Rock Camp and Jazz Workshop in Bridgehampton, Long Island, Starting From Your Comfort Zone

At our summer music camp in Bridgehampton, Long Island in the Hamptons, there are 3 things that serve as the bedrock of what we do:

1. Learning music.

2. Having fun and making new friends. This is summer, time to be outside and enjoying ourselves!

3. Moving out of our comfort zone.

The key to growth in music is a two step process

1. Start in Your Comfort Zone

   Musicians come to us in our music camp in Long Island and New Jersey, with an interest and curiosity with music. We all are starting at different points in our development. One student never had lessons but loves singing along with music, another student had lessons at an early age, another student had lessons years ago and is now coming back to music. It’s all good. Come as you are, and we start from there. You wil be amazed at your growth when you are surrounded by supportive musicians and teachers.

2. Leave Your Comfort Zone

   Whether you are a beginner or advanced musician, our job is to understand your strengths and weaknesses and then nudge you out of your comfort zone. How that is done exactly is really unique to each student. There is no formula, and this is really where the art of teaching comes into play. If someone is challenged and believes he or she can make that leap, he or she will. What inspires someone to make those leaps and grow? In my opinion, it’s a mix of new skills and self-confidence, a confidence that one gains through practice, rehearsals, and performances.

A Unique Experience, Our Hamptons Summer Camp in Music in Bridgehampton, Long Island

In our Hamptons summer music camp in Bridgehampton, Long Island, Rock Camp, students get a unique experience where they learn more than music. Our musicians - whether beginners or advanced students - are taking lessons in the morning and afternoon, play in a morning and afternoon band, take electives, and have whole lot of fun with friends along the way. At the end of the week we have a concert where our student musicians will all perform covers and original music, and reach heights they did not know was possible a week ago.

In addition to learning music in out Hamptons summer camp, students also experience…

Working as Part of a Team (Band) and Making New Friends

When you are in a band at Rock Camp in Long Island, there many important skills you learn in addition to the music. You learn the give-and-take and push-and-pull of working as a team with a common goal (getting along with others, sharing your ideas, expressing yourself, compromising). When you are in a band you have to work with your fellow musicians to create amazing music for a concert. What makes this a cool experience is that along the way you are having a whole lot of fun, making new friends, and you have teacher who loves to share his or her knowledge to make sure everyone is growing along the way.

Self-Confidence That Only Comes With Performance

Students in our Hamptons summer camp in Long Island, whether beginners or experienced, are transformed in a certain way as they prepare for the concert and finally perform at the end of the week.

Why is this?

Students learn to believe in themselves because as they build new skills, hour by hour, they realize, “Hey, I can do this!” As they practice their instrument, whether that is voice, piano, guitar, saxophone or any instrument, they realize, “Hey, I am improving. What seemed impossible is within reach.”

And when they reach a certain level of accomplishment in rehearsal and in performance, they understand in an intuitive way that if they can do this in music, they can probably do it in anything they put their mind to. It’s a quiet confidence that no one can give you. You earn it yourself and we make sure you reach your potential.

Music, Art, Dance, Theater Summer Camp in Long Island...The Art of Warming Up

At Rock Camp and later in our afternoon Jazz Workshop in Bridgehampton, Long Island, we talk learn music from many angles. In today’s Grapevine post, let’s look at warming up. This is applicable for artists, musicians, actors, dancers, and artists. Click here to see all of our camps and classes this summer in Long Island.

Relaxing. I normally start out with major scales, playing around the circle of 5ths with one scale flowing into the next, up and down the piano. While I am doing this I am thinking of one thing - relaxing. I pay attention to my hands, fingers, shoulders, my chest, my breathing, my face, my feet, and legs. If I feel tension, I let the tension go. It’s a kind of meditation and just being aware of your body.

I also think about letting go of tension in my fingers and hands. Years ago, I injured my left hand after a long day in the practice room working playing 10th with my left hand, so playing C with my left hand pinky and my thumb play E just above the octave, all at the same time). I saw how the great pianist Hank Jones and others made this a part of their playing. Anyway, at the time the adrenaline was pumping and I felt great, I was straining, but so what…I played through it, as if I was at the gym. Bad idea. I ended up injuring my left hand and not being able to play from 3 or 4 months.

Stay Nimble. It’s like baseball or soccer…In baseball when you hold the bat and the ball is coming to you, your muscles are ready as you are about to swing. When you hit the ball though, you drop the bat and run to first base. All that muscle tension is released after you strike the ball, or if you are a soccer player after you kick the ball. When I play a note and when I get to the bottom of the note, the bed so to speak, I try to relax my finger and hand. This way I can stay nimble and ready to go in any direction at any moment.

I have to say that when I see videos of myself performing, sometimes I will see certain body movements and there may be some tension. I am still working on this concept myself! Nonetheless, this is a concept I try to work on every day so it stays top of mind. There is a whole technique, called the Alexander Technique, which takes this idea of letting go of tension to another level. It is also specific to your art form.

3 Things that make our Hamptons Summer Camp in the Arts a Unique Experience

In our summer camp arts programs in the Hamptons, located in the heart of Bridgehampton, Long Island, students of all ages can choose from a variety of art forms and then focus on mastering skills in either music, art, dance, and theater. Here are 3 things that make our summer art programs different.

1. Students choose a specific art form to focus on.

   If a student has an interest in music, art, dance or theater, he or she will study with master musicians, artists, dancers, and actors for several hours a day on that specific art form. Why this approach as opposed to a more general approach where students study a variety of subjects? It’s important to us that students gain concrete skills in addition to an inspiring experience. For this reason students perform in an end of the week concert or have an art exhibit or a dance recital or perform a play.

2. We are not school….This is Summer!

   Our goal is for every student to have an incredibly fun experience AND explore their interests and come out this experience 10 notches higher in terms of technique, approaches, and inspiration in their chosen field of music, art, dance, and theater. We have a very welcoming and friendly atmosphere. We feel that once students are having fun and making friends, the learning falls right into place.

3. Our Staff

So all of our teachers are experts in their field and are also busy pursuing their career in their chosen art form. Why is this important? In my experience, teachers who also performers/working artists generally can take you from point A to Point B very very quickly. They are practical. While they know theory, they are not lost in the clouds….because they know deadlines, and what it means to prepare for a recording, concert, art exhibit, play, or movie where one must learn new skills while also exercising time management.

A second feature the makes are staff special is that they love sharing their knowledge with others. We love seeing that light shine bright in students when they are inspired or understand a concept for the first time or perform in a way that they did not imagine was possible just a few days ago.

The Art of Teaching, Summer Music Camp in Long Island and New Jersey

As we prepare for our music camps in Long Island and New Jersey at Rock Camp and Jazz Workshop, we always ask ourselves how can our teaching have the biggest impact on our students, and what makes for a great teacher? There are a few things that make Rock Camp and Jazz Workshop an amazing experience for our students.

1. We meet students where they are. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced student. It doesn’t matter. We meet you where you are and we push you 10 notches higher to a level you did not think was possible.

   2. Whether you are learning a song by Nirvana, Miles Davis, Taylor Swift, or Duke Ellington. We help you understand the harmony and how the architecture of the song, how it’s built. This gives you knowledge and the inspiration to not only learn and play the existing music, but also space to create your own music.

   3. Space and Nadia Boulanger. This is something that one of the greatest music teachers of the 20th century, Nadia Boulanger, gave to her students - knowledge of the structures and techniques used in great works of music in addition to inspiration, space, and encouragement for the student to then create his or own music. Seems like the art of teaching then lies in how to balance those two concepts - knowledge/analysis of music and one’s own creativity/voice. Finding that right approach then lies in the teacher’s awareness of where the student is in his or her development and what is the next step. Some consider Nadia Boulanger one of the most influential teachers after Socrates. She taught many of the greats of the 20th century, Igor Stravinsky (Rite of Spring, Firebird), Quincy Jones (Wrote and arranged for Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and Michael Jackson…Thriller and more), Astor Piazzola the amazing tango composer who fused the music of Argentine with jazz, George Gershwin (Rhapsody on Blue), and many many other great musicians.

   Here is a great article on Nadia Boulanger that just came out from the BBC.

2. Making music is fun, especially when playing with your friends! Let’s face it, people learn from teachers but they also learn from their friends and peers. It’s that synergy, that group energy when you are making music with others that makes the whole experience fun and fulfilling. After all, this is summer! At Rock Camp and Jazz Workshop in Long Isand and New Jersey, we don’t see ourselves as some sort of school….we see ourselves as an enrichment experience where students can be 100% themselves, learn a ton, and have a whole lot of fun along the way.

Here are some of the musicians who were influenced by the great teacher Nadia Boulanger. Herbie Hancock and orchestra playing George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

Stravinsky (Firebird)

Astor Piazzolla (Libertango, played here with To To Ma)

Quincy Jones (Wrote/Arranged music for Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, and many others)

It's All About Your Sound, Music Camp in Long Island and New Jersey

In Rock Camp and Jazz Workshop our music summer camp in Long Island, Bridgehampton, and Lebanon, New Jersey, we focus on what makes a great sound on your instrument. Whether you are a pianist, guitarist, drummer, singer, or whatever your instrument is, your sound is your what makes your music unique to you.

Often times many teachers will focus on the “what.” This is the scale that works over this harmony, and that is something we need to know, but there is something more important than that, your sound. Your sound or your voice on your instrument is what draws the listener closer to the music. It is something unique to you and something that should be developed side by side with learning music techniques, harmony, and rhythm.

So how does one work on one’s sound? For wind instruments, saxophone, flute, trumpet, etc…, you will focus on your breath and embouchure paying attention to things like vibrato, and your approach to how you play the note (legato, staccato). For pianists, guitarists, bassists, and drummers we pay attention to playing without tension, your attack (how you strike the note, thinking like a drummer), the position of your body and how that can change your sound.

Working on one’s sound is a process that takes place over time, and just having that awareness will help you create a sound that is personal and unique to you, a voice that expresses all you have to say in music!

Here are a few examples of musicians with distinct voices on their instruments.

The Premier Summer Camp in the Hamptons, Music, Art, Dance, Theater

If you are looking for a different kind of summer camp experience, and curious to explore the worlds of music, art, dance, and theater this summer, then you are in the right spot. In our fine and performing arts camp in the Bridgehampton we have 5 different programs, both day camps and adult afternoon classes, where you can explore and learn new skills while having a lot of fun along the way!

MUSIC - We have Rock Camp during the day, 9-3, where students will learn up to 2 instruments, will be in a morning and afternoon bands, have electives, and perform at an end of the week concert. In the afternoons we have adult lessons from 3-5, and a program called Jazz Workshop for those interested in the world of jazz.

ART - Our art program is called Diving into Art where students learn acrylic paining in our first week and in our second week explore watercolor painting. Like in music there are electives in the afternoon and there is an end of the week student art exhibit for friends, family, and the public. Adult classes are held 3-5 pm.

DANCE - Dance Intensive is structured as a hip hop workshop and meets 3-6 pm. It is led by Carlos Neto one of the leading figures in dance, choreography, and teaching in the world (Alvin Ailey, NYU, Broadway Dance Center). This is designed with students 12-18 in mind, beginners-advanced students welcome.

THEATER - Theater Workshop is a two week program and this summer we will explore the play/musical, Little Shop off Horrors. Theater workshop meets in the afternoons, 3-6 pm.

JAZZ WORKSHOP - Jazz Workshop is an afternoon camp for middle and high school students, college students and adults that meets daily from 3-5 pm. Students play in ensembles and learn the art and craft of playing jazz in terms of rhythm, harmony, and improvisation.

For More Info and Details, Check out our Site.

You Be You: Music, Art, Dance, and Theater Camps in Bridgehampton, NY and Lebanon, NJ

One of the benefits for those that come to our summer camps and classes in the Hamptons and New Jersey, Rock Camp, Jazz Workshop. Diving into Art, Dance Intensive, and Theater Workshop is that you are doing two things at the same time.

I once has a teacher that asked me what was a guitar. What is it? Well, it’s carved wood with steel or nylon strings, etc… The teacher shook his head, no, no, no. He smiled and said the guitar is a reflection of you! When you are studying to learn and master an art form this concept becomes more apparent every day. Through learning an art form you start to learn more and more about yourself. The second thing you realize is that while it’s important you work on your individual skills, it is also important to work well with others, to cooperate, challenge and support your fellow musicians, artists, dancers, and actors. These two ideas are not only important in the arts, but life in general!

Looking forward to seeing everyone this July!

An Inner Confidence Rises Up, Music, Art, Dance, Theater Camp in the Hamptons

Through the years I have noticed an inner confidence emerge from students in our music, art, dance, theater camp in the Hamptons and New Jersey. Something happens when someone throws himself or herself into something and creates something that they never thought was possible.

When students arrive at our music camp, our art camp, our theater camp, and our dance camp in the Hamptons and New Jersey, there is a mix of excitement and maybe a bit of nervous energy. It’s amazing to see how this feeling transforms into a certain confidence that comes through performance and sharing your talents with your peers, family, and the public. It’s not showy…it’s a kind of quiet, inner confidence that radiates outward that’s built on accomplishments that they have seen through on their own with their fellow musicians, dancers, artists, and actors.

How a "Mistake" in Music Can Say So Much, Rock Camp, Jazz Workshop, Dance Intensive, Theater Workshop in New Jersey and the Hamptons

One of the benefits of learning music is you learn to adapt to change in the moment. Creating something whether its music, art, dance, or theater, you have to work as a team, and embracing change is part of that. This is something you will learn and experience at Rock Camp, Jazz Workshop, Dance Intensive, and Theater Workshop in New Jersey and the Hamptons. The bass player may be rushing the beat a little bit, the drummer forgets the cue going to the bridge, an actor forgets a line, a painter makes a brush stroke he didn’t intend. What do you do, especially if it’s during a live performance?

Here is a fascinating video of the great pianist Herbie Hancock talking about making a “mistake” at the piano in a performance with the trumpeter Miles Davis. Herbie talks about cringing when it happened, but then he talks about how MIles Davis heard what happened and altered his notes to make his “mistake” something perfect. Herbie goes to say how this experience taught him to approach music and life differently. So good, check it out.

Summer Performing Arts Camp in the Hamptons and New Jersey, Music, Art, Dance, Theater

If you have a passion for either music, art, dance, or theater, we welcome you to our summer camp in the Hamptons, Long Island, or our campus in Lebanon, New Jersey. Our summer camps are for all ages (Adults, College, High school, and middle school) and include Rock Camp, Jazz Workshop, Diving Into Art, Dance Intensive, and Theater Workshop. Wherever your passion lies, we have you covered, and encourage you to dive in and get inspired this summer.

Give us a call or email and we can tell you more, (908) 230-6079, HMSRockCamp@gmail.com.

• In Rock Camp students having morning and afternoon lessons, morning and afternoon bands, electives, and perform at the end of the week for friends, family and the public.

• In Jazz Workshop students perform in ensembles, learn to improvise, and understand how harmony works. Students perform a concert for friends, family, and the public.

• In Diving Into Art students learn acrylic painting in Session I (July 18-22, Hamptons) and Watercolor Painting (July 25-29, Hamptons). There are electives in the afternoon and each week culminates with a public exhibit at the end of the week.

• In Dance Intensive students engage in our hip hop workshop taught by one of the leading dancer/choreographers in the dance world, Carlos Neto (Alvin Ailey, Broadway Dance Center, NYU). There is a performance at the end of the week for family, friends, and the general public. (July 18-22 only, Hamptons).

• In Theater Workshop students will perform the musical Little Shop of Horrors. This camp is two weeks long, July 18-22 and then July 24-28 in the Hamptons.

Summer Music Camp in Long Island

We have three amazing music programs for students of all ages at our music camp in Long Island: Rock Camp, Jazz Workshop, and Adult Lessons.

Rock Camp

This is what a day on Rock Camp looks like:

9 am - Morning Meeting. Everyone meets up outside for a short hands on workshop. One day it could on poly-rhythms from Africa, Cuba, or Brazil. Then next day, we may have a 15 minuet jam session where everyone takes out their instrument (we have keyboards for the pianists), and we learn a new song as a group. Another day, there may be our morning meeting be on acapella singing: This is also a time for everyone to socialize and for us to come together as a whole community.

9:30 - 10:30 - Lessons. You will meet with your respective teacher and have a lesson on your instrument. This may be a private lesson or you may be in a small group with fellow musicians. You may be new to music or you may be experienced. All the same, come as you are. This is a time to really dig and learn your instrument.

10:30-Noon - Morning Band. You will meet up with your band teacher and with your fellow students you will learn songs that make up Rock n Roll. That could mean music that was released last year to music from the Beatles. Rock is like a very wide umbrella and there are many sub styles under it….we get into most all of them. You also will get into songwriting and creating original music with your group.

12-12:30 - Lunch. Relax, hang with your new friends, eat, get your second wind.

12:30-1 - Play volleyball, play music with your friends on your own. There is a different outdoor activity every day.

1-2 - Afternoon Lessons. Here you can either study a second instrument or study vocals, or you can have a second lesson on your main instrument.

2-3 - Afternoon Band. Here you will be a new band, new teacher and different students from your morning band.

FRIDAY - CONCERT FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, PUBLIC.

Jazz Workshop

Our jazz camp in New Jersey and the Hamptons is meant for musicians who want to take their music to another level in terms of improvising, finding their creative voice, and making music with like minded musicians who love music as much as you do. We have an adult class, a class for high school musicians, and a separate division for our middle school musicians in our jazz camp which meets in July in the afternoons, 3-5 pm (July 11-15 in New Jersey, and July 18-22 in the Hamptons). Whether you are an adult, a college students, a high schooler, or someone own middle school hungry to learn, you will find a welcome home here at Jazz Workshop.

Adult Lessons

This is a program that offers private and small group lessons to adults looking to learn and instrument or an advanced musician looking to take his or her music to another level. The exact curriculum is designed around the interest and goals of the student.

Summer Jazz Camp in New Jersey and Long Island, Jazz Workshop

Jazz Workshop is a music camp in New Jersey and the Hamptons that aims to take students to a higher level through mastering their instrument or voice, how to solo, how to understand harmony, and inspiring students to find their individual voice in music.

Let’s look at George Gershwin’s song, Summertime, as an example of how we can dive into the music.

1. As a baseline for improvising on this song we need to know that we are in the key of d minor, and everyone will play the triads for d minor, g minor, and A major, root position and with inversions.

2. We see in measure 2 and 3, that we have a ii-V-i pattern. The II-V-I and it’s minor key equivelent, ii-V-i, is a harmonic cornerstone to many jazz songs, particularly music of the American Songbook. So after understanding this we need to put this knowledge in our fingers, voice, and become fluent with playing II-V-I’s passages in different ways and in different keys.

3. What about improvising? Well, there are many approaches we can take. A macro approach, and a way to just start getting into the music would be to review the d and g harmonic minor scales, as well as the f major scale. The d harmonic minor scale (d-e-f-g-a-b flat-c sharp) can be used over measure 1-3, 7-11, 14-16 while the g harmonic minor scale (g-a-b flat-c-d-e flat-f sharp) can be used in measures 4-6. The F major scale can be used in measures 12 and 13.

This is only one of many ways to start creating your own melodies over the song. Initially it’s important to learn the building blocks (scales, arpeggios, etc..), but once you have this understanding, one needs to throw this knowledge out the window in a way, and start creating melodies and lines that come from your voice, your own creativity, what you are hearing into the music. Then the music really comes alive and will inspire you and everyone listening!

Music Camp in New Jersey and Hamptons, 3 Things to Know

I have seen a few different approaches to music camps/education.....At Rock Camp and Jazz Workshop, our summer music camp in New Jersey and the Hamptons, I can confidently say we are the 3rd approach, without a doubt!

1. A fluffy-music-appreciation type of experience - that's not us (I am having flashbacks to when my children were very young and we took a few of these classes).

2. A hardcore conservatory approach (i.e Manhatten School of Music, Julliard...this is great but it's meant for older students and is meant as a pre-professional, bootcamp approach) -that's definitely not us either......

3. Banff Approach (a great center for the arts in western Canada). This is us!

The environment is social, fun, friendly, and students are inspired to learn and create as much from their teachers as their fellow musicians. You are surrounded by teachers who are pursuing careers in music who love to share with others. An interest in music or anything I suppose, is something that should be nurtured and allowed to grow at the same time.

Rock Camp & Jazz Workshop, The Premier Music Camp for Summer 2022 in the Hamptons, Long Island and New Jersey

If you love music, you are in the right spot. Rock Camp and Jazz Workshop are two summer camp programs happening this summer in the Hamptons and New Jersey in which students of all ages, teens, adults gather to learn music in a fun and inspiring environment.

ROCK CAMP…..What We DO!

Meets 9-3 pm

At Rock Camp we start with a brief morning meeting where all students meet up and there is a 20 minute hands on workshop (one day could be polyrhythms, another day the music from another country, jam session, etc..).

- We then dive into morning lessons (instrumental or vocals). Students can choose a second instrument for afternoon lessons.

- Students then join their morning band (music chosen in collaboration with teacher, usually spans the history of the music, from the 50's/60's to a song that came out last month. Students also work on original music.

- We break for lunch and students then have time to relax and hang with their friends.....then volleyball, soccer, or they play with others on their own. Teachers also meet with students 1-1.

- Then we have electives, more niche topics (song writing, reading/writing, African drumming, harmony, improvisation, solo guitar, learning logic, sibelius, etc....).

- Afternoon Lessons.

- Afternoon Band, a different band and teacher than the morning.

- At the end of the week students then do a performance for family, friends, and the public.

Jazz Workshop…..What We DO!

Meets 3-5 pm

Jazz Workshop is a music summer camp and workshop in the Hamptons and New Jersey that meets in the afternoons and its goal is to teach students how to play jazz through:

• Lessons (private or small group).

• Ensembles, learning and playing music from the jazz repertoire (Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Dave Brubeck, and many others).

• Instruction on improvisation, harmony and chords, and learning to master your instrument as you grow as a musician and find your voice and sound.