Join Me for a 5 Day Guitar Retreat in Austria July 26 – Aug 1, 2026

Greetings! Adam Rafferty here 🙂
This year I’m hosting my first intimate guitar retreat in Austria, limited to just 12 students.
It’s a chance to spend five focused days working on your playing in a beautiful setting, with other serious students, and get the kind of personal attention that makes a real difference.
Whether you’re working on fingerstyle technique, getting started with jazz harmony, improve your groove, or just want to make your playing more musical – I’m here to help.
My approach is practical and no-nonsense. I’ve spent years figuring out what actually works versus what sounds good in theory. I want to share that with you.
I’ll be joined by Oliver Jungbauer – a recent classical guitar and creative fingerstyle guitar graduate from Bruckner University in Linz, and together we will help you take your guitar playing to the next level.

What You’ll Learn
Over five days, we’ll dive into:
- How to Build your own fingerstyle arrangements – I’ll show you how to turn your favorite songs into a complete solo guitar pieces
- Beginner blues playing – Your first blues riffs, and how to get that feel into your playing
- Introduction to Jazz – You’ll learn your first easy, basic chord shapes to get started with jazz standards
- Improve your groove – You’ll learn African drumming concepts that transform your rhythm from the inside out
- Learn one of my signature arrangements – I’ll show you a step-by-step breakdown of one of my arrangements
- Technique refinement – I’ll give you my best tips on how to prevent injury and build speed
- Musicianship fundamentals – You’ll learn some harmony basics that will help you play better and feel more confident
What Makes This Retreat Special…

Personal Attention
You’ll get a private lesson with both Adam and Oliver. This one-on-one, individual coaching will be tailored to your specific needs.

Nightly Jam Sessions
Every evening we will have open stage performances and jam sessions where you can try out what you’ve learned in a supportive environment.

Small Groups = Big Learning
We are limiting enrollment to 12 students, so every question gets answered and every student gets noticed.

Meet Your Guitar Instructors

Adam Rafferty
Fingerstyle, Blues and Jazz Guitar (NYC)
Adam started playing guitar by the age of six and studying with Woody Mann, who introduced him to country and blues music. He went on to study classical guitar in college and then expanded his focus to jazz and improvisation. He has a long history of performing throughout the U.S. and Europe, playing in many musical configurations and covering many genre’s of music – R&B, jazz, hip hop, and funk.
Adam became enamored with solo fingerstyle guitar more than a decade ago and has never looked back. He brings to his solo guitar playing a “funky fingerstyle” energy that has led him to create guitar versions of songs ranging from the Great American Songbook, The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Chick Corea – as well as his own original compositions. His guitar videos on YouTube have gotten over 20 million views.He’s an instructor as well, with a love for guiding his students through the mysteries of melody, harmony, groove, technique and how to practice and achieve real world results.
His instructional materials include fingerstyle guitar DVDs, Jazz guitar DVDs, books and most recently his interactive online school called StudyWithAdam.com

Oliver Jungbauer
Fingerstyle and Classical Guitar (Salzburg)
As a performer, Oliver has graced prestigious stages throughout Austria, Germany, and Poland, including the Salzburger Landestheater (performing in Barbiere di Siviglia) and the Linz Brucknerhaus. His talent has been recognized internationally – he’s a prize winner of multiple competitions, including the 16th Kiwanis Art Prize and 3rd prize at the 13th International Guitar Festival Kalamata.
What makes Oliver special for our retreat is his unique combination of classical precision and modern fingerstyle creativity, plus his deep knowledge of Austrian musical culture.
He currently teaches at the Biesenfeld Music School in Linz, and we’re thrilled to have this accomplished young artist share his expertise with you in his home country.
Here’s What Students Are Saying
If you’re ready to take your guitar playing seriously, join me this summer!
