Elite Music Camps Ltd Reviews 158

It is difficult to do justice to just how good this experience was.

To start, Johnny Thirkell did an exceptional job at organising the week. He responded quickly to questions well in advance of the camp, and with the uncertainties around Covid-19 kept us all up to date with relevant news and updates. Flying out and liaising with the other bassists wasn't a bother in the slightest as we were quickly swept up at the airport and transported to the villa.

Johnny was an exceptional host throughout the week, and he ensured all on the camp were suitably looked after. If anything additional was needed, you'd only need to ask Johnny before he would immediately try to sort something out for you.

Experience and ability are completely irrelevant and the group sessions are set up to encourage everybody to contribute as best as they can in a non-competitive manner. With respect to the individual tutoring, Paul was an excellent teacher. No matter your level, he seems to have a knack of identifying areas to work and improve on. He patiently showed me through various exercises I can go away and practice, and encouraged me to expand on my playing in a positive, fun way. He is also adaptable to your suggestions if there is something specific you would like to improve on.

Both Paul and Johnny have unending stories and anecdotes about their time in the music industry. They are wonderful people with wit, humour and a friendly down-to-earth nature that really put us all at ease and helped us to fully enjoy ourselves and learn. The evenings were spent with talks ranging from cognitive learning tips to various experiences of the music industry. This downtime was just as valuable as the formal lessons.

The additional activities, whether that be hiking in the Sierra Nevada mountains, or dining in view of the Alhambra, were excellently organised and would be worth a visit for their own sake.

At its core, the camp is about musicians sharing knowledge, improving as players, and having a good time. It really is a phenomenal experience.

Every aspect about my week spent in Monachil went above and beyond any expectations that I had before arriving. The location in the rustic Sierra Nevada mountains, the delicious locally cooked homemade meals, the accommodation (especially the view from the yoga platform!), the friendliness of the other guests, and above all, the graciousness of John and Paul in making everyone feel comfortable and at home in creating a nice informal atmosphere.

There was a mix of abilities among the bass group, but Paul’s easy-going character and articulate teaching methods made everyone feel comfortable and we could all leave each lesson having learned a lot. The one-on-one lessons were a great opportunity to pick the brain of someone who has been working in the top levels of the music industry for decades. Big kudos to Paul for really putting in a long shift each day and ensuring that everyone had their time with him.

The afternoon walk in the Sierra Nevada mountains and evening trip to Granada were the perfect complements to a week of bass and music and helped to fend off any possibility of bass-overload! John’s talk about efficient practice routines and his interest in cognitive learning offered some nice bonus material on top of the bass practice.

If I had to choose a best part of the week, it would be the opportunity of getting to hang with lovely people and hearing about the life experiences of two top level pros over a glass or two of tasty wine! Thank you John and Paul.

It's been an amazing week. Paul's courses were very clear. I also loved John's approach of music (cognitive sciences and philosophy). Great satisfaction, even concerning the house and the lovely surroundings!

What an incredible experience!

A completely unique opportunity to spend a week playing and learning guitar. Rob Harris is an exceptional tutor, handling both the mixed ability group lessons and 121s with complete aplomb. To spend so much time with someone who works at the highest level in the industry was a once in a lifetime experience and his ability to connect with every student was seriously impressive.

Johnny’s hosting and organisation both before and during the camp was spot in and made the whole experience seamless and an absolute pleasure….going above and beyond to provide help and assistance in a strange time for travel! Listening to anecdotes and stories from both Rob and Johnny was a real highlight for all attendees too and they really helped create a relaxed, informal vibe where everyone was comfortable and valued.

The house is traditional and beautiful, and kept extremely clean. The setting is majestic and helps to enhance the whole experience.

And Laura’s cooking is worth the trip alone. Authentic Spanish home style cooking, clearly cooked from the heart.

I cannot recommend this experience highly enough and would return again and again if I had the chance to do so.

Great Camp
I really want to come back next year.
Rob Harris was a perfect humble/polite teacher that took a lot of time for any individiual student. Johnny is a brilliant host and Laura a great cook
It does not get any better
Worth every penny

Where to start? An exceptionally unique experience that overdelivers in every regard.

Johnny is a fantastic host, genial, generous and hilarious. Great food, great company, and great views are the norm at EMC.

Rob Harris’ guitar tuition is intelligent, accommodating and has breathed new life into my own practice. Despite a group of mixed abilities, the group sessions are inclusive and 1-2-1s are bespoke and tailored to the individual.

It’s an accommodating atmosphere and non-competitive, which helps everyone forge strong bonds. Throw in excursions into the stunning surrounding countryside and Granada itself, as well as an endless supply of engrossing stories from the music biz courtesy of our hosts, and it’s hard to find a fault.

In fact, the one fault is that it had to end. See you again soon guys!!

One of the best weeks of my life.

I was lucky to be part of the Elite Music Camps for the second Guitar week 2021 with Rob Harris. It was an amazing experience, I got to learn so much and Johnny couldn't have been a better host. I would 10/10 recommend.

This was my first time at Elite Music Camps and what an exceptional week it was. From the moment we arrived we were welcomed by Johnny and Rob and made to feel very welcome and very much at home, or as the Spanish would say "mi casa es su casa".

The accommodation was excellent, as was the hosting and the food. Nothing was too much trouble.

The guitar instruction from Rob was first class, with a mixture of group sessions and then 1 to 1 lessons. It was the perfect balance without being too intense. Everyone in the group brought something to the table and were supportive of all the other players leading to a friendly, non-competitive environment.

When not playing, there were plenty of places to simply relax and enjoy the holiday. There was no pressure to practice or do 'homework', although we were supplied with the means to do this if we wanted. We also had an afternoon excursion to explore the local area and a fab night out in Granada.

The icing on the cake were all the little anecdotes from Johnny and Rob about their time in the music business but what was told on the EMC camp, stays on the EMC camp. If you want to know the stories, you will just have to book on a camp for yourselves!!

It's nearly impossible to put a monetary value on a week in Granada at Elite Music Camp. It's so much more than just music lessons. It's an all encompassing experience where you are whisked away from the real world to recharge your batteries, eat amazing food, venture through the Andalusian mountains, laugh and listen to fascinating stories, all while being taught by some of the best musicians in the world. Rob and Johnny are two of the most down to earth and kind people I've ever met, they really made it easy to relax and feel comfortable while there.
As a professional player Rob was a huge help in guiding me on the right path to take my career to the next level. Likewise Johnny was a mine of information on how to navigate the business side of the industry and get the most out of it.
A trip I will never forget and will always look back on with fond memories!
Karl

What a fantastic experience! Horn Camp takes place in a beautiful secluded villa with lovely views of the Sierra Nevada. On arrival, Johnny immediately made us feel at home, introducing us both to the kitchen and the well stocked drinks fridge, before we took out our instruments for our first blow.

The food was delicious. Dinner was cooked by two local ladies (Laura and Laura) and could not be faulted either in quality or quantity. Dinner was followed by the chance to relax and chat over a drink or two.

As for the music tuition, it was an unbelievable opportunity to spend a week in small group with a top class saxophone player. Snake covered a wide range of material from breathing exercises to improvisation, all of which can be brought home and incorporated into practice.

I loved everything about this week and didn’t want it to end!

As the least experienced sax player in the group, I had a momentary crisis of confidence after booking. Johnny quickly assuaged me of this and encouraged me to come and learn. I am SO glad I did. Having the opportunity to learn and play in such a small group, led by world class musicians like Snake and Johnny was something of an experience of a lifetime for me. And where my inexperience or lack of knowledge showed, it pushed me to endeavour when I came home. Others have mentioned the beautiful villa, incredible setting and wonderful hospitality.

But for me, it was as much about meeting the wonderful people who joined the group, having such a good laugh, never feeling judged and only encouraged. Hearing others play, pushing my own abilities further than I realised I could. It is the most Zen I have felt in a really long time. It was those things that made this super special and not like a perfunctory learning environment.

This is one of the best things I have ever done. I came back with a structured plan and knowing where I need to improve in sound, technique and theory - all great things to keep me working towards. Thank you Johnny and Snake. Like everyone else, I dearly hope to come back and hear more of Johnny’s jokes next year!

A unique musical learning experience hosted by the industry’s most talented and respected professionals.
Set in the Sierra Nevada mountains, the house is a short walk from the friendly village of Monachil, You are welcomed on arrival as if you are part of the family. Everything is in place to make you feel relaxed and open to learning as part of a small group.
We covered so much ground in the week. Expect to work hard on every aspect of your playing.
How and what you learn on this course cannot be picked up on internet sites or through tutor books. It is so much more than learning group pieces or doing theory exercises(although you will do this too).
I have never laughed so much whilst learning. So much fun in a ‘no pressure’ atmosphere.
The down time is also great. We visited the Alhambra, went on the guided mountain walk and of cause swam in the pool before enjoying a few drinks and a fantastic three course meal in the Spanish sunshine.
I am already looking for the dates to come out for next year!
I came away a better player and with some lovely likeminded friends too.
If you get a chance to go don’t think twice. You will love it. I have come away with more confidence (especially to improvise), a richer tone and a stack of techniques to make my playing sound more interesting and creative.
Thank you Snake and Johnny. A wonderful week.
Craig Davies.

Our host John Thirkell was very organized and communicated frequently & kindly all what was necessary. The food was very good, everything homemade Andalusian stuff in the evenings. I came to the wrong airport (Granada instead of Málaga) and the host picked me up extra! This was incredible kind. If not enough - after the course he also brought me to Granada to pick my rental car.

Additionally I booked not a single room, but I got one single room - because one guy canceled the course. The house is the private home of John himself - it lies in the mountains of Monachil, so you can concentrate really on the course instead of going out in the evenings 😉

About the course itself and the teacher: in the mornings we had group courses, Rob tried to figure out where we were standing - and the group was really very different concerning the personal levels. But he always found stuff where we all were interested in. In 3 afternoons we even got private lessons for everyone single! We could ask Rob everything we wanted. He is an incredible experienced, creative and tasteful guitarist. If I had questions he answered very competent - if not he figured interesting points out what we could do in the lesson. Furthermore we recorded lines on an easy chord progression, everyone got the chance to do that, Rob coached us to adapt our ideas so that they worked - a nice experience!

So a very big thank you 🙏🏻 to the host and to the teacher!

A seamless, inspiring, comfortable, fun and educational experience! I was in the guitar camp with Rob Harris and between himself, Johnny, the wonderful caterers and the fellow campers, I couldn't have asked for a better experience.

I'm a professional player and still learned a TON. The group lessons were dynamic and high energy, and the solo lessons allowed me to work on some elements of my own playing and mentality that were causing me problems.

The food was amazing!!

The house was amazing!!

It doesn't matter what level you're at, you can get so much out of it. Do yourself a favour.

Kevin