As much fulfillment as possible in 3 days
Beginner, Intermediate, and Semi-Pro Cohorts
For those who want to do more, to meet new people, cannot fit a regular group into their schedule, or just get away.
Now accepting applications for June, July, and August 2024!
Dates in the application form:
Have a singer in your life? Gift packages available!
“I haven’t been able to sing so much a cappella in a welcoming environment like this in so long, so it is a joyous and precious memory”
Naomi Jing, July 2023 Participant. Read what other participants had to say
3 days, Dedicated to Craft and Connection
Sing with a curated cohort of other dedicated singers at your level (beginner to semi-pro)
Experience efficient and gratifying rehearsals led by a professional director
A custom arrangement made with each participant’s strengths in mind
Pro-level recording with each person on a mic - leave with a full music video
Hang out and nerd out with fellow singers - late night convos and spontaneous singalongs
Pillars of the A Cappella Retreat
Singing
Full Cycle - Learn, Polish, and Perform an a cappella set from scratch. Plenty of time for spontaneous jams, collaboration, and karaoke.
Growth
Learn by doing - exercises to take back to your group. Masterclasses and 1:1 time with the director to cover specifics such as vocal technique, arranging, directing, and group management.
Fellowship
These are your people! You were all crazy enough to go to a house in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of people you haven’t met to live together and sing a cappella for 3 days… we do our best to cultivate those relationships.
Meet your Music Director
“Effective leadership matters and that’s the best musical leadership I’ve had in years and years”
- Tala, August 2023 participant
A message from Robert
Hello! I’m Robert, your Music Director. I am a full-time singing teacher and a cappella director. I’ve been singing in vocal ensembles since I was 6, and leading them since high school.
I have been privileged to be part of groups in Hong Kong, Rhode Island, and different scenes in the San Francisco Bay Area. The art-form is part of my identity, and the friends that I’ve made along the way have been a main source of community and belonging for my whole life. Outside my own groups, I lead workshops at festivals, for companies such as Google, and at high schools.
Beyond a cappella, for the past few years I’ve been diving deep in effective gathering design and life coaching. It was these explorations that pulled me towards putting together meaningful events and gatherings that create growth and connection.
I have been running a cappella retreats for my groups since 2018, and have loved every moment of each of them. I’m excited to bring this opportunity to you, too!
Relevant Experience and Explorations
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Working with so many groups over 15 years has given me a broad toolkit to work efficiently and smoothly. Some highlights include a 6-week beginner course for Songbird Studios, a prestigious college group, and award-winning semi-pro a cappella collective. I’m also on the faculty of the annual LA A Cappella Festival where I lead workshops for singers and other directors, and masterclass participating groups.
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Trained in pedagogy by the BAST school, I’ve worked with students of all levels to achieve more with their voices safely and efficiently. Understanding the mechanics and anatomy of the voice makes it much easier to coach a cappella singers to sculpt their sound.
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To design a truly impactful gathering, it is important to think beyond the logistics. I design gatherings that are meaningful and memorable using a human-centered approach largely pioneered by Priya Parker.
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Co-active has taught me a gentle leadership style that creates a feeling of empowerment. It is a branch of life coaching that focuses on the client’s strengths and natural resourcefulness. Meet people where they are, and empower them to bring about their own growth.
“Robert's leadership made this Retreat highly successful. His musical talent, experience and organization set us up for an incredible experience. His ability to coach, set high expectations (didn't dumb down the arrangement), yet responsive and flexible to the group's varied experience and needs made a world of difference. He is also kind and you know he cares about you. Not many musical directors have all of these skills.”
- Simone, July 2023 participant
Previous Projects
Our Home for 3 days:
The Villa Agave
A boutique bed and breakfast on a 15-acre estate in Placerville’s Gold Hill Winery district., named after the agave that they grow on site. Bonnie, the owner, built the villa to be an example of great environmental stewardship and living in harmony with nature, and often hosts seminars for local property owners.
While most rooms are shared, there are private rooms available. Read more about The Villa Agave and their suites on their website.
Special Programs
Summer 2024: Vocal Jazz Intensive with guest director Colleen Keene
Colleen Keene is an incredible arranger & director based in LA. She led Down 4 The Count (vocal jazz) from 2003 to 2015, winning the 2012 Harmony Sweepstakes regionals. She has led vocal ensembles at CSU Long Beach, the Musician’s Institute, CSU Northridge, and CSU Channel Islands, and competed on CW’s The Christmas Caroler Challenge in 2019. She has a Master’s Degree in vocal jazz voice from CSU Long Beach, and she is the director of The Other Reindeer Carolers, a Christmas Caroling company with whom she books hundreds of engagements every year across the country.
On this advanced retreat, expect to nerd-out on tricky rhythms and crunchy chords. You will be instructed by both Colleen and Robert on vocal jazz style and technique, with one director focused on the ensemble, and the other on giving specific individualized feedback to supercharge your learning.
Interested singers should fill out the application link and indicate their interest on the first page.
A Typical Day
7:30 Optional group run on a forest trail
8:30 Fresh coffee and self-serve breakfast
9:30 Vocal and physical warm-ups and technique workshop
10:00 Rehearsal 1: Sectionals and rotating small groups
12:00 Lunch: lasagna and roasted vegetable medley
1:00 Free time: hike, explore town, nap, etc. or optional 1:1 consultations (voice lesson, arranging, group management, etc.)
3:30 Rehearsal 2: Dynamics, tone and vowel unification
6:30 Dinner led by volunteer “head chef”
8:00 Open-mic night
9:00 Free time: jam sessions, board games, meaningful conversation
Next Steps
Apply
People of all experience levels are invited to apply. Tell us about yourself, your experience, what this retreat might mean for you, and when you might be able to come.
Confirm Location and Dates
To ensure that the material is appropriately challenging for all participants, cohorts will be finalized based on proficiency level. Let us know if your placement works for you.
Final Logistics and Departure
Logistics, itinerary, and music materials will be finalized in the following weeks taking individual needs into account.
What Participants Say
Screenshots from the feedback survey have not been altered
Interested?
Now collecting interest for Feb and March 2024!
Give the gift of music!
Send a customized package with a full or partial gift voucher to a retreat! They will receive:
A custom printed and signed letter, naming you as the gift giver
A flyer describing the program, and naming the amount of the gift, convertible to voice lessons and other programs
For full-program gifts - a beautifully designed ticket, and complementary 1 month of sessions at The Vocal Gym
FAQs
How much are the retreats?
While it varies by location, duration, and cohort size, we design our programs with cost in mind. Expect cost per person to be around $250-350 (USD) per day, which includes housing, food, and 4-5 hours of professionally-led a cappella per day, among further curated programming. Certain preferences for accommodations, such as private rooms, may come at an extra charge as well. Please note that transportation is not included.
Ultimately, a cappella should be accessible to all. A limited number of discounted spots are available each session on a case by case basis. Please send us an email to learn more.
Can I use my employer benefit?
We can send you an invoice that separates out the music instruction from the cost of stay. Previous attendees have successfully been reimbursed fully or partially. Contact us for details.
Can you tell me more about how the cohorts are selected?
To ensure that the pace and difficulty is appropriate for everyone, all participants should be at a similar musical ability.
Singers of all levels are encouraged to apply, although some ability to match pitch and hold a melody are helpful skills to singing multi-part a cappella arrangements.
Other factors include balance across voice parts, preferences from the sign-up survey, and availability.
What will we be singing, and what if I don’t read sheet music?
Arrangements will be curated to match the abilities, voice makeup, and interests of the cohort. We will also accommodate different learning styles, providing both sheet music and sung learning tracks for those who prefer to learn by ear.
You may be encouraged to step outside your comfort zone, such as demonstrating something solo for the rest of the group, but no one will be forced to do anything they don’t want to do.
More information on logistics, such as lodging, transportation, and food?
We will be staying at a new retreat space 2 hours north-east of San Francisco.
Once we settle on a final cohort, we will ask for participants to volunteer as head-chefs or assistants for specific meals which we will enjoy family-style. Few things build friendships like cooking together and sharing food. We will also help to coordinate carpools. Food and transportation costs will be calculated and split fairly at the end of the retreat.
There will be space in the sign-up process to let us know about specific dietary or lodging requirements or concerns, and we will do our best to accommodate. You are also welcome to email us at retreat@acahub.co to inquire.
Can I bring a +1? What about the whole family?
This is a possibility, space permitting. As the cohorts are carefully curated to maximize the musical experience, keep in mind that some of the weekend will be closed to additional attendees. There is room in the sign-in process to let us know if this is important to you.
What is your COVID policy?
We cater to the needs of the most conservative of each cohort. If there is a participant who would like everyone to test within 24 hours of attending, we will facilitate it.