What to Expect at the 2025 Workshops
From conducting to composition—get your choir ready for success with expert-led sessions in vocal technique and interpretation.
As the Festival of Song 2025 approaches, excitement is already building—not just for the grand performances, but for the vocal and choral development workshops scheduled in the lead-up to the main event. Designed to equip choirs with technical excellence, artistic insight, and creative confidence, these workshops are more than rehearsals—they are foundational stepping stones toward a world-class performance on the Festival stage.
Whether you’re a seasoned chorister, a first-time conductor, or part of a rising choir, here’s what to expect at the official Festival of Song 2025 workshops in Bulawayo and Harare.
Workshop Schedule & Venues
Bulawayo Workshop
Date: 6 September 2025 Venue: T.B.AHarare Workshop
Date: 13 September 2025 Venue:National Gallery of Zimbabwe
Each session is designed to be hands-on, practical, and relevant, led by some of Zimbabwe’s most experienced music educators and directors.
Why the Workshops Matter
The Festival of Song is not just a competition—it’s a celebration of artistic growth, cultural expression, and musical integrity. These workshops provide participants with the tools and techniques they’ll need to excel on stage and beyond.Here’s why your choir shouldn’t miss them:
Polish your vocal performance
Understand the Prescribed Setpiece in depth
Strengthen ensemble unity and stage confidence
Learn conducting and choral leadership fundamentals
Get constructive feedback from experts
🎼 What Will Be Covered
The 2025 workshops have been carefully curated to address both technical execution and creative interpretation of choral music. The main focus areas include:
🔊 Vocal Training & Technique
Participants will learn about proper breathing, voice blending, dynamics, diction, and resonance. Emphasis will be placed on maintaining vocal health during rehearsals and performance season.
🧑🏾🏫 Conducting & Direction
Choir trainers and conductors will receive coaching on score reading, cueing, tempo control, expressive gestures, and working with large ensembles.
🎶 Setpiece Breakdown
Each category of the competition includes a prescribed Setpiece—a custom-composed or specially selected piece that requires precision and interpretation. Experts will walk choirs through rhythm, harmony, phrasing, and expressive dynamics.
🎤 Original Composition Coaching
For the Community and Super League categories, where original gospel songs are required, the workshops will guide choirs on arrangement structure, storytelling, and musical originality—ensuring submissions are creative, impactful, and culturally authentic.
🧾 Additional Workshop Benefits
Early registration for the competition
Networking with other choirs and conductors
Distribution of music booklets and performance guidelines
Opportunities for feedback before the final event
Registered choirs will receive the official Festival Booklet, which includes the Setpiece score, rules and adjudication criteria, and a schedule of key dates.
How to Register
To confirm your attendance, Register Here:
Workshop participation is included in your choir’s registration fee for the festival.
🎯
The Festival of Song is committed to developing talent, not just showcasing it. These workshops reflect that commitment by offering direct access to training and mentorship from Zimbabwe’s finest choral minds.
So come ready to learn, collaborate, and grow.
Your best performance begins with your best preparation.
