Isaac Eicher’s
Mexico Mandolin Retreat
Dates TBD for February 2025
Lake Pátzcuaro | michoacán, México
How about escaping the cold this February to study mandolin in the mountains of Mexico?
Do you like eating fresh locally-grown fruits and vegetables, as well as tacos with carnitas? What about sitting around a chimenea sipping locally-made mezcal, gazing at the stars and jamming tunes on your mandolin? If you answered yes to these questions, read on.
As you may know, in addition to my passion for mandolin, I started down a path years ago learning the Spanish language and discovering Latin American culture. My experiences traveling in the Spanish-speaking world, be it Mexico, Colombia, Puerto Rico or my year living in Spain, were inexorably intertwined with my journey learning to play the mandolin. In retrospect, it makes sense why my interest in Latin music on mandolin developed the way it did as I spent time practicing Spanish and immersing myself in those environments.
And now, as I am more fired up about teaching jazz and Latin music on mandolin than ever before, I realize that the time has come for a new project that combines these passions- a destination mandolin camp in Latin America. To be more exact, the Mexico Mandolin Retreat.
In February 2024 I will be leading the Mexico Mandolin Retreat in Michoacán, Mexico. It will be held at one of the most beautiful places I have come across in my travels, a lakeside vacation lodge called La Gloria de Los Ángeles in the mountains outside of the town of Pátzcuaro. For this first destination mandolin retreat of its kind in Latin America, I am inviting 15 students to join me for an immersive musical and cultural experience that combines the joy of music, language, nature and food in what will be a truly unforgettable experience.
La Gloria de Los Ángeles
A more perfect setting for a music retreat in Mexico would be hard to come by. I first went to this lodge, La Gloria de Los Ángeles, in 2017 while interpreting Spanish for the Hummingbird Music Festival and quickly became friends with the owners, Hugo and Susy. I have now been 5 times and if you can’t tell from the photos, this place is magical. The lodging and service that Hugo and Susy provide is top notch, not to mention being surrounded by nature with gorgeous views of Lake Pátzcuaro.
Mandolin Workshops
The mandolin workshops I will teach will cover a variety of styles that I love most such as jazz and latin music. We will divide the group into two smaller groups that will rotate between instructors for several workshops each day. The beauty of this type of event is that you can ask questions at any time even when we’re jamming around the chiminea.
Spanish Classes
In addition to studying mandolin, we will also be offering Spanish classes. Regardless of your level or familiarity with the language, you will have fun learning some basic words and phrases that might come in handy.
Sight-seeing
Apart from the time spent at the lodge, we will take several trips into town and around the lake as a group to see the area. Down the road is a pueblo mágico or “magical town” called Tzintzúntzan with pre-colonial archeological sites and Spanish colonial architecture. The bigger town in the area is called Pátzcuaro where we will go hang one night for a special concert.
Another fun trip can be visiting a local mezcal distillery on the other side of the lake and touring their operation, as well as tasting some of their products.
There will be opportunities for everyone to shop for artisanal crafts and keepsakes in town. I have some beautiful items from previous trips such as a wool pancho.
Lodging and Food
The lodge has plenty of beds, although in order to accommodate a group like ours it is a shared room situation, with bedrooms capable of sleeping anywhere from 3-6 people. You can see in the photos examples of the bedrooms, dining hall, and communal spaces, with many outdoor courtyard and patio areas.
Three meals a day are included in the package- we’re talking authentic Mexican food prepared fresh on site with local ingredients.
Price
The total price for lodging, food, and tuition is $1,200. The “Early Bird” registration price during the month of August is $1,100.
When registration opens on Aug. 1st, any student wishing to reserve a spot will pay a non-refundable deposit of $500.
The retreat starts Wednesday Feb. 21st with a meet-and-greet dinner. The retreat concludes with breakfast on Sunday Feb. 25th.
Guest spots - a limited number of guests can join for the price of $800 as an Early Bird and $850 after August. Some alternate classes will be offered in place of mandolin workshops such as cooking and Spanish language.
Lake Pátzcuaro and Michoacán, México
Lake Pátzcuaro is a magical place with tons of natural beauty. The mountains surrounding the lake attract the migration of monarch butterflies and hummingbirds every year, and the whole area is rich in indigenous fruits and vegetables such as avocados and limes.
There is a strong presence of Purépecha people, an indigenous population that speaks the Purépecha language. On previous trips we have played with musicians in the area that sing in this language.
As visitors, it is our highest priority to respect the locals and the land.
safety
Safety in Michoacán- sometimes you hear about violence in México and even Michoacán makes it in the news. I have never encountered any violence or threatening people in this area of Mexico, which I have been to a number of times. Honestly, you will encounter nothing but nice people, and you should feel safe knowing that you have a destination where you’ll mostly be spending time in our group. You will be in good hands with my wife and I interpreting Spanish and guiding you through this new cultural environment!
Travel to Lake Pátzcuaro
All students are responsible for their own airfare and getting to Morelia, the capital of Michoacán. We will have two shuttles on arrival day to pick you up and get you to the lodge, which is about an hour and a half drive. Sometimes there are flights from Dallas to Morelia, but on some trips it worked out to go through Mexico City and then a short flight over to Morelia. On one trip my wife came in after me and took a three our bus-ride from Mexico City to Morelia.
More Photos
