August 30th - September 3rd, 2021

4 days and 4 nights of learning, playing, eating and sleeping fingerstyle, acoustic and jazz guitar in the beautiful Catskill Mountains.

Only 2.5 hours from New York City this retreat will be limited to only 30 participants who will join Martin Taylor, John Knowles and our other guest instructors for this unforgettable experience.

OVERVIEW

Players of all levels and styles are welcome at the Martin Taylor Guitar Retreat in Big Indian, New York. Whether you’ve been playing for years, or you just know a couple of tunes, you'll be able to immerse yourself in learning fingerstyle, jazz and acoustic guitar at this four day guitar retreat with Martin Taylor and his guest teachers including John Knowles.

Martin will give you insight into the techniques, styles and tips to inspire and improve your playing. The retreat is designed to gather guitarists of all levels from around the globe with a common goal - learning and playing guitar.

This is the sixth year that the Martin Taylor Guitar Retreat has been held at the Full Moon Resort (just 2.5 hours from New York City). Don’t miss this chance to spend a week in the beautiful Catskill Mountains, just 30 miles from historic Woodstock. What could be better than a musical holiday where you really learn something and have a great time with like-minded guitarists?

The Martin Taylor Guitar Retreat will take place this year from August 30 - September 3, 2021.

During each day you'll learn directly with Martin and his guest teachers and each evening you can sit back with a wine or local handcrafted beer and take part in intimate, once-in-a-lifetime jam sessions. Just bring your guitar, get ready to learn, jam, make friends and have fun!

To really help you make the most from this event we have created a series of preparatory home study courses and cool bonuses!

YOUR RETREAT TEACHERS

MARTIN TAYLOR

Fingerstyle & Jazz Guitar

Grammy nominated musician Dr. Martin Taylor, MBE, is a virtuoso guitarist, composer, educator and musical innovator whom Acoustic Guitar magazine calls ‘THE Acoustic Guitarist of his Generation’.

Widely considered to be the world’s foremost exponent of solo jazz and fingerstyle guitar playing, Martin possesses an inimitable style that has earned him global acclaim from fellow musicians, fans and critics alike. He dazzles audiences with a signature style that artfully combines his virtuosity, emotion and humor with a strong, engaging stage presence.

Taylor has enjoyed a remarkable musical career spanning across five decades, with more than 100 recordings to his credit. Completely self-taught beginning at the early age of 4, he has invented and developed a unique way of playing the guitar that is greatly admired, and often emulated, by guitarists all over the world.

In addition to his solo concerts and recordings, he has also collaborated with musicians from many different musical genres, including: Jeff Beck, Tommy Emmanuel, Bill Wyman, Chet Atkins, Stephane Grappelli, David Grisman, George Harrison, Jamie Cullum, Bryn Terfel, Dianne Schuur and Gary Burton.

He has been awarded two honorary doctorates, a BBC lifetime achievement award, Top 10 albums in both the USA and Europe, a record 14 British Jazz Awards and in 2002 he was appointed MBE 'For Services to Jazz Music' by Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain.

As one of the world's most recognized online guitar teachers his innovative online guitar school in partnership with ArtistWorks, with its headquarters in Napa, CA, has been featured on NPR, BBC, Fox News and the LA Times and is subscribed to by guitarists in over 58 countries.

'Martin Taylor is one of the most awesome solo guitar players in the history of the instrument. He's unbelievable' - Pat Metheny

'He out-shred's all of us put together....I've never seen anything like it' - Jeff Beck
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"There is a touch of genius in his playing" - Classical Guitar Magazine

"No matter how complex or daring, Taylor's interpretations never short change the melodies; indeed, his remarkable fluid touch imbues a seamless beauty. Martin Taylor is something to behold." - The Washington Post

"Taylor is the finest British guitarist of his generation" - The Times of London

JOHN KNOWLES

Fingerstyle Guitar

Guitarists around the world learn from John Knowles’ FingerStyle QUARTERLY and his TrueFire video lessons. He has authored seven books of the music of Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed and Lenny Breau. John’s music has been recorded by Chet Akins, Jerry Reed, Tommy Emmanuel, the Romero Family and James Galway. His Gorilla Song (co-written with his son Jay) is an international hit with recordings by Raffi and XUXA. Heart Songs, John’s album of duets with Tommy Emmanuel, was recently awarded Recording of the Year by the National Thumb Pickers Hall of Fame.

In 1996, Chet Atkins awarded John an Honorary CGP (Certified Guitar Player) and in 2004, John was inducted into the National Thumb Picker's Hall of Fame for the second time. His work has won a Grammy and two Emmy nominations. John earned his PhD in physics from Texas Christian University in 1968.

“I set out to be a better teacher than most players… and a better player than most teachers.”  John Knowles, cgp

ADDITIONAL TEACHERS

LOCATION

Located one half hour west of Woodstock, is a year-round mountain resort in the heart of the “Forever Wild” Catskill Forest Preserve. Dedicated to the celebration of music and art in nature, this one hundred-acre wonderland of mountains, fields, and streams is a world of its own.

Accommodations
Accommodations are charming in their simplicity, with guest rooms available in a variety of lodges – some B&B style with shared hallway baths and others with private bath options. Also available are the new, deluxe cottages which feature a king bed (or two twins), sitting area with couch, private deck, picture windows with dramatic panoramic views, air conditioning, mini-fridge, coffee maker, Smart TV, WiFi, cell service (AT&T and Verizon) and custom tile bathroom with over-sized, dual head shower and radiant heat.​​​​​​​

Dining
Healthy cuisine served by a friendly, professional staff is the trademark of Full Moon Catering. With menus offering – hot buffet breakfasts, lunches and formal gourmet dinners with fresh, natural ingredients.