Music Camp Testimonials

On this page, in their own words, our students and their parents tell you what they think of the Music Camp experience.

CAMPER "J.S."

Last year I was lucky enough to attend the New York SQUIRREL Music Festivus (Music Camp). I got to play music with talented people of all ages that, like me, enjoyed and felt what they were playing. Through music, I made a lot of new friends. My playing improved tremendously. What was hard for me to play before, I was practically able to do in my sleep. I was part of the Symphonic Band, the Brass Ensemble, the Jazz Band, Wind Ensemble, excellent private lessons and an acting class. They inspired me to want to learn another instrument and so, I have been taking bass guitar lessons since September. I would love to go back because the opportunities at Music Camp to grow as a musician and a person are endless.

CAMPER "N.B."

In 2008 I went to Music Camp and though other things came up and I didn't get a chance to go back. I will always remember the experience and how we sang Zadok the Priest and Serenade to Music. I think it was somehow thanks to Music Camp that I am now a freshman at SUNY Oneonta. so I just want to say thanks for the memories.keep it squirrley guys

EMAILS FROM WONDERFUL PARENTS!

• We wanted to thank you for a great first session for Sam at Music Camp. We were so excited about the amazing program, faculty and students you have assembled. It seems like your program is really taking off in just the short time of its existence. The spirit, dedication and joy evident in your faculty members was inspiring and contagious! Emily (Sam's 11 year old sister) is dying to come next summer- she's a vocalist (does jazz gigs with us regularly), violinist, guitarist, song writer, musical theatre/dance kid so Music Camp is a veritable feast of goodies to her!

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• Music Camp is doing alot of good! We are in the process of searching for colleges where Alex can major in music. This could not have happened without Music Camp.

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• thank you for taking so well care of our son. he loved beeing there and had a great time. we are all very happy.
  please say to thank you to all the teachers. he had no complain. he said they all were wonderful and he learned a lot and had fun. thank you

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• Thank you for posting these. It is wonderful for a parent to get to see what is going on (and some pictures of my son !)

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• I picked my daughter, Allegra, up from camp this past Saturday night. She had a wonderful time learning jazz these past 2 weeks and would like to thank all her teachers.

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• I just wanted to write to let you know how amazing the Madrigal and Select Choir concerts were last weekend (end of session 2). Matt Glandorf did an outstanding job with the students and the performances reflected this. My son, Seth, was in both ensembles and has been in many choral concerts over the past few years at Music Camp and other places and these two groups were among the best he has ever participated in.

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• Hello, I`ve just sent another 2 hour private lessons payment as the girls would like more... they told me they are very very glad and find the festival fantastic ! take care, Ketty

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• we received the brochures this morning and the girls are dreaming again (and violining and celloing hard again). I will buy the flight tickets asap to be sure they can start their festival along with the others arriving on the 12th July. And I do hope to find earlier flights ; I will try my best and let you know. (or maybe if I must contact someone else, please let me know their names).
  As I told Slippery Jim DiGriz a few days ago, the girls wish to stay 1 month this time ; for you (and for us parents) it means the festival is really a success and I wish you and your team another great success this year (together with lots of other satisfactions in your personal lives of course!).

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• I want to tell you how pleased we are with the concert DVD and CD's you produced. They are EXCELLENT! Thank you for your hard work on them.

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• We wanted to say how much our son Max enjoyed Music Camp. He came home "inspired and on fire"! He has a new drive to succeed and even decided to change to tougher private instructor.
• Thanks to the staff and faculty for providing such a great experience!

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• I want to thank you, and the entire Music Camp team, for the wonderful two weeks that my son, Jamie, just had at camp. He grew as a musician and as a person (did his own laundry!) and had a great time. He’s looking forward to next year, perhaps to a longer stay.

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• I just wanted to say thank you very much for all your support to my daughter. Mitsuko enjoyed Music Camp very much, learned a lot from great teachers, and made good friends there. (Note: She used her middle name "Alex" at Music Camp because it's easy for American friends to remember.) My daughter particularly appreciated the fact that kids (of course, faculty, too) at Music Camp were very serious about music (because sometimes her friends at music school are not that serious about music, and that upsets my daughter). She talks about Music Camp every day and wants to return to Music Camp next summer. She also share with me about your speech at the last concert which I believe was held on Saturday, July 26th. She said that you talked about the importance of "listening" -- not just referring to listening to the music but also human ability (i.e., parents listened kids' interest and desire of coming to Music Camp so they were able to come to Music Camp, listening has a great power in every day life, etc.) She said that you really inspired and encouraged. She also said that you are very funny and she loves you!

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• I can't thank enough for you, Daniel, Ms. Kim and everyone at Music Camp who made my daughter's summer so enjoyable and memorable. Thank you.

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• I find it so true that although one may not remember everything and exactly what his/her learned in school including ABC and Algebra, s/he will never forget the teachers name and the impact that they made on him/her, not to mention the great memory that they created together. In this case, you, Daniel Spenser, Ms. Kim, Brenda Earl (who taught my daughter Jazz keyboard and Jazz vocal) and Rachel (classic music teacher), and I am sorry if I left anyone, and Music Camp (my daughter calls it "Niz-Mif"), are "great teachers" to my daughter, and she will definitely remember and cherish for years.

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• Thanks again for your strong leadership, passion for music and education, and dedication to children's happiness & growth.

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• Your website is enormously entertaining - the FAQ answers made me laugh out loud. It says a lot for your program to have a tone of fun while conveying the high quality of learning that you offer. Congratulations.

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• Laura is over the moon about camp.

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• We are impressed with how organized the camp is and want to thank you. Zack has called in that he is learning a lot and having a great time! Just wanted to give you some positive feedback. All the kids seem to be really learning a lot, meeting news friends, and having a great time. Zack has called home a few time telling us how wonderful it is.

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• Thank you for the opportunity to teach at Music Camp. I am in awe of the complexity of your camp and am in admiration of the faculty you have assembled and their commitment to the kids and to their own standards.

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• Good morning…I just wanted to say that my daughter (Anusha) had a terrific time at the camp – it was her first year to attend…and well worth the trek from Ontario, Canada.
  
  She found her teachers to be very informative, kind, and lots of fun. She made good friendships – and really, really enjoyed the whole experience.
  
  I also want to acknowledge that I did send a fair amount of emails to Music Camp before and after she enrolled – and they were always answered quickly and courteously.
  
  Many thanks again – and I was also able to enjoy 3 concerts at the end of week 1.
  
  Regards,Angela

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• An⁄e - i sure will :):) Music Camp had been one of the bes experiences of my life! :):)

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FACEBOOK STATUSES

Jason Loading the car to head to Oneonta, NY for 6 weeks. The person who wrote The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year clearly didn't teach at Music Camp. Love this camp!

Taylor it was the right time, the right place, the right people... i couldn't have asked for it any better :)

Dina "My girls don't want to leave & I'm going to miss everyone in Music Camp"!

I've spent the last seven weeks getting all comfy here ... and now i have to put everything back into boxes in two days. I already miss the world of Music Camp.

Kristin misses band camp.

April heyy california's WAY hotter than oneonta. i kinda miss the thunderstorms, actually =/
wish i could go back!
how are you?

Emily woke up this morning, put on her lanyard, said time to go to the cafeteria, was excited to see her friends, play Mahler 1, and then realized she wasn't at Music Camp anymore :( Damn I really miss my friends at Music Campon Monday

Natasha wants to be at Music Camp
Natasha: How's Music Camp withdrawal? It's terrible for me.

Elizabeth: I love band camp and I miss it and I most of all miss Ericaaaaa (I was just singing btw)

Carina wants ben to come and pick her up and bring her back to camp!!!!!! :( I misss my camp friends. Except, BENNNN won't pick me up and drive me back there! He's chilling at camp because he got to stay an extra 2 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!! :( And I wanna go back and see Claudio, Ben, and Virginia. Plus some other random people I'm forgetting! :(

Emily Yeah next year I'll prolly stay for 4 weeks. I wish I could of stayed but I have to go to Saratoga in 2 weeks Hey I really miss you guys :(

Emily This is ultimate nerd music camp for 2 weeks. Intense rehearsals in symphony MAHLER 1 :), Music Theory w Tony, Chamber Music, wearing jeans and a sweater on July 4th, feeding fish, terrible food in the cafe, getting excited to order REAL FOOD, bugs, beds practically on the floor, Chamber Orchestra w obscure concertos and Mozart 36 hurting our arms, Festival Choir with the whole entire camp, the amazing talented students/faculty, and no doubt having a lot of FUN AND A BUNCH OF LAUGHS WITH THE BEST PEOPLE

Judy
Music Camp...room 222...floor 2...session 2. missing it already =[

Javier back to Spain... miss Music Camp...

Nick is at Music Camp
Javier
U WENT TO Music Camp?!?!!? I JUST LEFT!!
Nick
that stinks how was the first two sessions?
Javier
it was awesome. really really good. I hope third one is too.

Kate misses Music Camp and all the people I met there

Jisoo Music Camp..... come back~~~

Emily I'm nervous for Saratoga tomorrow since Ive gotten accustomed to Music Camp I hope Saratoga and the music program will be fun and as good at Music Camp

Emily Hey Stephanie how are the new campers? I really miss you! What was the name of the bible passage you read to me and Brandon? I wish I could of stayed but I have to go to another Music camp in 2 weeks prolly next year Ill stay for 4 weeks.

Rachel : have fun at IFI =) Tell me how it goes I really REALLY REALLY wish I could be there this year

Taylor lalalala Music Camp.

Maximilian I'm not A geek for going to music camp.I actually played the national anthem for the oneonta tigers!

Jisoo can't believe Music Camp is over-it went way too fast... it's almost as if I never left my house.....

Cassandra is missing Music Camp

Kate My two weeks well spent at an amazing music camp

Emma
this year was unbelievably unbelievable. i love Music Camp even more than last year. and i am deff being a cit.

Joe
how can we wait a whole freaking year lol!??

Laura
Music Camp 08 was unbelievable.

Annie
I miss nizzmiff already T.T

MeiXing
I MISSSS Music CampFF!!! :( I'll come visit on the last day! (hopefully)

Brandon
I ♥ Music Camp

Charlotte
??i miss Music Camp SO MUCH!!!!!!X(

Catherine
awww.... i miss Music Camp already. session 2 was awesome!

MeiXing
LOOOOOOOOOVE IT HEREEEEEE!!!! (don't want to leave :((((()

Brenda Earle is starting to recover from Music Camp!

Amanda is missing Music Camp :(.

Rebecca misses Music Camp.

Kendra is missin Music Camp :[.

Minji misses Music Camp....

Annie misses Music Camp.

Zach is back from Music Camp, and he misses it, but it's good to be home!

Seth wants to go back to NYMSF!!

Anna wants to go back to camp asap.

Claire is missing Music Camp:[.

Taylor is home... and misses Music Camp like crazy.

Liana misses camp.

Nina misses her Music Camp friends VERY much already and wants Sunday to be over and Monday to come.

Brittany is soooo missing all her Music Camp friends right now.... *sniffles*.

Brittany is having an awesome time at music camp with her twin bro!!!

Brittany totally excited for Music Camp! so long for 2 weeks!
one of the best camps ive ever been too....miss all my Music Camp friends!

Marissa: i am sooooo coming back to Music Camp next year. definately

Katie can't believe that it's over

Joe wants to go back... He can't wait a whole freaking year.

Lai Tin is sad and misses all of you :'(.

Maya 'Floppemnschtoppem' is home. miss you guys too much :'(.

Lauren misses Music Camp sooooo much!

Kate is missing everybody! :(.

Emily misses everyone soo much.

Kim misses Music Camp.

Keanan is missing friends from Music Camp.

Farida "I'm gonna miss everyone in Music Camp."

Rachel misses everyone so so SO much.

MeiXing is waiting for next summer.

Anna misses camp alreadyy.

Claire misses everyone already</3.

Emma can't believe it's over. Definetly applying as a CIT for next summer.

Samuel S. Chen is headed home! Thanks to all the great Music Camp musicians!

Anna wants to go back to camppp!

Laura is HOME HOME HOME. Music Camp 08 was amazing.

Joe isn't ready to say goodbye, nor is he ready for the eight hour car ride home...

Rachel doesn't want to back to real life =[.

Amy will miss you all!

Claire LOVES Music Camp FOREVERRR<3.