Find Your Voice in Italy!

A creative performance, singing and singer-songwriter retreat with Jim de Groot.

Sometimes you need a different setting to reconnect with what you want to say: somewhere with space, quiet, nature, honest food and the attention of an experienced professional. During this week at Casal dei Fichi, Jim de Groot invites amateur singers and songwriters to develop their voice, their songs and their performance.

This retreat is intended for people who already sing, make music or write their own songs and who want to feel stronger, freer and more convincing on stage. You do not need to be a professional, but you should already be actively involved with music. Bring your own material and ideas and work on taking your lyrics, compositions and performance to the next level.

Jim is a singer, actor, musician, composer, lyricist and performance coach. For several years he was part of the team that conducted thousands of auditions for programmes including The Voice of Holland and X-Factor. You can read more about his career on Jim de Groot's website.

His work moves between music, theatre, text, voice and personal expression. He helps participants develop greater stage presence, timing, expressive power and confidence in their performance. Jim has appeared in Flikken Maastricht, Baantjer and GTST. As a drama teacher, he also shares his passion for acting through lessons at schools.

A wider audience saw Jim as Jesus in The Passion 2015 in Enschede. One of the performances can be viewed here: Zwart-Wit.

Given his family background, it is perhaps no surprise that Jim found his way into music. His father, Boudewijn de Groot, wrote many classics, including “Jimmy” when Jim was born.

What the week is about

This week is about authenticity, craft and personal expression. Through singing, text, songwriting, interpretation, stage presence, performance exercises, creative assignments and individual guidance, you will work with questions such as:

• What do I want to communicate with my song?
• How do I come across to an audience?
• What is my own artistic voice?
• How can I use voice, body, silence, timing and emotion to make a song more powerful?
• How can my performance reveal more of who I am?

Jim uses singing as a creative and performative starting point. Your voice, lyrics and songs create room for development on an artistic, personal and human level.

The week is suitable for amateur singers, singer-songwriters and creative makers who want to improve their material, gain confidence on stage and move closer to their own story.

This is not a course about becoming somebody else. It is about defining your own musical identity more clearly.

Casal dei Fichi: an authentic oasis of calm

In the rolling countryside of Le Marche, “the other Tuscany”, Casal dei Fichi is an authentic farmhouse that has been lovingly transformed into a peaceful retreat, combining the old soul of the farm with modern comfort.

Your own comfortable apartment

During the retreat you will stay in one of six spacious apartments of approximately 50–60 m². Each apartment gives you plenty of space to yourself, with an open kitchen and dining table, as well as a comfortable sitting area where you can relax after a full day.

Outside, you are surrounded by a one-hectare garden with olive trees, fig trees and fruit trees. At the heart of the garden is the generous 15 × 5 metre swimming pool. From the pool and sun loungers you can enjoy wide views over the hills, farmland and picturesque villages.

Casal dei Fichi is centrally located in Le Marche in central Italy: the Adriatic coast is about 27 km away and the impressive Monti Sibillini, part of the Apennines, are about 37 km away.

Flights are available from airports including Brussels Charleroi to destinations such as Ancona, Perugia, Pescara and Bologna. Travel options and fares vary by season, so please check current schedules before booking.