Kitka loves to engage audiences, build community, and cultivate cross-cultural understanding through the practice of harmony singing in a variety of Eastern European traditions.

Below are some of the workshops and residency activities we offer. 

For more info, please contact us.

Vocal Ensemble Workshops/Masterclasses (1-3 hours)

Kitka collaborates with choral directors and ensembles to incorporate songs from Eastern European folk traditions into the ensemble’s performance repertoire. Using specialized warm-up techniques, Kitka singers introduce “open voice” singing techniques, offer pronunciation and stylistic guidance, and share cultural and historical background information on each song. These fun and intensive workshops pass along a rich repertoire of beautiful, powerful, and fun-to-sing pieces that are sure to become favorites of singers and audiences alike.

Open Your Voice: An Introduction to Balkan and Slavic Folk Singing (1-3 hours)

An engaging introduction to the powerfully resonant “village style” songs of Bulgaria, Croatia, Ukraine, Russia, and surrounding regions. Participants will explore the mechanics of “open voice” singing and ornamentation while learning to produce the sweet and strident sounds and compelling harmonies and dissonances that make Kitka’s repertoire unique. 

Young People’s Programs (45 minutes to 1 hour)

Kitka offers a lively, participatory school assembly program for K-12 students exploring the Eastern European “open voice” and the lush harmonies, intricate ornamentation, odd-metered rhythms, and resonant strength of traditional Balkan and Slavic women’s a cappella music. Through love songs, laments, work songs and play songs, historical songs, lullabies, healing songs, and songs in praise of nature, Kitka’s singers share colorful stories that vividly portray Eastern European village life.

Lecture/Demonstration (1 hour)

An informal musical and cultural overview of the evolution of Balkan and Slavic women’s ensemble singing. Topics include uses of music in ritual and everyday life, variations in national styles, and culturally specific rhythmic and harmonic structures. Kitka singers will demonstrate various “open voice” vocal techniques through a stirring selection of songs drawn from their current performance repertoire.

Open Rehearsal (1-2 hours)

A behind-the-scenes look at how Kitka prepares material for performance.

Balkan Dance/Song Workshop (1 hour)

An opportunity for participants to learn odd-metered Balkan rhythms and melodies through traditional folk dances.

Kitka Community Sing (2 hours)

Singers of all ages and levels of experience are invited to join voices with Kitka in a celebratory circle of song. Kitka will lead the group in fun “open voice” warm-ups and will teach accessible, interesting, and beautiful tunes from their repertoire.