join bryan sutton and chris eldridge

You are invited to join Bryan Sutton and Chris Eldridge for four days and four nights of Bluegrass Guitar: Sicily! Ortigia, the historic heart of Siracusa, Italy (and a UNESCO World Heritage Site), is a small, mostly pedestrian, island that has been inhabited since the 14th century B.C. Imagine meandering through narrow streets, swimming in the calm, warm waters, sleeping above ancient Jewish baths, visiting archaeological sites, and getting to play your guitar for hours. This the perfect place to allow your imagination to roam, your musicianship to expand, and your appreciation for roots and acoustic music to go deeper.

It's a rare opportunity to get to study and play with Bryan and Chris in an intimate, multi-day international setting. Actually, it’s their first guitar retreat in Sicily. Registration is limited to 25 students to ensure high quality learning, and to give each participant plenty of exposure to each of the instructor’s musical styles, knowledge, and passion for their instrument.

Bluegrass Guitar in Sicily is built around Bryan and Chris’ participatory and engaging teaching style. They'll dive into topics like building the foundations of flatpicking bluegrass guitar, increasing the quality of your playing, rhythm guitar accompaniment, improvisation, fiddle tune variations, modern expression of the traditional style - and everything in between!

Our goal is to create a relaxed, fun, and non-competitive environment that encourages each participant to take the next step in their guitar playing; where community is built on the shared joy of playing music, and the beauty and history of the place inspires one’s creativity . Add to that good food and wine, and you got the recipe for a memorable musical experience.

In addition to your classes, there will be plenty of time for jamming with other students, practicing new arrangements, and just hanging out with your guitar and picking awhile. And if you want, you probably can even get the chance to play with one of the instructors - now that will be a photo opportunity!

Don’t miss out. Claim your spot soon. This retreat doubles as a unique Italian vacation making it ideal for friends and family - two and a half thousand years of history calls to all who visit!

join the waitlist

meet your instructors

Bryan Sutton

Bryan Sutton is the most accomplished and awarded acoustic guitarist of his generation, an innovator who bridges the bluegrass flatpicking traditions of the 20th century with the dynamic roots music scene of the 21st. His rise from buzzed-about young sideman to first-call Nashville session musician to membership in one of history’s greatest bluegrass bands has been grounded in quiet professionalism and ever-expanding musicianship.

Sutton is a Grammy Award winner and a nine-time International Bluegrass Music Association Guitar Player of the Year. But these are only the most visible signs of Sutton’s accomplishments. He inherited and internalized a technically demanding instrumental style and become for young musicians of today the same kind of model and hero that Tony Rice and Clarence White were for him. And supplementing his instrumental work, he’s now a band leader, record producer, mentor, educator and leader in online music instruction.

While he juggled various studio and road commitments, Sutton made a string of guitar albums that solidified his stature as a preeminent instrumental recording artist and a leading figure in the evolution of bluegrass music. One highlight of many was winning a Grammy Award for a duet with North Carolina flatpicking icon Doc Watson.

During his eclectic career, he has appeared as a leading session guitarist on albums from Dolly Parton, the Dixie Chicks, Rhonda Vincent, and more. He has also played in the legendary bluegrass bands Kentucky Thunder and Hot Rize and won his first Grammy award in 2007. He's undoubtedly an heir to the A-Team legacy of Chet Atkins, Hank Garland, and Ray Edenton.

chris eldridge

As a member of Punch Brothers since the band's inception, guitarist Chris Eldridge has been at the vanguard of acoustic music for much of the past decade.  Although initially drawn to the electric guitar, by his mid-teens Chris Eldridge had developed a deep love for acoustic music, thanks in part to his father, a banjo player and founding member of the seminal bluegrass group The Seldom Scene.

In 2005 he had caught the attention of mandolinist Chris Thile, who enlisted him, along with banjoist Noam Pikelny, violinist Gabe Witcher, and bassist Greg Garrison to start working on an ambitious side project. Soon after they decided to focus all of their collective energies into band and Punch Brothers was born.  The band has since released 6 critically acclaimed albums, received 6 Grammy nominations and toured around the world. Eldridge and his Stringdusters bandmates won Emerging artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year for their debut album, Fork in the Road.

Eldridge also plays in a duo with guitarist Julian Lage. They have released 2 full length records and an EP. Their most recent, Mount Royal, was nominated for a Grammy for Best Instrumental Album. Eldridge was the house guitarist on the public radio show, Live From Here, formerly known as A Prairie Home Companion for 4 years, until the show’s conclusion. 

Chris Eldridge has worked with a diverse cast of musical luminaries including Paul Simon, Renée Fleming, John Paul Jones, Marcus Mumford, Justin Timberlake, T-Bone Burnett, Jon Brion, Fiona Apple, Elvis Costello, Jerry Douglas, Sara Watkins, Del McCoury and others.

special guest: PEPPINO D’AGOSTINO

Peppino D'Agostino, a native of Italy, has been hailed as “a guitarist's guitarist” and recognized as “One of the 50 Transcendent Acoustic Guitarists” by Guitar Player Magazine. Even his Peppino D'Agostino Seagull Signature Guitar model has won accolades as one of the 10 best signature guitars.

He has performed in more than 35 countries, made 18 audio recordings, been featured at prestigious international music festivals, and played with prominent artists from around the world - including Larry Carlton, Eric Johnson, Tommy Emmanuel, Leo Kottke, Martin Taylor, Roland Dyens, David Tanenbaum, and many more.

Peppino gives guitar workshops, master classes, and seminars worldwide. Top leading publishers and online music instruction leaders such as Truefire, Guitar by Masters, Hal Leonard, Alfred Publishing, and Acoustic Guitar Magazine Books have all published his compositions and instructional methods. He will add his flare to this flat-picking extravaganza and share his love of music throughout the retreat.

pricing and plans

*EARLY-BIRD pricing ends January 31st. You can pay 50% of the fee upon registration with the remaining balance due 30 days later. Contact us if you need a 3-payment plan.

THE LOCATION

Ortigia is the ancient, historic center of Siracusa, in the South-East region of Sicily. It is a small, UNESCO island joined to the mainland by two small pedestrian and car bridges. This jewel, is a year-round Italian destination and often called the ‘White Pearl of Syracuse.’ The charm of Ortigia is also due to its mix of styles: there are Ancient Greek ruins interspersed near dazzling Baroque piazzas that wind through a labyrinth of Medieval passageways where there are visible remnants of Moorish, Roman, Byzantine, and ancient Judaic civilizations.

Duomo Piazza at Night

Ortigia and Siracusa

Fresh Sicilian delicacies Daily

This is What Participants tell us…

Our Retreats have been life changing Guitar moments for many who have attended. Here’s what a few had to say about their experience with Music World Retreats and studying with Bryan, Chris, and Peppino.

Aaron C.

"Every single thing you said really helped, and things started coming together immediately. I can’t believe what improvement I’m seeing just from you pointing out a few screws to turn. I am really starting to have that signature sound that always managed to elude me. I love it!"

Tom C.

Working with Bryan and applying his thoughtful, process based guidance has helped me notice more improvement in my playing in a few months than I have in many years. My tone is better and the folks I jam with mention how my rhythm is much stronger. I’m excited to continue the journey!

Alan P.

"The process was a perfect launch pad for me as I had become tired and a little lazy with my guitar playing. I dug in for more and became charged not only by the inspiration of learning new material but also new techniques."

Linda F.

Guitar lessons with Chris Eldridge have been more like an awakening for me than just learning about the art of flatpicking. I’m learning how to be more present in the music I play. I’m more aware of how I can not just play the right notes of a song but be more expressive and musical.

Duncan S.

“Thank you for all of your efforts, attention to detail, and hard work to make the guitar retreat such a success. It was an extraordinary experience for me. The teaching was inspiring and the camaraderie was wonderful. There was great playing by teachers and students alike.”

Scott P. (Sicily 2023)

I want to properly thank Peppino and you for providing my wife and I one of the most magnificent experiences we’ve had in our 31 year marriage. Quite frankly, it was one of the best experiences I’ve had in my life! I know you put a lot of effort into providing us the best possible experience and it really showed. I also really liked my fellow students and their families. I got to know Peppino over breakfast every morning. I never would have imagined that when I was a cheering fan in the audience.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Stay in Touch:

Check your inbox. You will receive a one-click confirmation from our email provider. Respond if you’d like to receive our newsletter and get information about future retreats.

If you have any trouble with this form, just email Donna Wapner at: dwapnermusic [AT] gmail [DOT] com

Learn From The Best

MUSIC WORLD RETREATS are hosted by Peppino D’Agostino and Donna Wapner. Our goal is to partner with some of our favorite musicians and creative friends - and together develop intimate, supportive, learning experiences. We pick locations that will encourage and inspire one’s creativity. When participants walk away having learned something new, had fun, made new friends, and can’t wait to join us again - we know we have done our job well!!