The Blues Italian Adventure
Throughout the week, Jeff and Corey will be focussing on some specific areas designed to unlock your true potential as a blues player: Topic areas they will be covering during the sessions include:
- Blues phrasing
- Improvising blues & building your solos (‘holding a conversation’)
- Deep dive into Minor & Major Pentatonics and how to use them together
- Effective blues rhythm playing (with a band or as a solo player)
- The power of triads
- Building your blues repertoire
- Playing live with other musicians
- Tone generation (how to sound like you!)
…and much much more.
There will be dedicated sessions every morning and afternoon, plus there will be time for small group or 1-2-1. Alongside all of this, you will take time to team up with other players, decide on tunes you’d like to perform, rehearse and prep those tunes for the Thursday evening gig, with a live band.
Jeff McErlain
Jeff is one of the rare musicians who can teach as well as he plays. This is borne out by Jeff being one of the most in demand guitar instructors as well as performing and recording with guitar legends Robben Ford and Matt Schofield.
Jeff’s unique curriculum and method of teaching is perfect for the player who has been working at the guitar for a while but wants to go to the next level.
Jeff is a great friend to Guitar Breaks and has joined us in the U.K previously. So we are delighted that he and Corey are coming to Italy to spend some quality time working with you. We love Jeff’s style, his teaching methods and his tone. He’s got a great line in hats too!
Corey Congilio
At the heart of Corey’s work is the blues. Having been a lifelong sideman and hired gun, Corey has recently begun his journey as a solo artist. He is currently writing and recording new music that is rooted in the blues while retaining his original voice.
For over 25 years, Corey Congilio has immersed himself in rich and diverse musical career. His experience as a touring guitarist, session musician, educator and presenter has proven to be invaluable in connecting with audiences around the world.
As a guitarist versed in all contemporary styles, Corey has supported artists of all genres from Blues, Rock, Country, RnB and Jazz. He’s performed with Joss Stone, David Lee Murphy, Lucie Silvas, Radney Foster, Cassadee Pope, Derek St. Holmes, Danielle Bradberry, Laura Bell Bundy, Barbara Blue and others.
Talk about excited! We can’t get the smile off our faces, knowing that Corey is joining us for his first Guitar Breaks workshop. Hooray!
Check out Villa Pia and the surrounding area:
Venue
Our venue and accommodation for this camp is the award-winning traditional 15th century Italian manor house Villa Pia Family Hotel located on the stunning Tuscany / Umbria border.
Set in its own grounds and next to a medieval castle in the hilltop village of Lippiano, Villa Pia is the perfect ‘get away’ location.
The Detail
See below for more information about this event, how to travel to us and what to expect.
You have a number of different options available to you.
Once you have decided on your chosen accommodation (depending on availability), you can reserve your place by paying the deposit.
**Want to bring your non-playing loved one or friend with you? No problem!
If you are a guitarist who is planning to attend the workshop AND you would like your non-playing partner or friend to join you at the hotel, choose:
- an ‘Ensuite Single Occupancy’ room for you (this gives you a double bed with ensuite bathroom).
- and then add a ‘Partner Sharing with Guitarist’ for your partner.
Accommodation Options:
SHARED TWIN ROOM – Full Fee: £3790 (£1895 per person) / Deposit: £1390 (£695 per person)
Price is for two guitar players sharing, so you can buddy up with a friend!
Includes:
- 6 nights accommodation – 2 musicians sharing a twin room
- Breakfast, buffet lunch and set menu dinner at the hotel
- Use of a shared bathroom (shared with one other room)
- All alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at hotel
- Gives full access to 5 day workshop
- Includes masterclasses, performances, 1-2-1 and small group sessions
N.B: Price is per person based on two musicians sharing.
Click here now to book your place
NON ENSUITE ROOM – Full Fee: £2195 / Deposit: £695
Includes:
- 6 nights accommodation – Single Occupancy room
- Breakfast, buffet lunch and set menu dinner at the hotel
- Use of a shared bathroom (shared with one other room)
- All alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at hotel
- Gives full access to 5 day workshop
- Includes masterclasses, performances, 1-2-1 and small group sessions
Click here now to book your place
ENSUITE ROOM – Full Fee: £2395 / Deposit: £695
Includes:
- 6 nights accommodation – Single Occupancy room
- Breakfast, buffet lunch and set menu dinner at the hotel
- Exclusive use of a bathroom
- All alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at hotel
- Gives full access to 5 day workshop
- Includes masterclasses, performances, 1-2-1 and small group sessions
Click here now to book your place
Partner Sharing with Guitarist – Full Fee: £995 / Deposit: £695
Includes:
- Want your non instrument-playing partner to join you? No problem!
- Includes 6 nights accommodation
- Breakfast, buffet lunch and set menu dinner at the hotel
- All alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at hotel
Arriving:
You should plan to arrive on Sunday 19th April during the day, as we have welcome drinks in the evening followed by dinner. This is a great opportunity to get to know the tutors and the other guests. If you are arriving in the evening, just let us know and we can ask the kitchen staff to save you some food.
Departing:
You will need to plan to depart on Saturday 25th April in the morning. If your flight is later in the day, that’s fine. Just let the hotel staff know and they will supply you with some lunch, prior to your departure.
Workshop Dates:
The workshop starts on Monday 20th April at 10am. We aim to finish the workshop on Friday 24th April at around 4.00pm.
There are workshops, small group sessions, tutorials and jams arranged for each of the 5 days. Plus there will be a low key live performance. The ideal opportunity to totally immerse yourself!
Depending on where you are travelling from, you can use any of the airlines below:
- Ryanair flies into Perugia, Bologna, Pisa and Rome – https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en/
- Easyjet flies into Bologna, Pisa and Rome – http://www.easyjet.com/en/
- Vueling flies into Florence, Bologna and Pisa – http://www.vueling.com/en
- British Airways flies into Florence, Bologna, Pisa and Rome – http://www.britishairways.com/travel/home/public/en
Once in Italy, you have three choices:
- You can hire a car. You can do this through the usual routes.
- You can travel by train* to Arezzo. We recommend you book in advance with Trenitalia: https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html
- Once arriving at Arezzo train station, there is a taxi company based directly outside the station entrance.
* IMPORTANT – TRAIN TICKETS: If you do buy train tickets at a station you must remember to validate your tickets by stamping them using the stamping machines. These are usually located around the train station and on the platform. If you do not stamp your tickets, you may receive a fine from the ticket inspector! (If you have booked in advance on the internet and printed off your tickets at home, you will not need to validate them at the station).
We have a guide on flying to us with your guitar here.
During the week you will have access to workshops, small group tutorials, 1-2-1 guidance and Q&A sessions with:
- Jeff McErlain
- Corey Congilio
- Ian Edwards
