Residential Guitar Retreat
Sunshine, Stars and Strumming
An exceptional value, week long, guitar retreat in the beautiful French countryside
Next retreat 16th – 23rd June 24
Now open for booking
8 places at just €650 per person with early bird discount
One week all inclusive accommodation and tuition
Note! Flights and travel are not included
Or email joe@studioalouette.com to reserve your place now
Sunshine, Stars & Strumming
An exceptional value, week long, guitar retreat
in the beautiful French countryside
Our Guitar Retreats
The guitar retreat is hosted at Studio Alouette: a beautiful residential centre in the western French countryside.
The 150 year old renovated farm house is set in over 2 hectares of land just outside the idyllic, picturesque town of Confolens, France.
Develop your skills away from the distractions of everyday life, with like-minded musicians and hosts.
The two professional musicians will deliver a relaxed and varied course to no more than 8 people per retreat.
Introducing Your Tutor Matthew Peacock
Matthew is a highly skilled educator whose teaching experience covers a broad spectrum of age groups ranging from early years through to adult learners. He is currently teaching guitar and jazz improvisation at the University of Manchester as well as teaching privately from his home studio and online. He is currently undertaking a PhD in Musicology at the University of Manchester, specialising in guitar and improvisation.
Furthermore, Matthew is an in-demand professional guitarist and tenor vocalist. He has performed at the highest level with iconic artists such as James, Mario Jose and more. He has extensive experience playing in ‘the pit’ and has deputised on a number of West End touring shows and legendary theatre productions; these productions include Motown the Musical, The Band and Thursford Christmas Spectacular. He has performed at esteemed venues and festivals, such as the Royal Albert Hall, Manchester Opera House, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester Jazz Festival, Latitude Festival and much more, across the UK and mainland Europe. Find out more about Matthew here & here!
“Tour de Guitare” Our French flavour Guitar Retreat!
The Tour de Guitare will consist of six stages, covering key and important aspects guitar performance. Each stage will involve the right balance of learning, discussion and – most importantly – playing!
The Tour de Guitare stages are (in no particular order):
- Soloing & Improvisation
- Chordal Explorer
- Rhythmic Awareness
- Practice (makes Permanent)
- Fretboard Freedom
- Theory (in Practice!)
Each course day will have a morning and afternoon session. These sessions will go through various aspects of the Tour. The evenings will be free for members to collaborate, perform, practice and unwind.
Every attendee will have sixty-minutes of one-to-one tuition with Matt, where you can work on any topic that you would like.
Is the guitar retreat for me?
If you think “that’s me!” to one – or more – of these statements, this course will be well suited to you!
- “I have so many things I want to learn but don’t know where to start!”
- “I wish I could solo better!”
- “I feel my guitar abilities have hit a plateau recently and I am not sure how to move beyond this!”
- “I want more freedom in my playing.”
- “I want to be able to learn a song by ear, but don’t know where to start!”
- “I love music and playing the guitar, but I want to improve my relationship with it.”
- “I wish I could understand a bit more about how music theory works, without it being boring!”
- “I want my guitar playing to be more interesting, I have run out of ideas to work on.”
- “I wish I could have a structured routine for my guitar practice.”
- “I wish I knew more chords!”
Level
We would recommend that for you to get the best out of this guitar retreat that you have a minimum level of abilities which include:
An understanding of open guitar chords and power chords.
The pentatonic scale in at least one or two positions.
Comfortable using a plectrum to strum and pick.
Experience in performing solos. These can be learned solos from songs or improvised solos along to tracks.
The Studio has plenty of instruments, amps and pedals but we would encourage you to bring your own guitar to get the most out of the week.
Hospitality
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all freshly prepared throughout the day and you are free to enjoy the grounds, dogs and various outside areas throughout your stay.
Your accommodation is a carefully restored French Dortoir with large wet room and shower room.
All bedding, towels, toiletries and laundry facilities are provided. All you need to bring is a change of clothes, phone, tablet or laptop, your guitar and your passion to play!
What’s Included
Bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner
Limoges Airport to Studio transfer
Towels, toiletries and dressing gowns
Tuition and workshops
Recording studio time with engineer
What you need to provide
Flights to Limoges Airport
Passport, health insurance and GHIC card
Guitar if required
Couple of changes of clothes
Phones, tablets or laptop
Travel
The guitar retreat is hosted at Studio Alouette in Confolens, Charente in the South West of France.
We are most easily reached by flights from London and Manchester to Limoges. Airport transfers from Limoges airport on the first and last days of the retreat are included in the price.
Please note: Your travel is not included in the cost of the retreat!
You will need to arrange your flights, ferry or train once you have reserved your space.
Alternatively, you can drive and take the ferry, Channel Tunnel or the Eurostar to Paris and train to Poitiers. See our main travel page for more details here.
Please do call or email and we will be happy to advise you of the best way to travel and what documents you will need.
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