SING SONDHEIM!
Singing & Performance Week

From £1795 – 7 nights | 30+ hours of tuition | 3 private lessons | full board with wine & beer | 4 West End tutors | masterclass with West End star | final showcase

Not sure about booking a retreat this year?
Travel feels uncertain—but your plans don’t have to be.
With our Peace of Mind Booking, If your flight is disrupted, you can postpone your retreat for up to 12 months—no hassle.

Special Guest Masterclass –Joanna Riding
Olivier Award Winning West End Lead

Musical Director – Leigh Stanford Thompson
Les Misérables, Miss Saigon

Vocal Coach  – Claire Underwood
West End Coach: Hamilton, Les Misérables , Phantom of the Opera, Oliver!,
Mary Poppins , Wicked

Vocal Coach  – Sake Wijers
Disney’s The Lion King, Les Misérables , Hercules, Hamilton, Moulin Rouge

Performance Director – Michael O’Donnell
Supervising Resident Director – The Lion King, West End

Tarifa | Southern Spain | May -June 2026

Check In: 30th May 2026  |  Check Out: 6th June 2026 

This course is not suitable for beginners. It is recommended for confident  Choir Members, Amateur Performers & Theatre/Music Students 

Experience the Ultimate Sondheim Vocal & Performance Retreat – Your chance to train and rehearse with Four West End pros.
This retreat will immerse you in over 30 hours of elite singing tuition and performance workshops. Elevate your understanding of Sondheim’s craft with a coveted masterclass and mentorship session with a special guest lead actor and take the stage to perform the iconic songs of America’s most revolutionary, influential, and revered composer and lyricist.
For over 50 years, Stephen Sondheim defined musical theatre excellence, earning accolades that include an Academy Award, an unprecedented eight Tony Awards—including a Special Tony for Lifetime Achievement—multiple Grammys, Drama Desk Awards, and a Pulitzer Prize. His genius transformed Broadway forever, and now it’s your turn to connect with his legacy.
Come with us and retreat to the breathtaking landscapes of Southern Spain, indulge in exquisite all-inclusive food, and immerse yourself in an unforgettable journey of artistic discovery and personal transformation.
This is more than a retreat — it’s your chance to step centre stage.

Classes will rotate between our three highly talented industry professionals which will take the form of group sessions, full ensemble classes and 1:1 sessions. 

It doesn’t end there!  As with all SERs, you will be joined by a celebrated performer for a masterclass and mentor session.

The retrun of this Sondheim holiday has been requested by numerous customers so places on this holiday are  expected to sell out quickly.  Be sure to secure your spot and prepare for an unforgettable musical journey!

As always at Sing Eat Retreat, great fun and good food will be top of the agenda as you meet and work with a small group of new like-minded friends.

Aims of the week

Work with West End Professionals to:

This holiday is tailored for confident amateur singers through to professionals and post-grads.

Prices From £1795*
What's Included in the Price

Not Included in prices:
Flights, Transfers, Travel Insurance
* Prices vary dependent on room type chosen and persons sharing.  Contact us for Choir Group Rates
** Hotel Room Options Provided


Travel

FLY TO MALAGA – Flights are available from most UK and European cities to Málaga – one hour and 45 mins drive from the retreat.

FLY TO GIBRALTAR – There are direct flights to Gibraltar from London and Manchester. Gibraltar airport is a 40 minute drive, once across the border.

TRANSFERS

We usually arrange one transfer from each airport. The cost is variable dependent on how many people have requested a transfer. We use official transfer companies and simply pass on the costs.

Malaga – book your flight to arrive and allow you through passport control and luggage collection no later than 1:30pm for a transfer departure time of 2pm. Budget around £55 each way

Gibraltar – the transfer will usually leave the Spanish border side around 3pm, but this is flexible dependent on when everyone is arriving. Budget around £35 each way.

PLEASE NOTE: Final costs and times are dependent on requests received and flight arrival times.

RETURN Transfers will depart on check out day at 8.30am – Travel time to Malaga Airport is one hour and 45 mins and to Gibraltar Airport is 40 mins (subject to traffic).

If your flight schedules do not align with the designated pick-up / drop-off times, then why not stay a night in stunning Malaga or on the beach in Torremolinos – both are a stone’s throw from the airport.

We will gather your transfer requirements and flight details via the Registration Form once we have received your Singing Holiday Booking.

Coach Travel – Efficient and very reliable! Malaga Airport to Algeciras via Avanza Bus. Book online or there is a ticket booth at the airport. Algeciras is a 15-minute journey to the villa in a Taxi.  

How it Works

Days are split between group singing and rehearsals, 1 to 1 sessions (3 each), and smaller group sessions in hourly classes starting from 10am through to early evening.

Don’t worry! There will be plenty of breaks and chances for Sun / Pool time!

You will be allocated a mentor for the week but you will work with all directors and coaches rotating through 3 differing classes each day. Vocal Tech, Performance Direction & Music Rehearsal for the end of week show!

Food

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner with Wine is included in the price of your holiday.

You will not go hungry on SER holidays with an ever-changing menu served en Famille. 

Lunches include: Giant Ceasar with BBQ Lemon & Oregano Chicken Breast – Grilled King Prawn with Orange & Feta Rice – Spanish Tapas Selections – Ploughman’s  Lunches – Chicken Fajitas – Home baked Quiches. All served with soup and a selection of salads.
Dinners include: Moroccan Tagine – Mixed Paella – Asparagus Risotto – Salmon en Croute with Hollandaise – Whole Roast Chicken with Wild Mushroom & Dauphinoise – Home baked Lasagnes & Moussaka.

A snack bar of biscuits, fruit and cakes keeps any hunger pangs at bay!

The Accommodation

THE VILLA

Huerta Belinda, where the Singing Holiday takes place, is a majestic large mansion in the small and natural urbanisation of El Cuarton.  It is 8km from bohemian Tarifa and its wonderful beaches.  The mansion has a beautiful pool and gardens, lovely patios for relaxing and magnificent views.  There are eight bedrooms at the villa sleeping a total of 17 people.

HOTEL MESÓN DE SANCHO

Offsite and just a 2-minute drive away is Mesón de Sancho, a quaint, traditional Spanish hotel.  The bedrooms offer heating, television, telephone, full bathroom, free Wi-Fi and the hotel itself is set in beautiful gardens for your relaxation, plus outdoor pool and gym.

Those opting to stay at the hotel will pay more reasonable sole occupancy rates, whilst still benefiting from all the facilities, meals and drinks at the villa.  Free transfers are provided between the hotel and villa.

Tarifa, Spain is the most southerly town in mainland Europe and is only 14km from Africa.  The views from Huerta Belinda look across to Africa over the Strait of Gibraltar.  Tarifa is a world-class kitesurfing destination and the Strait of Gibraltar is full of dolphins and whales who crisscross from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic.

The nearest airports are Gibraltar (30 minutes) and Málaga (1 hour 30 minutes).

Addresses:

  • Huerta Belinda, El Cuarton, Tarifa 11380, Province of Cádiz
  • Mesón de Sancho, Carretera N340 Km 94, Tarifa 11380, Province of Cádiz

Huerta Belinda

Hotel Mesón de Sancho

BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE

Prices shown include accommodation, meals, drinks & all musical tuition & activities

Contact Us

Get in touch with a member of our team

The Situation

The choir wanted to give the group:

Fresh musical energy
Deeper expressive singing
Time to reconnect as an ensemble

What they didn’t want was a conventional choir course.

They were looking for something serious enough to develop musically — but uplifting and enjoyable at the same time.

The Retreat

Thirty-six singers travelled to southern Spain for a five-day Sing Eat Retreat.

Each day balanced focused musical work with time to relax, explore the landscape and enjoy being together outside the rehearsal room.

The musical programme was led by West End musical theatre professionals, working in close collaboration with the choir’s own leadership to support the choir’s artistic goals.

Together they explored:

Vocal technique
Expressive storytelling in music
Ensemble balance and blend
Performance confidence

There were also smaller sectional sessions and coaching, allowing singers to explore their voices in more depth.

Despite several hours of singing each day, the experience never felt heavy.

“We worked hard — really hard — but it never felt tiring.
It was energising.”

The Turning Point

The real change came midweek.

As the singers relaxed into the environment and coaching style, something shifted in the ensemble sound.

Voices became freer.
Phrases became more expressive.
The choir began singing with greater emotional connection.

“Suddenly we weren’t just singing the notes anymore —we were telling the story.”

The Final Performance

The retreat concluded with a relaxed public concert for locals.
There was confidence, connection and joy.

“It felt like we were singing together again.”

Impact of the Retreat

By the end of the week the Duffers & Gruffers Choir reported stronger vocal confidence, improved ensemble blend and a renewed musical energy. But the biggest change was emotional.

“It re-ignited the joy of singing.”

Since returning to the UK, the impact has continued. The choir has embraced more expressive repertoire, rehearsals feel more relaxed and energised, and members describe the group as “better and happier” — a powerful shift for a choir that had been together for more than two decades.

Several elements made the difference: collaborative musical leadership from the SER coaches, time together beyond the rehearsal room that strengthened the choir’s sense of community, and a carefully curated programme working towards a final performance that gave the week focus and momentum.

Could This Work for Your Choir?

Many choirs reach a point where they want to refresh their sound, reconnect as an ensemble, and give members a meaningful shared experience.

Sing Eat Retreat designs private, fully tailored retreats for UK choirs, supporting and enhancing the work choir directors already do. We collaborate closely with each ensemble to create a programme that fits its repertoire, goals and singers — whether classical or contemporary.

If you would like to explore what a retreat might look like for your choir, we would be delighted to talk.

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