More Than a Venue: Why the Residential Environment Matters at ISC®

The environment in which singers learn can influence how present, focused and open they feel throughout an intensive programme. At International Singing Camp®, the venue is therefore not treated as accommodation added to a timetable. It is part of the educational experience itself.

For ISC® 2027, participants will live, learn, eat, practise and share music at Masseria Chinunno, a traditional Apulian masseria surrounded by the landscape of the Alta Murgia National Park. The residential format allows the experience to continue naturally beyond each workshop, creating space for rest, conversation, reflection and music without the daily interruption of travelling between different locations.

A residential singing camp in the heart of Puglia

Masseria Chinunno is located near Altamura, within the Alta Murgia National Park and close to the Foresta Mercadante. Its open landscape, quiet surroundings and traditional rural setting offer a very different rhythm from that of a city-based course.

This does not mean that the venue is disconnected or difficult to reach. It is approximately 43 kilometres from Bari International Airport, and International Singing Camp® provides an organised shuttle bus transfer to and from the airport for participants.

Once everyone arrives, the value of the residential format becomes clear: there is no daily commute and no need to leave the learning environment at the end of a class. The same place accommodates workshops, individual work, shared meals, evening activities and live music.

Why the physical environment matters when learning to sing

Vocal development requires attention. Singers need to listen closely, experiment, make adjustments and sometimes take risks in front of other people. A calmer environment can help create the mental space required for that work.

Austin, an ISC Camper from Pennsylvania, described the impact of the setting after the 2026 edition:

“The overall experience, number one, I’ll take with me. The physical space here is beautiful, the openness.”

The openness he describes is both physical and experiential. Participants move between lessons, outdoor spaces, meals and informal conversations while remaining within the same community. This continuity makes it easier to stay connected to the work instead of repeatedly stepping in and out of it.

Jon, an ISC Camper from Spain, highlighted a similar quality:

“What I really like is that this camp is a little bit isolated from the big cities, from the crowded world and from fast consumption. And I think that here you can really disconnect and focus on your voice, on your heart and on who you are.”

His words point to an important distinction. Being away from the speed of everyday life is not about withdrawing from the world. It is about creating a temporary space in which singers can pay closer attention to their voices, their artistic choices and the people around them.

Learning spaces designed for different kinds of work

ISC® 2027 will use approximately five learning rooms across the venue. This allows different parts of the programme to take place in spaces suited to their purpose, from group vocal workshops to focused individual work.

The educational day is not confined to indoor classrooms. Outdoor areas will also be used for shared dinners and jam sessions, allowing the programme to move naturally from structured learning into live performance and musical exchange.

This matters because singing is not learned only through explanation. A technical idea introduced during a workshop becomes more meaningful when a participant can explore it, hear others apply it and later bring it into a song with musicians. The residential setting keeps these stages of the learning process connected.

Comfortable accommodation without overcrowding

Shared accommodation is included in the ISC® experience. The rooms are spacious and accommodate no more than three participants. Shared rooms are arranged by gender and include a private bathroom, air conditioning and a television.

Participants who prefer greater privacy may request a reserved single room or a double room shared with their companion, subject to availability and an additional charge.

Limiting shared rooms to three people helps preserve both the social value of residential accommodation and the need for personal rest. After a full day of vocal work, listening and live music, comfort is not an incidental detail. It supports the energy and concentration required for the following day.

Full-board meals rooted in the masseria

All participants receive breakfast, lunch and dinner as part of the residential programme. Food is not approached simply as a practical break between activities. It is another way of experiencing the place and sharing time as a community.

Masseria Chinunno is an agricultural and livestock farm as well as an accommodation venue. Many of the products that shape its cuisine are cultivated or produced directly on the farm. These include the dairy products for which Puglia is known, such as mozzarella, ricotta and local cheeses, made using milk from animals raised on the property and fed with forage from the surrounding land.

Breakfast is served in a spacious room with large windows overlooking the Murgia landscape. For the 2027 edition, lunch is planned beside the swimming pool, while dinner will be served on the illuminated patio of the masseria. The same outdoor area will later become a setting for the Camp’s jam sessions.

Vegetarian and vegan requirements, allergies and food intolerances can be managed when communicated in advance. This allows participants to take part in shared meals while receiving appropriate care for their individual needs.

Time to learn, connect and recharge

An intensive singing programme should be demanding without becoming exhausting. The venue offers participants different ways to use the time between scheduled activities, whether they need to revisit material, talk with another singer, spend time outdoors or simply rest.

The swimming pool will be an important part of the 2027 residential experience, including lunch by the pool. It provides a genuine pause within the day and reinforces the balance between concentrated work and recovery.

That balance also strengthens the community. Some of the most valuable exchanges at a residential camp happen outside the official timetable: over breakfast, while walking between spaces, before a workshop or after a jam session. Participants arrive from different countries and musical backgrounds, but living in the same place gives them time to move beyond introductions and build real connections.

A small international community by design

International Singing Camp® is intentionally limited to a maximum of 30 participants, in addition to a small number of companions. This limit is not simply a question of capacity. It protects the quality of the experience.

A smaller community gives participants the opportunity to recognise one another, share the same spaces without feeling lost in a crowd and remain connected to the teaching team. It also helps the residential venue feel like a shared home for the duration of the Camp rather than a hotel hosting an unrelated event.

The result is an environment in which vocal training, live music, everyday conversations and rest belong to the same experience. The venue does not replace the quality of the teaching, but it creates the conditions in which that teaching can be received, explored and remembered.

More than the place where the Camp happens

Masseria Chinunno gives International Singing Camp® a setting that reflects the kind of experience it aims to create: focused but welcoming, international but personal, intensive but balanced.

For five days, participants do not simply attend vocal workshops in Puglia. They become part of a temporary residential community built around singing, learning and live music. The classrooms matter, but so do the views at breakfast, the conversations over dinner, the pause beside the pool and the moment when the patio becomes a stage for the evening jam.

That is why the venue matters. It does not sit in the background of the Camp. It helps hold the entire experience together.

Frequently asked questions

Where does International Singing Camp® 2027 take place?

International Singing Camp® 2027 takes place at Masseria Chinunno near Altamura, in the Alta Murgia National Park in Puglia, Italy.

How far is the venue from Bari Airport?

Masseria Chinunno is approximately 43 kilometres from Bari International Airport. International Singing Camp® provides an organised shuttle bus transfer to and from the airport for participants.

Is accommodation included?

Yes. Shared accommodation in a spacious room for a maximum of three participants is included. Shared rooms are arranged by gender and have a private bathroom, air conditioning and a television. Reserved single rooms and double rooms for a participant and companion may be requested for an additional charge, subject to availability.

Are meals included?

Yes. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included throughout the residential programme. Vegetarian and vegan diets, allergies and food intolerances can be accommodated when communicated in advance.

Is there a swimming pool?

Yes. Participants will have access to the swimming pool, and lunch beside the pool is planned for the 2027 edition.

How many people can attend ISC® 2027?

Participation is limited to a maximum of 30 singers, in addition to a small number of companions. The limited capacity helps maintain a personal, focused and high-quality residential experience

Discover International Singing Camp® 2027

International Singing Camp® 2027 will take place from 12 to 16 July in Puglia, Italy. If you are looking for an international residential experience where vocal training, live music and community remain connected throughout the day, discover the programme and participation options at www.internationalsingingcamp.com.