Workshops

VOCAL WORKSHOP with Elena Hristova

Join acclaimed vocalist Elena Hristova, lead singer of the renowned Macedonian world music group Baklava, for an inspiring vocal workshop exploring the intersection of tradition and contemporary artistic expression.

Drawing on the rich vocal heritage of the Balkans, Turkey, and her extensive experience as a performer, Elena will guide participants through traditional singing techniques, ornamentation, vocal expression, and storytelling. The workshop will focus on how traditional songs and vocal practices can be reinterpreted and transformed in contemporary contexts while preserving their emotional depth and cultural roots.

Participants will explore:

• Traditional Balkan vocal techniques and ornamentation
• Breath, resonance, and vocal expression
• The relationship between voice, identity, and cultural heritage
• Creative approaches to arranging and interpreting traditional songs
• Experimentation with contemporary vocal aesthetics and performance practices

The workshop is open to singers, musicians, performers, and anyone interested in discovering the expressive possibilities of the human voice. No advanced musical training is required—only curiosity and a willingness to explore.

About Elena Hristova
Elena Hristova is a singer, songwriter, and cultural ambassador best known as the lead vocalist of Baklava, one of North Macedonia’s most respected world music ensembles. Her artistic work bridges traditional Balkan music and contemporary sounds, bringing ancient melodies into dialogue with modern musical languages. She has also collaborated and performed with the influential Turkish psychedelic folk-rock band Baba Zula, deepening her engagement with the musical traditions of the wider region. Fluent in Turkish as well as her native Macedonian, Elena moves effortlessly between cultures, fostering artistic exchange and intercultural dialogue through music. Through concerts, collaborations, and educational activities, she actively promotes the living heritage of traditional singing to audiences across Europe and beyond.

Duration: Wed 15 – Sat 18 July 2026
Live performance on Sajeta stage: on Saturday (18 July 2026) at 17:30 (20–30 min)

Fee: 30 € (participants with festival ticket); 50 € (others)

**Number of participants is limited.

YOGA with Jasna Rupnik

Join certified Iyengar Yoga teacher Jasna Rupnik (Level 1) for a relaxed yoga session. Through movement, breath, and body awareness, we’ll slow down, reconnect with ourselves, and create a little more space within. Iyengar Yoga is known for its precision and mindful approach, while remaining accessible and enjoyable.

Please bring your own mat and a bottle of water. Practice at your own risk.

Duration: Thu 16 – Sat 18 July 2026, 10:00–11:00 daily

Where: little forest near campsite

Voluntary donations are welcome.

SCULPTURE WORKSHOP – Wood and Nadiža River Clay

Led by mentors Vesna Vesić, Konstantinos Petrović, Vladimir Ilić, Miha Plohl, and David Luznik this sculpture workshop invites participants to explore two elemental materials – wood and clay collected from the Nadiža River. Over three days, participants will discover different sculptural approaches, develop their own ideas, and create unique sculptures and spatial forms through hands-on work.

The artworks created during the workshop will be installed at the Karavla, contributing to the festival atmosphere and leaving a lasting trace of this year’s Sajeta. Participants will also be able to take some of the smaller pieces home. The workshop is open to everyone interested in working with natural materials, regardless of previous experience.

Duration: Thu 16 – Sat 18 July 2026, mornings

Where: different locations

Fee: 30€ (participants with festival ticket); 50€ (others)

MUSIC WORKSHOP with Carlo Mascolo: Sajeta Lab Arkestra 2026

The Sajeta Lab Arkestra is open to all instrumentalists and singers who wish to become part of an orchestra of improvisers, where theoretical and empirical musical approaches will be explored with the aim of deepening the practice of collective intuitive improvisation, using open-form scores and poems from different countries.

Together, we will create a score that will be performed during the final performance as a reflection of the work developed throughout the workshop. A special section dedicated to instrument preparation and extended techniques for wind instrumentalists is also planned.

About Carlo Mascolo

Carlo Mascolo (Altamura, Italy) explores new sounds and artistic languages through improvisation, seeking innovative forms of music-making that complement other art forms. He works both as a musician-researcher and as a creator and organizer of live performances.

He is currently the artistic director of the intuitive and contemporary music festival Free Flow Fest. He performs solo with his project Fonografie del Terzo Millennio, as well as with Kerlox DB and JeLoMasPoSta. When he is not teaching, he collaborates with various international artists.

Duration: Thu 16 – Sat 18 July 2026
Live performance on Sajeta stage: on Sat (18 July 2026) at 18:00 (20–30 min)

Price: 30 € (participants with festival ticket); 50 € (others)