Kian Jazdi
Axel Petri-Preis
Hannah Baumann
Jonathan Pengl

isaCommunity will enter its second edition in summer 2026 at the mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. The one-week masterclass brings together artistic practice, social engagement, and practice-oriented learning. Over the course of one week, you will receive inputs, reflect on your musical practice, and develop your own ideas in workshops, which will then be tested under real professional conditions in the months that follow:

• On October 7–8, 2026, you will take part in a cooperation between the Liedstadt Festival and TONALi in Hamburg.
• A concert format developed during isaCommunity will be realized at the Vienna Konzerthaus on October 22, 2026.
• There is also a cooperation with the Beethovenfest Bonn. Further details will follow.

These concerts are intended as an opportunity rather than an obligation. We fully understand that for participants travelling from more distant locations, it may not be possible to take part in both dates. Together with our group of 20 participants, we will explore different possible scenarios: some may participate in both concerts, others in only one, and some may not be able to participate at all. The most important point is that these concerts are simply an opportunity—a chance to engage and to experience one’s own creations within the context of a major cultural institution.

Who is isaCommunity for?
This is the right place for you if:
✅ you are a singer or musician interested in interdisciplinary projects, community work, and social issues AND
✅ you are at least in your 4th semester at a music university or pop academy, OR
✅ you are a graduate (maximum of 3 years post-graduation, up to 33 years old) OR
✅ if you possess exceptional skills on an instrument or with your voice. There are no stylistic boundaries, classical Western instruments, popular and traditional instruments are equally welcome. (Artistic suitability will be assessed via your application video.)

Arrival: July 19, 2026
Course dates: July 20-25, 2026
Departure: July 26, 2025
Location: Musik-im-Dialog-Saal, Gasometer (Turm C, Guglgasse 2, 1110 Vienna)
Language of instruction
English

Schedule
Day 1
The opening day focuses on getting to know one another and community building. Participants reflect on privilege, diversity, and their own positionality within the cultural sector. Theoretical inputs on participation and community engagement lead to initial conceptual considerations and the planning of shared isa actions.

Day 2
The morning is dedicated to encounters with institutions (Vienna Konzerthaus, Beethovenfest Bonn). Building on these insights, participants develop concrete artistic concepts for institutional contexts in small groups. Six coaches support the project development process. The day is highly practice-oriented, including rehearsals, workshops, and interim presentations.

Day 3
Audiences, non-attenders, and concrete community engagement take center stage. Through field research and direct encounters, participants gather insights that inform the development and presentation of short concert formats. Collective reflection frames the process. In the evening, a previously prepared artistic intervention takes place during the official isa opening concert.

Day 4
Teamwork, decision-making processes, and the recognition of personal limits are combined with creative practice such as improvisation and idea development. Concert concepts are imagined, pitched, and further developed into concrete pop-up formats during an intensive design sprint.

Day 5
The focus lies on preparing the living room concerts at the Gasometer. Participants may also attend additional isa workshops to deepen individual interests.

Day 6
The work of the previous days culminates in a jointly created concert at the Gasometer, presented in a newly developed format.

Day 7
The final day is dedicated to consolidation, reflection, and evaluation. At the same time, participants look ahead and consider how the experience informs their future artistic practice.

Alongside the master classes given by well-known, leading artistic personalities, isa also offers participants additional learning opportunities in the form of workshops, lectures, and coaching sessions.
All supplementary workshops and lectures are accessible only in combination with a master class and are included in the course fee.

Application deadline: May 17 2026

Requirements:
🎥 Create a short introduction video (max. 3 minutes, in English).
🎵 Send us a musical video (unedited, max. 12 months old – no professional recording required).
(Upload as video links)

Application fee: € 50
Course tuition fee: € 400

Master class including practice opportunities
Participation in workshops, lectures, and competitions
Free admission to selected concerts of the isaOnstage.

The application fee must be paid via bank transfer no later than May 17, 2026.
The course fee must be paid by July 1, 2026, after receiving confirmation of participation.

From July 1, 2026, the course fee can only be reimbursed in duly documented cases of force majeure (e.g. illness, accident, or death in the family).
The application fee will be refunded if the applicant is not selected. In all other cases, the application fee is non-refundable.