Hamptons Summer Camp, Summer 2025 Dates, July 14-18, July 21-24

Happy to announce our dates for our Hamptons summer camp tucked away in the beautiful town of Bridgehampton, close to Sag Harbor, Southampton, East Hampton and Water Mill. We will be in session the week of July 14-18 and July 21-24.

Our goal is simple. We seek to inspire every student to new heights in their learning, while having a whole lot of fun along the way!

You will have the opportunity explore the world of music (Rock Camp, Jazz Workshop, Adult Music), the world of art and ceramics (Diving into Art, Explore Ceramics, Adult Explore Ceramics), the world of theater (Theater Workshop), and mouthwatering culinary classes (Feast in the Kitchen).

As we have done for over ten years, kids, teens, and adults will have an amazing opportunity to learn from master musicians, artists, and actors who are doing both innovative work in their chosen fields and who also love to share their knowledge.

Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced student, and whether you are a kid, teen, or adult, you always have a seat at the table at our camps and classes.

See this July at our summer camp in Bridgehampton!

Summer 2024 Dates

Wherever your passion lies in the arts - music, art, ceramics, dance, theater, culinary - we have an amazing experience waiting for you this summer! Here are our dates down below. See you soon, an d if you have any questions, just give us a ring at (908) 230-6079

Bridgehampton, NY

That's a Wrap, Summer 2023

Yesterday was the last day of our summer camps and classes for students of all ages, including our adult classes, in music, art, ceramics, theater, and dance. So proud of how every single student explored their chosen art form in such a deep, thoughtful, and collaborative way. Everyone worked together as a team to reach a new level and it was a whole lot of fun along the way! On behalf of all of the teachers of Rock Camp, Diving into Art, Explore Ceramics, Dance Intensive, Theater Workshop, and Jazz Workshop in Bridgehampton, New York City, and Lebanon, NJ - thank you!

Music, Art, Dance Summer Camp in the Hamptons, Lessons From a Book About Tennis

All of our arts camps and classes in Bridgehampton, NY - Rock Camp, Diving Into Art, Dance Intensive, Explore Ceramics, and Theater Workshop - are all about exploring each type of and having a whole lot of fun along the way. We want to inspire students and have them internalize how one can rise to new heights with curiosity, practice, and team work.

It’s also worth noting one’s positive attitude and headspace plays an important role when learning something new or improving upon what you already know. There is a book called the Inner Game of Tennis which dives into this. Bill Gates says of the book, “Groundbreaking . . . [ The Inner Game of Tennis is] the best book on tennis that I have ever read, and its profound advice applies to many other parts of life.”

How does this book about tennis apply to our arts camps and classes in the Hamptons? The Inner Game of Tennis basically says that to achieve greatness on the court there is an outer game and an inner game. The outer game would include things like technique, conditioning, strength, agility, etc…. The inner game is about calming any self-doubts, fears of embarrassment, doubt, lapses in focus, or having limiting assumptions.

So how does one go about winning the inner game when it comes to say music performance? At Rock Camp and in all our programs we make sure students understand:

1. Come as You Are. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced artists, we are all learning (literally everyone). So just show up and with a can do attitude, we build from there.

2. We Are All Human. Mistakes are made all the time on stage…all the time. What’s important is you recover from those mistakes in real time.

3. With Knowledge and Practice Comes Confidence. You know those butterflies you feel before a performance? Well, they never really disappear, but something very cool happens when you starting gaining real skill and technique. That nervous energy transforms into a something that helps you and gives you momentum….it’s almost as if catch the wave and now you are riding it.

The inner game takes place within the mind of the player and is played against such obstacles as fear, self-doubt, lapses in focus, and limiting concepts or assumptions. The inner game is played to overcome the self-imposed obstacles that prevent an individual or team from accessing their full potential.

Summer 2023 Dates for Bridgehampton Summer Camp for the Arts, Adult Classes

SESSION I, JULY 10-14

• Rock Camp, 9-3 pm

• Diving Into Art (Acrylic), 9-3 pm

AFTERNOON CLASSES

• Explore Ceramics, 3-5 pm

• Dance Intensive (Hip Hop Masterclass), 3-5 pm

• Jazz Workshop (Middle, High School, Adult Levels), 3-5 pm

• Adult Music 3-5 pm

• Adult Ceramics 5-6 pm

• Adult Dance 5-6 pm

SESSION II, JULY 17-21

• Rock Camp, 9-3 pm

• Diving Into Art (Watercolor), 9-3 pm

AFTERNOON CLASSES

• Explore Ceramics, 3-5 pm

• Adult Music 3-5 pm

• Adult Ceramics 5-6 pm

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)

Summer Camp in the Hamptons, a Different Kind of Performing Arts Camp

Tucked away in Hamptons right in Bridgehampton, New York is a summer camp dedicated to students exploring the worlds of music, art, dance, and theater. Our summer camp programs are meant to nurture that inner curiosity for the arts and build it up with skills and inspiration. We want all of our students to learn and have a whole lot of fun with their peers along the way!

In Rock Camp students from beginners-advanced, have lessons on their instrument throughout the day, perform in two different bands, and have many electives. If music is not your thing, we have an art summer camp, Diving into Art which explores acrylic painting one week and watercolor painting the next. If you love to dance, we have an amazing dance camp in the afternoon focussed on hip hop with one of the world’s leading dancers, Carlos Neto. And if you love the stage, we have a theater camp called Theater Workshop which meets for two weeks in the afternoon and will present the musical Little Shop of Horrors. In addition, we have a jazz program in the afternoon for those musicians looking to explore the world of jazz.

All of our camp programs have an end of the week concert, art exhibit, dance recital, and a theater performance. We also have adult classes in music and art in the afternoon for very beginners-advanced students.

We look forward to seeing you this summer. Whatever your passion or curiosity is in the arts, we are here to help you dive in and come out on the other side with new found skills and inspiration!

Summer Jazz Camp in New Jersey and the Hamptons

At Jazz Workshop, our afternoon music camp in Lebanon, New Jersey, and Bridgehampton, New York, we will learn many many songs in the jazz world. Let’s take a look at Blue Bossa which we could potentially checkout check out. If so, we would learn the melody, harmony and what scales work over which chords. The bassists would learn various bass lines in addition to working on soloing. Pianists and guitarists would work not only on the chords and improvisation but also how to play a montuno pattern. Horn players and singers would work on the melody, phrasing, improvisation, discovering horn lines, and much more.

The trickiest part of this song for many musicians is towards the end where there is a II-V-I to D flat major (E flat minor, A flat 7th, D flat Major 7th). Down below are various ways we would approach learning to solo over this section which works well whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced musician.

That Initial Curiosity and Fascination with Music, Rock Camp and Jazz Workshop in New Jersey and the Hamptons

What draws people to music? Where does that magnetic pull come from? At Rock Camp and Jazz Workshop in New Jersey and the Hamptons we recognize that this kind of curiosity is a special thing. It’s a spark that we like to nurture, challenge, and develop though our lessons, bands, electives and performances. It’s a special thing because if you are surrounded by people who have a combination of knowledge and generous spirit, that spark will grow, grow, and grow.

Ray Charles talks about his first piano teacher and you can hear in his voice how that initial curiosity and fascination was nurtured and challenged to grow. Check it out.

Jazz Workshop Camp in Lebanon, New Jersey and Bridgehampton, Long Island

In Jazz Workshop, our afternoon camp in Lebanon, New Jersey (Hunterdon County) and Bridgehampton, NY (Suffolk County, Long Island) at our campus held at Acorn Montessori School, we will dive deep into the music and have a whole lot fun along the way!

Let’s take a look at a song by Miles Davis, “So What.” Not sure if we will decide on this one, but if so, this is how we would approach it.

• The Melody and Harmony. Horn players would learn the melody, pianists/guitarists would learn how to voice the chords, bass players would learn to walk a bass line, and drummers would work on swinging.

• Improvisation. We would talk about what modes and scales work you could use over the song, and then more importantly we would talk about phrasing. A great solo is like a great monologue…it’s not just the words or in our case the notes….it’s how one emphasizes notes, uses space, cadence, and how one brings out their individuality that really matters.

• Ensemble Playing. If soloing is similar to make a great speech, than ensemble playing is similar to having a great conversation with friends. We will talk and learn to play in a way where we are responding (as well as supporting and challenging our fellow musicians) thereby creating music that is greater than the sum of its part, music that is human, and sounds that connect with both your fellow musicians and your audience.

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.

Jazz Camp in New Jersey and the Hamptons

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.

Many musicians in our jazz camp ask about soloing and how to improvise. A few things come to mind.

1. A great solo is like a great story. Just like a great story, whether its a movie or in a book, has an arch, the same is true in music. There is a narrative that one can follow, with a theme or various themes. There is a beginning, middle, and an end. There is dialogue which translates into how a soloist articulates his or her ideas and uses spaces, pauses, exclamations, just like when we speak.

2. The soloist’s ideas are tied into the harmony of the music, and when it’s not connected to the harmony (when someone plays outside the key for instance) it’s done in a purposeful way.

3. A solo is alive, in the moment, and responds and interacts with the band playing.

There are many many amazing soloists in jazz, each with his or her unique voice. Here is the great Sonny Rollins soloing over his song St. Thomas.