Seattle and environs! We will be joined by special musicians from afar!
Alessandro Penezzi, guitar
Penezzi is considered to be one of the great Brazilian guitarists of his generation, plus composer and arranger. He will be on tour in August including the Northwest, headlining a fabulous trio of colleagues. They are committed to be part of our choro camp!
This is a rare opportunity to have Penezzi in the Northwest, all the way from São Paulo, Brazil. It is very special to be able to include him on our faculty to spread his inspiration and knowledge with us. We are very much looking forward to learning and make music together.
Watch a solo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG-_wv9P2mQ
The “Penezzi and Friends” trio includes:
Jane Lenoir, flute is an incredibly versatile player with her hand in many styles; she has been a force for Choro in the San Francisco Bay area and beyond.
Brian Rice, percussion is a virtuoso of the pandeiro and other percussion instruments. A co-director of Berkeley Festival of Choro with Jane; he loves sharing through performance and teaching.
Penezzi, Jane and Brian will serve on the faculty during the first three days.
Schedule is for 5 days, and Monday starts later than the usual start time.
Monday 10th 1:00-pm-5:00pm (with Penezzi and friends)
Tuesday 11th 10-2pm (with Penezzi and friends)
Wednesday 12th 10-3:30pm (with Penezzi and friends)
Thursday 10am -2pm Karen and Stuart take up the mantle; practice improvisation and review what we’ve learned. Breakout into small groups.
Friday 10 am – 2pm Karen and Stuart preside, over rehearsals and bonding, and ending with 1pm-2pm informal, in-house sharing of music learned during the week.
Aug. 10-14, 2026
Deadline to register: Monday June 30th
Choro Camp Seattle - (the 9th Camp!! )
Tuition: $550 plus $40 registration fee for new participants
Application, please click here
Cancellation policy for summer camps:
If you need to cancel, do so in writing.
For any cancellation received before May 1, there is a refund or credit of 75% of the tuition paid.
For any cancellation prior to June 1st, refund or credit of 50% of the tuition paid.
From June 1st on, there will be no refunds. Any monies will be applied to the scholarship fund.
FULL REFUND: In the unlikely event that Karen needs to cancel the camp for whatever reason, payer is entitled to a refund or credit for 100% of the amount paid.
Eligibility: age 13 through adult . Instruments: strings, guitar, mandolin, woodwinds, trombone and accordion. Percussionists will have the opportunity to learn the Brazilian tambourine (pandeiro). This camp is open to a variety of backgrounds. We welcome players of a variety of levels. In addition, it is ideal for classically trained musicians who may have not had much exposure to non-classical styles. Sheet music will be provided in advance for several pieces to prepare ahead of time. Guitar: Open to those who can play chords- all the way up to very advanced players. Intermediate note-reading is an asset.
BYO music stands, sheet music (or ipads), lunch and water bottle, and hat/sunscreen for outside activities!
Left to right: Back row: Stuart, Ronan, mandolin; Karen; Brendon, guitar; Alexander, mandolin; Craig, clarinet; Wayne, percussion; Peggy, accordion Front row: Rich, guitar; Niall, theorbo; Angie, steel pans; Deede, violin; Roberta, cello Photo: Roger Nelson
Enrollment - The venue has an canopy in the Zen garden in the backyard. There is also a very large indoor music room. Placement/levels -If your playing is not already known to Karen, please send a brief (2 minute) video of your playing, via email. This will help to better plan the camp activities. Also welcome is a self-assessment of your music skills, including note-reading.
Finances and Registration process: The camps will enroll on a first come, first served basis. Due to the small numbers allowed, the spots will go very quickly. Non-refundable registration fee per person: $40, due at time of application. Tuition is due upon acceptance. Limited financial aid may be available. Payment methods include via zelle or other electronic methods. Or, if you prefer to send a check, just inquire.
“Our camp coaches, Karen and Stuart, were amazing! Their smiles and positive energy, musicality, tips, stories of personal experiences, and general approach to the whole week really had so much to do with its success. Loved the selection of music; just the right level of challenge for us and a wonderful variety of fast and furious vs slow and sultry.” -Peggy, accordion participant, July 2021-2025
CLICK HERE FOR FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES
Camp mission and description:
We want everyone to have fun, to increase their confidence level and come away with at least one new or improved skill. Stuart and Karen enjoy sharing how to play with more freedom and confidence, and in this special Brazilian style. Participants will prepare several choro works ahead of time to the best of their ability. We will be delving into the style, rhythm, and improvisation techniques. Students play in small ensembles to practice the songs from the core repertoire.
Karen will be focusing on playing with confidence. Melodic instruction will include techniques in handing off the solos to one another. She will also help newcomers to improvising using ‘survival techniques”. Stuart will share the art of the accompaniment and how to develop rhythmic groove. Practice techniques are one of his specialties. They will address ensemble dynamics’, both in rehearsal, and in performance. This includes techniques on how to work well together and how to feel more on top of it when you are playing for others.
Some participants may have significant improvisation experience. Others may be concerned that they need to improvise right away. For the latter, have no fear: improvisation can include just adding a trill or a different rhythm to the melody.
“The daily rehearsals, the jam session, the mystery guests, the concert and the shared camaraderie of the participants all contributed to a most enjoyable week of learning and sharing of this special kind of music!” - Tom, mandolin, July 2021
Watch Stuart play with the band “Choroloco” Watch Karen play with her daughter, cellist Ariana
Riley, Anita, Evan, Ronan and Peggy: “Iguazu Falls” band , summer 2022
“Valsa Sem Nome” (Waltz with no name) by Baden Powell -July 2022
“This was so fun! I realized that this was also wonderful professional development for me (as a longtime high school physics teacher): a masterclass in teaching a diverse age range of students.
Everyone involved, you, Stuart, Roz, Brandi and Kristine, lent such a positive vibe and encouragement as we worked together on challenging music and arrangements. I met my goals of getting more proficient with rhythm and learning how to harmonize a bit on flute.
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