: 31 May. Extended Techniques & Cross-Cultural Approaches with Sébastien Tron
Exceptional online workshop for the Zona da Zanfona Spring Masterclasses in April-May of 2026. Taught by Sébastien Tron, composer, performer and sound designer from Lyon, France about external influences for the hurdy-gurdy from another instruments, musical backgrounds and technology. An interesting session for all levels to learn new tricks from a different approach to the instrument which will fulfil anyone expectations.
The two hours workshop include material for further study to broaden the knowledge and capabilities of the hurdy-gurdy with unusual exercises and new tunes to learn from a non European heritage.
Details:
- Type: online + extra study material
- Duration: 2 hours
- Times: 6 pm to 8 pm (UTC+2 or Central European Summer Time)
- Date: Sunday 31st of May 2026
- Language: English
- Enquiries: matricula@folque.com
- Fee: 35€ + banking fee (2 €) Discount for all 4 sessions: 120 € (+ banking fee)
- Registration: ZdZ’26 Series here
About the masterclass
Extended Techniques & Cross-Cultural Approaches
During this workshop, Sébastien will briefly present his setup (MIDI & polyphonic capabilities) and share some of the questions and ideas that have shaped his playing through cosmopolitan encounters.
Bringing Outside Influences into Hurdy-Gurdy Playing
Tricks and gestures borrowed from other instruments. Original compositions and a selection of tunes and rhythms from around the world, including European, Ethiojazz and Chaabi music.
The focus will be on feeling and developing amplitude, contact, touch and pressure of both hands, developing a sensitive technique that serves dynamics, sound, and musical expressivity.
Exercises to Feel, Work, and Create
- Approaching the hurdy-gurdy as a two-handed percussion instrument !
- The hurdy-gurdy keyboard as a pianist: fingerings, gestures, handprints, and mental abstraction
- Neutralising “reflex” ornamentations at first to choose them consciously according to musical intention
Special techniques will also be explored, such as pizzicato inspired by muted guitar in afrobeat or reggae, or the open/plucked sound of balafon and kora, emphasizing the dialogue and complement between both hands.
About the teacher
Sébastien Tron is a French artist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, arranger, sound designer, artistic director, and cultural facilitator. He is particularly known for the originality of his creations and his ability to generate enveloping sonic images, poetically blending instrument and voice. His hurdy-gurdy style is atypical, influenced by the phrasing and sonic space of Pat Metheny’s guitar-synth, the cosmopolitan sound of Bill Frisell, and the explorations of trumpeter Jon Hassell.
A child of the stage, Sébastien discovered very early the world of participatory creation and popular education. Traditional European dances, classical piano, jazz improvisation, the hurdy-gurdy, and West African poly-rhythmic percussion formed the pillars of his musical upbringing.
From 2004 to 2022, he co-founded and served as artistic director of the multidisciplinary companies Antiquarks and Coin Coin Productions. During this prolific period (more than 800 artistic projects in France, Europe, and worldwide), he collaborated with artists such as Native American blues singer Pura Fé, Algerian chaâbi singer and composer Kamel El Harrachi, and Senegalese lyricist Souleymane Faye (Xalam), as well as numerous African choreographers and musicians (Jahkasa, Sayouba Sigué, Famoudou Konaté, Monique Séka, M’Bemba Camara…).
Since 2002, he has collaborated with accordionist Stéphane Milleret within the MusTraDem collective (Djal, Illa). Together, they produced two BD-Concerts with Vocal 26 (Groenland Manhattan, 2015, and Le Fils de l’Ursari, 2022), telling stories of forced exile inspired by real events.
In 2018, with the help of Barnaby Walters (English luthier and computer engineer), he brought the hurdy-gurdy into the world of polyphonic instruments, creating an augmented instrument combining acoustic, electroacoustic, and digital (MIDI) capabilities.
http://www.youtube.com/@sebastientron