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Modal Music & Comprehensive Rhythm

With Zohar Fresco & Mayu Shviro

Mayu
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 15.9–18.9.2026

Quinta de Sao Jacinto, Portugal

Zohar Fresco

Percussion & Composition
 

Mayu Shviro

Cello (Mugam from Azerbaijan, Turkish Maqam)
 

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Join world-renowned percussion pioneer Zohar Fresco and Cellist Mayu Shviro for an immersive, hands-on masterclass designed to transform your playing.

In this workshop, the students will encounter the details of the modal music language through both melody and rhythm, using traditional and contemporary compositions & improvisation. Together with the profound and deep understanding of pulse, rhythm they will learn a new method of approaching traditional music.  

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Together with the students, Zohar and Mayu will join hands to create a complex musical picture that will be performed at the end of the workshop, while keeping the process filled with joy and curiosity.

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Suitable for students who come from different music genres and want to make their first steps in modal music (Turkish Maqam and Azeri Mugam) and in the different musical tradition of the Middle East.

The workshop will focus on understanding the language of the Maqam, finding ways to speak the language by playing together, analyzing pieces, improvisation and imitation.

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Percussionists - this workshop goes beyond standard drumming. It is an exploration of the profound connection between body, rhythm and consciousness, introducing a whole new way of internalizing time.

Full schedule

Tuesday to Friday:

08:00 Breakfast

09:00 Session #1

13:00 Lunch break

15:00 Session #2

19:00 Dinner

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  • On Friday at 20:00 there will be a workshop final concert where the participants will perform with their teachers in front of an audience
     

  • Total hours of the instruction: 32

Save your places!
Join this unique opportunity to experience melody & rhythm through the musical traditions of the Middle East.

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Meet Our Teachers

Zohar Izhak Fresco is a an internationally acclaimed master percussionist and composer celebrated for pioneering a completely new era for the Tof Miriam (frame drum), for which he has developed a unique fingering technique called Manegina.
Deeply connected to his Turkish  roots, Fresco is a descendant of Tamburi Izhak Fresco, a  prominent and revered 18th-19th century Turkish composer. He’s been bridging ancient Eastern traditions with the creative freedom of modern jazz and Western Classical music.
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Besides being a renowned teacher and educator - having taught dozens of workshops, courses and seminars all over the world - Zohar has collaborated with prominent artists from multiple genres, from jazz and western music to the finest ensembles in the world music scene.
 

Mayu

Mayu Shviro started her classical western music studies on the cello when she was 6. She discovered modal music at the age of 18. Enchanted by the power and the beauty of these musical traditions she decided to focus on this style and began her musical journey with her cello through the Arabic, Turkish and Azeri traditions.

She traveled to learn from masters of Ottoman music in Greece (Evgenious Voulgaris), and Azeri music in Azerbaijan (Elshan Mansurov).

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She performed and recorded various kinds of styles with many ensembles and artists (Piris Eliyahu, Shai Maestro, Ofer Mizrahi, Dudu Tassa, Soloist with the east and west orchestra, Itamar Doari, Ross Daly, Kelly Thoma). 

These days she is creating her own music that is inspired by the traditions and people that crossed her way.

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