DATES - Sept 20-27 2026
VENUE - Mas Vilalte
LEADERS - Jennifer Scott, Dawn Pemberton, Laura Crema and Bill Coon
COST - $3050 CAD + $150 Registration Fee + GST (based on double occupancy)
There are some limited single occupancy spots for an extra $500 CAD + GST)
**REGISTRATION WILL OPEN SAT FEB 28th at 10:00 am PST
The Registration Links will start working on that day!
Singer's Masterclasses and Nature Retreat
Join us for a nourishing 7 day retreat in Southern France where we will explore music, our voices, and be transformed by the nature around us! This is a chance to nurture your whole creative self and hone your personal vocal performance skills. This workshop will be led by the allstar teaching team of Jennifer Scott, Dawn Pemberton, Laura Crema and Bill Coon in a beautiful mountain retreat under starry skies!
We are thrilled to be meeting in this amazing new location in Southern France!! https://www.masvilalte.com
Each day will consist small group vocal masterclasses and an underlying foundation of body work and vocal technique. In this program you will...
- work with renowned vocal/physical coach Laura Crema as she teaches and facilitates her trademark bodywork for singers.
- enjoy vocal qigong workshops with Jennifer Scott
- be taught by acclaimed vocal and performance coaches Dawn Pemberton, Laura Crema and Jennifer Scott. The will work on vocal technique with you in daily technique workshops and lead master classes helping you with your vocal performance dynamic and artistry. Students will get a chance to work with everyone on a rotating basis
- get to collaborate and have exclusive access to the amazing guitarist Bill Coon and pianist/accompanist, Jennifer Scott.
You will have the chance to curate your program throughout the week with additional workshops of interest:
Art of the Duo ( guitar or piano), improvisation and more!
We will enjoy two evening showcases during the week and a final performance on Saturday in the Mas Vilalte state of the art performance space/gallery - open to the public!
For those interested, we will offer side trips to a local sites, a beautiful medieval town and into the Languedoc for a Mediterranean lunch plus more! Nearby towns include historic Ceret & Collioure!! Possible visit to a local winery, if sufficient interest.
*Delicious vegetarian and organic food is provided in this idyllic setting!
The beautiful Mas Vilalte retreat centre is situated on the south facing slope of Mount Canigou in the Pyrenees, 10 km from the small village of Corsavy and 3 hours from Barcelona. As Mas Vilalte is so isolated, there is no light and sound pollution and we will be surrounded by nature, wildlife and hiking trails. We aim to take advantage of these incredible natural surroundings and to spend time walking, singing, playing and creating outside. Mas Vilalte is an ideal place to be inspired by the natural world and dig deep into some creative work with a supportive group of fellow musicians.
Our days will consist of vocal and physical exercises/warm-ups, vocal masterclasses and optional extra workshops. There will be time for reflection, writing, walking and practice. There is space for 16-20 singers and this will create a very intimate atmosphere.. Singers should be committed and excited to sing solo and all types of music are welcome and encouraged.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Cost will include full tuition, accommodations, transportation while at Mas Vilalte and all meals! **ALL MEALS ARE VEGETARIAN!! We will be arranging for vans to drive us from Barcelona and back.
Registration will open on Sat Feb 28th at 10:00 am. There are some limited single rooms available for an extra cost of $500.
INSTRUCTORS
JENNIFER SCOTT
Jennifer Scott is a Vancouver-born vocalist and jazz pianist specializing in jazz, blues and world music. Jennifer is considered one of the most important jazz artists working in Canada and the United States today. From sold-out concerts in San Francisco to exclusive local club performances, Jennifer's performance experiences have been varied. Jennifer has appeared at Jazz Festivals all across Canada and in several of the United States. She has also appeared with such jazz luminaries as: Tommy Banks, Don Thompson, Kenny Wheeler, Skywalk, and Clark Terry, Jon Batiste & Gene Bertoncini, to name a few.
Jennifer Scott has appeared on Jazzbeat, Westcoast Performance, and CBC's Hot Air several times, and was selected to be featured on four separate CDs produced by the CBC. She has also appeared on several TV shows as a featured performer.
Interactive, Jennifer Scott's self-produced CD, was critically received and has sold more than 3000 copies independently. Jennifer has had many recorded releases: Something to Live By, featuring Jennifer on Vocals, Bob Murphy on Piano, and Rene Worst on bass; recent recordings are Duets, Pairings, Where or When, Sonho Meu (Brazilian) & Music for Bigs & Smalls.
Jennifer is pianist/vocalist for San Francisco-based Novo Tempo, a Brazilian/jazz Fusion group featuring the music of Ed Johnson. She has recorded 4 CDs (Where or When, just released)and toured extensively with this group, Kumbwa & Yoshi’s in the Bay Area and Catalina's in Los Angeles. She was featured with jazz legend Clark Terry, performing with him at the Centre for Performing Arts in Vancouver.
After a few years of performing and traveling, Jennifer returned to the studio to record her fourth CD, Emotional Girl. Produced by her husband, Rene Worst, this CD showcases Jennifer's expanded emotional, performing, and creative ranges.
Jennifer is co-leader with S.F. Bay Area saxophonist Kristen Strom, guitarist Scott Sorkin, and drummer Jason Lewis to form Crossing Borders, an international jazz group that performs and records music from the heart, whether an artful reworking of a standard or a new take on a classic pop tune. They were pick of the festival at Monterey Jazz Festival.
Jennifer was nominated for a Jessie Award for her performance in The War of the Worlds (Rumble Productions) by Alex Ferguson and Peter Hannan, and was critically acclaimed for her performance in The Gang(Vancouver and Toronto) by Tom Cone and Peter Hannan. Jennifer is a featured performer at the 2004 Glenn Gould Studio Concert Concert Series in Toronto (televised by CBC).
As a side man, Jennifer's vocals have been critically lauded on the past four Juno-nominated recordings by Mythos. Jennifer's vocals are prominent on their hit single, November.
Jennifer Scott is in demand as a performer and educator/clinician both in the United States and Canada, and has taught and created many workshops and college courses.
DAWN PEMBERTON
Vibrant, genuine and soulful, Dawn has deep musical roots that take her powerful voice from gospel and soul to jazz, funk and world music. Dawn has her B.Mus in Jazz Studies from Capilano University and is a certified teacher in Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri Method. She has become a staple of the Vancouver music scene and can often be found tearin’ it up as a vocalist, pianist, teacher, adjudicator, choir director and “go to girl” for live performances and studio sessions.
LAURA CREMA
Laura Crema is a distinguished Canadian jazz vocalist celebrated for a deeply expressive voice of great depth and resonance. A versatile collaborator in the jazz, country, and Roma Jazz communities, she has releasedsix critically acclaimed albums, including her recent collection of original songs with guitarist Bill Coon. From the National Arts Centre to the stages of Europe, Laura has established herself as a vital presence in Canadian music.
Her artistry is uniquely informed by over 25 years as a dancer and somatic educator. An expert in Pilates, and the GYROTONIC and GYROKINESIS methods, Laura treats the body and voice as a single, integrated instrument. This interdisciplinary approach allows her to help students unlock their physical potential and find a sound that is authentic, effortless, and free.
Rooted in the belief that singing is a universal path to self-discovery, Laura is dedicated to helping people of all backgrounds express themselves with joy. By fostering physical ease and creative confidence, she empowers every student to communicate more fully through the power of song.
BILL COON
Guitarist Bill Coon is an important part of the Canadian jazz community as a leader of several of his own groups, and an active collaborator with many musicians across Canada. His long-time association with vocalist Denzal Sinclaire resulted in well-received recordings, including the Juno-nominated I Found Love. He has performed with jazz stars Jimmy Heath, Peter Bernstein, Sheila Jordan, Dee Daniels, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Lewis Nash, Peter Washington, Lorne Lofsky, and Scott Hamilton.
Along with his recent solo guitar recording on Cellar Music, Standard Elegance, Coon has collaborated on recordings with many vocalists including Sienna Dahlen, Jennifer Scott, Laura Crema, Kate Hammett-Vaughan, Karin Plato, Steve Maddock and the late great Rebecca Kilgore. Recent recordings include Triology’s Slow Road with Miles Black, Jodi Proznick, and Scott Hamilton.
As an active composer-arranger, Bill has been awarded commissions by the Jill Townsend Jazz Orchestra, Cory Weeds’ Little Big Band, and for the Vancouver Jazz Orchestra. He wrote orchestral arrangements for vocalist-trumpeter Bria Skonberg for her performance with the VSO in 2020. He is currently composing music for his BC Double Quartet, an eight-piece group that combines a string quartet and a jazz quartet, featuring Cameron Wilson and Brad Turner.
As well as maintaining an active performance and composing schedule, Bill is an influential teacher. He is a former Jazz Studies instructor at Capilano University, and is currently on the faculty of the VSO School of Music in Vancouver, BC.
He has received Canada Council awards to study with Jim Hall, Neil Chotem, and Dr Louis Stewart, and in 2009 was recipient of National Jazz Awards guitarist of the year. As a member of Jasmine Jazz, he shared the 2023 Western Music Award for best instrumental recording.