The joy of making music – six great great learning holidays in Britain and Europe

Whether it’s gypsy jazz, the blues, folk or flamenco, these retreats cater for musicians of all levels looking to up their game – and have fun

Every Easter, a sleepy corner of the Cotswolds transforms into a miniature version of the Blue Ridge mountains of the eastern US. The idyllic Kingham Hill private school, near Chipping Norton, is invaded by hundreds of banjos, fiddles, mandolins, guitars, a handful of dobros, and even the occasional autoharp. The reason for this is the appropriately named Sore Fingers bluegrass and old-time music week.

My first visit to Sore Fingers was in 2008. I’d dusted off a five-string banjo I had last played as a teenager and, along with a fiddle-playing friend, had plans to form what would become the UK’s first all-female bluegrass band, the Jolenes. I was hooked from the get-go – the instant camaraderie, the total immersion and the joy of making music with like-minded folk of all levels of expertise. I loved the nerdery. Where else can you discuss the optimum angle of your banjo picks without getting funny looks? I’ve never looked back …