We are going to have a great time at the CGC Summer School and I am excited to meet you in person. You will be working with a group of likeminded students and dedicated teachers. The days will be filled with lessons, ensembles, concerts, workshops and socializing.
As we get closer to the date I will be sending out information and music to the registrants so that they can prepare for the trip. In the meantime please feel free to ask the CGC team any questions you may have, and thank you for registering! – Simon
Payment of remaining fees
Your deposit has been added to your registration and the following fee payment is to complete the remainder of your registration.
Payment by Bank Transfer
This payment does not incur any transaction fees so the prices are as follows:
Private Room: $2000
Private Room shared with partner/spouse: $3200
Zelle payment is also available and you can use the email [email protected]
If you pay through bank transfer or Zelle make sure to indicate your first and last name plus “CGC SS2026” in your payment notes so we can easily track your transaction.
If you are required extra information for the bank transfer please email us at: [email protected]
Payment by Credit Card
We strongly prefer bank transfer, but if you absolutely need to pay by credit card you may. However, payment by credit card incurs a 4 percent transaction fee. Please select the room type you selected with your deposit from the options below. When you click on the button to pay please use the Credit Card option (not PayPal).
Private Room $ 2080
Private room shared with partner/spouse $ 3328
Payment Due Date
- You have until April 1st 2026 to complete your full payment. All registrations after this date must be complete within one week of making the registration deposit.
Refund Policy
- A full refund on this payment is available until May 1st 2026 (processing fees from credit card payments can not be refunded)
- There is no refund available from May 2, 2026.
Transfer Policy
- If you need to transfer your registration you can, however, the new registrant will need to register online and also be approved by Simon Powis.
What to bring and prepare
- A collapsible wire music stand (the school has metal stands but if you want to practice you will need your own stand)
- Several pencils, pens, and some highlighters
- A spare set of strings
- A clip-on guitar tuner (helps to tune up when other guitars are sounding around you)
- A sweater in case it gets cold (this is strongly recommended!)
- You can bring bottles of wine/beer and plastic cups if you would like to drink while socializing in the evenings. No spirits/hard liquor please.
- Put name tags/stickers on your guitar case and music stand
Lessons
All participants are eligible to have two lessons each. The lessons will run for 30 minutes, which needs to factor in setting up your music and taking out your guitar (so really 25 minutes of teaching time). This time goes by quickly and from my own experience I would recommend either short works or partial works.
If you would like to prepare a duo with another participant this can be used in a lesson but it will count as one lesson for each of you.
Please prepare your pieces as well as you can and bring a copy of the score for the teacher to work with.
Lessons will be open to other participants so you may have a small audience while you work. If you are sitting in on someone else’s lesson please stay for the duration of that lesson without leaving as it can be distracting for others.
Small and Large Ensembles
Each morning you will be working with an instructor on small ensemble pieces. You will meet with the same group and instructor each morning. In the final student concert you will perform with that group and the large guitar orchestra.
Everyone may participate in large ensemble, which will rehearse each afternoon.
You will receive the music that you are playing on the first full day of the Summer School.
Open Mic
There will be two open mic session because it has become so popular. This is a chance to perform on stage for all the other attendees. We will aim to do our best to record the performances but in past years there have been some technical glitches so we cannot guarantee that you will receive a video of your playing. Feel free to record your own performance should you wish to do so.
The performances need to be five minutes or less and if you perform in a duo or ensemble that will count as your performance. The only reason for this restriction is that we have so many people who want to perform!
Bringing partners to the Summer School
Your partner is very welcome to attend the Summer School and it will be great to have them as part of the festivities. There is no charge for your partner to attend concerts in the evening, and the “partner fee” includes shared accommodation (with you) as well as all meals.
Getting around the area
Avaloch is quite remote and so your partner will need a car if they would like to explore the local towns.
Children and Teenagers
Please note that because of liability insurance we cannot have anyone on campus under the age of 21. I apologize if this causes an inconvenience.
Traveling to Avaloch Farm Music Institute
Avaloch Farm Music Institute is situated in Boscawen New Hampshire, 80 miles north of Boston and 14 miles from Concord, NH. The closest major cities/towns are Boston, MA, Concord, NH and Manchester, NH.
Arriving by Car:
The AFMI address is 16 Hardy Lane, Boscawen NH, 03303. From Water Street, turn onto Hardy Lane, which is a dirt road. Turn right at the large stone (which reads “Avaloch”) and park temporarily in the lot behind the main hall in order to check in and unload any belongings. After checking in, the visitor parking lot can found by going back out to Hardy Lane, turning right at the stone, and then turning right again at the parking sign close by. There is a path (well lit at night) that leads from the visitor lot to the main campus.
Please note:
If you are not arriving by car, we will do our very best to facilitate transport. Please just let us know by email that you will need pickup or transport from an airport.
Arriving by Air:
The two main airports close to Avaloch Farm Music Institute are Boston Logan Airport (80 minutes away) or Manchester Regional Airport (45 minutes away). Uber/Lyft costs from Boston Logan usually range from $100-200 depending on the time of day. Uber/Lyft costs from Manchester Regional Airport usually range between $60-100 depending on the time of day.
From Boston Logan Airport, here are some additional ground transportation options to get to Avaloch: Ground Transportation at Boston Logan International Airport (massport.com) . There is also a shuttle (see below) that visitors can take to Concord NH which is a short 20 minute cab ride from the farm.
From Manchester Regional Airport, here are some ground transportation options to get to Avaloch: https://www.flymanchester.com/ground-transportation/
Arriving by Train:
The closest AMTRAK train station is Boston South Station (BOS). When booking on the Amtrak website, there is also the option of including a mixed service (train+bus) option all the way to Concord NH (CNH), where one can then take a 20 minute taxi/lyft/uber ride to Avaloch.
Additional Resources:
Concord Coach Lines offers a bus service that runs between Boston Logan Airport and downtown Concord NH. A one-way ticket costs $24 and a roundtrip ticket costs $42. Learn more here: Boston Logan International Airport Bus Stop | Concord Coach Lines
Here are some additional shuttle services that operate between both Boston and Manchester airports which will travel directly to Avaloch.
Lakes Region Airport Shuttle Service: Concord Car Service | Lakes Region Airport Shuttle (lrairportshuttle.com)
Boston Airport Shuttle: Transportation to Boston Logan Airport from New Hampshire (bostonairportshuttle.com)
Mountainview Shuttle: Mountain View Shuttle, airport and resort transportation (mtnviewshuttle.com)
More information
We will be in contact closer to the Summer School with extra information, asking for your travel details, train pick up times, and check-in time.
Can’t wait to see you!