The Art of Improvisation: From Sound to Song

Join acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, composer, poet, and record-doula Shahzad Ismaily for a deep and inspiring journey into the liberating realms of spontaneous sound and written word. This unique workshop invites participants to embrace the creative process of making music in the moment — free from judgment, structure, or expectation.

We begin each day with the gentle ritual of morning journaling to pour out, to notice, to name. From these raw and honest reflections, words and phrases will emerge as seeds for sonic exploration. Whether through voice, body, or instrument, you’ll be guided in shaping these fragments into songs, meditations, and rituals that honor the truths they carry.

Together, we’ll explore sound and songwriting as a living, breathing process — a way of transmuting emotion into vibration, memory into melody, and stillness into sound. With exercises designed to break through creative barriers, awaken intuition, and foster connection, participants will be encouraged to play without pressure and create without expectation.

Experiment with various instruments, vocal expression, found and natural sounds as tools for discovery. Drawing from devotional music traditions, experimental sound art, and collective ritual, Shahzad guides sonic meditations while holding space for somatic movement exercises that reconnect us to our breath, body, and intuition.

Open to all — writers, musicians, seekers, and the quietly curious. This is a space for presence, for play, and for the brave act of letting go through sound and song. No prior musical or writing experience is needed. Just bring your voice, your notebook, and a willingness to explore