Guitar Summer School

Guitar Summer School Classical guitar summer school in a stunning location near Bath in Somerset. Tutors: Debra Adamson-Brattland, Chris Stell, Mark Eden

A highly popular course with guitar orchestra, small ensembles, concerts from visiting artists, talks, masterclass, opportunities to perform, great food and company.

12/08/2026

This year's Ammerdown Guitar Orchestra consisted of 40 guitarists. Here's an extract from Vals Poeticos by Granados arranged and directed by Debra Adamson-Brattland. The whole performance will be sent out to course participants very soon.

Some great photos just in from a participant. Michael Bublé (the cat) enjoying all the guitars as well x
09/08/2026

Some great photos just in from a participant. Michael Bublé (the cat) enjoying all the guitars as well x

Goodbye to this beautiful venue for another year. Have a safe journey home x The 2027 course starts Monday 2nd August.
09/08/2026

Goodbye to this beautiful venue for another year. Have a safe journey home x The 2027 course starts Monday 2nd August.

Day 6 — what a finale! 🎶So much happened on our final day. The orchestra performed Valse Poeticos by Granados, arranged ...
09/08/2026

Day 6 — what a finale! 🎶
So much happened on our final day. The orchestra performed Valse Poeticos by Granados, arranged by Debra Adamson-Brattland, followed by performances from the small ensembles led by Mark Eden, Chris Stell and Debra Adamson-Brattland, showcasing the pieces they had been working on throughout the week.
And, of course, there was time for a little croquet, more of the incredible food provided by Ammerdown, and a final night of festivities packed with a wonderful range of entertainment.
What an incredible way to bring such a special week to a close. ❤️🎶

Concert Review; Day 5The evening opened with Mosaic, whose programme included Andrew Forrest’s Joropo and three pieces f...
07/08/2026

Concert Review; Day 5

The evening opened with Mosaic, whose programme included Andrew Forrest’s Joropo and three pieces from Bizet’s Carmen. The lively rhythms and contrasting colours made for an engaging start to the concert. As an encore they gave a sensitive performance of John Duarte’s Stella, written in the mid 1990s for one of the course members, Stella Fairbairn, a guitar enthusiast in her mid 90s! Debbie’s Twelve Disciples performed Howard Goodall’s The Lord’s My Shepherd, arranged by Andrew Richardson. As well as taking part in this ensemble, Stella Fairbairn performed a short solo.

Following several richly varied solos there was an especially enjoyable collaboration between Vince Smith and Jay Huff, performing Mertz’s Je sense à toi and Barcarole-Impromptu using terz guitars. The different sonority of the instruments added an extra dimension to these beautifully crafted pieces.

The concert concluded with the WAGO Quartet — Jay Huff, Peter Smith, Vince Smith and Ivan Andrews — performing Ivan’s Pastoral and Hiking Boot Blues, followed by Rumba by Rak. Their performance provided a lively and entertaining finale to an evening which celebrated both individual musicianship and the communal spirit of the Summer School.

The concert demonstrated the enthusiasm, musicality and enjoyment of the many students who came together at Ammerdown.

— Anon., Student Reviewer

Concert Review; Day 4Student Concerts are a highlight of Ammerdown, with course leaders joining in with various ensemble...
06/08/2026

Concert Review; Day 4

Student Concerts are a highlight of Ammerdown, with course leaders joining in with various ensembles reflecting the ambience of the week.

The evening opened in style with special guests WAGO, whose performance of Gerald Garcia’s Westland Wyvern, written especially for the ensemble, was a memorable start. Using WAGO’s family of guitars of different sizes, Gerald Garcia created an imaginative and distinctive sound world that vividly captured the story of one of the aircraft’s test flights. The evident enjoyment of the players was shared by an attentive and appreciative audience.

The programme then ranged from the timeless elegance of Dowland, Bach and Weiss to Spanish dances, folk music and original contemporary works. Highlights included the Dorset Desperados, the Araf Quartet, the Aurora Borealis Trio’s colourful performances, Tony Eastwood’s own Micro Sonata, and Andrew Richardson’s Directions. It was also a pleasure to hear tutor Mark Eden joining Ben Ruddock in Telemann’s Canon and Fleury’s Milonga del Ayer.

Above all, the evening celebrated the supportive spirit of the Summer School. Every performer was warmly applauded, making for an enjoyable and thoroughly encouraging concert.

— Anon., Student Reviewer

The 9am morning warm-up ahead of the guitar orchestra.
06/08/2026

The 9am morning warm-up ahead of the guitar orchestra.

The third evening concert at Ammerdown offered something refreshingly different, as soprano Emilia Utter and guitarist E...
05/08/2026

The third evening concert at Ammerdown offered something refreshingly different, as soprano Emilia Utter and guitarist Erika Clevejärn presented an imaginative programme spanning over three centuries, from Purcell and Mozart to Enya and music from World of Warcraft.

Emilia’s pure, expressive voice blended beautifully with Erika’s sensitive and colourful guitar playing, creating performances of warmth, elegance and effortless musicality. Highlights included the haunting beauty of Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5, Ravel’s exquisite Five Greek Folk Songs, and a wonderfully atmospheric arrangement of Lament of the Highborne.

The programme moved seamlessly between classical, folk and popular influences, with every performance delivered with sincerity and charm. A captivating evening that was warmly received and another reminder of the remarkable versatility of voice and guitar.

— Anon., Student Reviewer

The course is fully booked - a non-residential place is possible plus you can joining our waiting list for a residential...
05/05/2026

The course is fully booked - a non-residential place is possible plus you can joining our waiting list for a residential place in case someone has to cancel their booking.

Address

Ammerdown Centre
Radstock
BA35SW

Telephone

+447972583036

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Guitar Summer School posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Guitar Summer School:

Shortcuts

Share

Category