To continue our program of ukulele retreats that took place in the Želiv monastery, we are continuing the fun in the amazing Chateau at Kostelec nad Černými Lesy.

I can call this or a masterclass, I prefer to think of it as a master class for all levels of ability. If you can play a few chords you will make enormous leaps, and if you are already a very advanced player, there will be elements that you can explore with Paul or get ready to boogie a great ukulele collective.

By the way, the picture to the left is the classroom.

The Czech ukulele retreat is aimed at players of all levels who want to improve their playing. There will be lots of jamming sessions as well as workshops and a concert - so something for everyone. There will also be plenty of downtime where you can choose to strum your ukulele with friends old and new - or have a look around this historical location.

Over the four ukulele packed days Paul Mansell will be running three workshops, Thirty tips to make you a better player, Adding dynamics to your playing and Add a little swing to your playing.

Those who have been to previous retreat will know that in addition to the formal workshops, there is plenty of time to play and learn, we have unlimited access to the tuition room, and jams can and often do continue into the wee small hours.

John Atkins will run these three workshops: Clawhammer, Spicing up the C F and G chords and making up your own song.

In addition both Paul and John will be available throughout the event and there will be lots of sessions where we get together and play songs, and the opportunity to create all sorts of interesting collaborations with the tutors and the other students.

The retreat culminates in a final concert in the local brewery with a performance by the tutors and the students. You may choose to perform a song you have learnt in one of the workshops or maybe something you prepared earlier - the choice is yours.

Come and join this unique event, play ukulele , learn and have fun while staying in this 16th century chateau.

The structure will be the same as previously, Wednesday arrivals and introduction, 3 full days of tuition, play and late night jams finishing with our traditional concert on Saturday evening at the famous Kostelec brewery.

If you want to dress up for the concert or do something special, bring the ideas and any stage items with you.

This retreat will take place in the chateau at Kostelec which is about a 30 minute drive from Prague and is accessible by bus from central Prague.. The venue is perfect for such an event with everything we need on site.

About the chateau - Kostelec nad Černými Lesy

The original castle, named Černý Kostelec, is first mentioned in 1348, although the area had been settled by colonists as early as the first half of the 13th century. In the mentioned year, Margrave John Henry, brother of Emperor Charles IV, agreed, based on a treaty concluded by their father John of Luxembourg in the first quarter of the 14th century, to exchange the estate and castle "Costelicz in Nygra Sylva" for the Náchod Castle.

The first known non-royal owner of Černý Kostelec was Ješek of Náchod. His sons sold the castle and estate to Jan Sekretarius, from whom it was acquired in 1492 by the Slavat family of Chlum and Košumberk. For participating in the first estate uprising of 1547, Diviš Slavata had his property confiscated by the Czech King Ferdinand I.

After the castle was partially destroyed by fire in 1548, King Ferdinand I of Habsburg initiated its reconstruction into a Renaissance chateau. The architects behind this project were Hans Tirol and Ulrico Aostalli de Sala.

In 1588, Černý Kostelec passed into the ownership of Jaroslav Smiřický of Smiřice, who converted the chateau into the main residence of his family and continued its transformation into a representative estate. However, the Smiřický family's property was confiscated by Emperor Ferdinand II after the Battle of White Mountain in 1621 due to their participation in the estate uprising and their Evangelical Lutheran faith. The Černý Kostelec estate was subsequently acquired by Albrecht of Wallenstein, who sold it in 1623 to Karl I of Liechtenstein.

Under Liechtenstein ownership, the chateau was remodeled in the Baroque style in 1759 by Duchess Maria Theresa of Savoy-Liechtenstein, based on designs by Tyrolean builder Josef Jager. The chateau then became her residence and hosted her court.

After the abolition of the manorial system, part of the chateau housed the district court from 1850 and served as an administrative center for the estate.

Following the establishment of Czechoslovakia, the Černý Kostelec chateau and estate were expropriated from the Liechtenstein family during the land reforms of 1928 and transferred to state ownership. Currently, the chateau is home to Lesy ČZU, the university forest estate of the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague.

The town has many restaurants and also a brewery available for evening meals and strums.

Come and join us at this new exciting location with Paul and John. If you have any questions about the accommodation or the retreat program, please feel free to contact me.

The program will be in English.