Meet and Greet

Dominic_Cheli
3 mths ago
64replies

Hi everyone,
Noah and Dominic here!

We’re so excited to start welcoming everyone to this year’s Adamant Piano Camp.

Whether you’re already signed up, seriously considering joining us, or just curious about what the experience is like, we’d love for this thread to be a place to connect, ask questions, and start building excitement for the summer ahead.

Adamant is a really special place. Incredible music-making, lots of practice, inspiring conversations, late-night performances, nature, community, and a chance to fully immerse yourself in music for an extended period of time.

We honestly can’t wait for everything coming up.

A few things we’d love to hear from you:

What pieces are you currently working on?
What are you most excited about this summer?
Have you been to Adamant before?
Any questions about the experience, schedule, lodging, practicing, repertoire, or anything else?

And even if you just want to say hello and introduce yourself, please do!

We’ll also be sharing updates, announcements, practice inspiration, and more here as we get closer.

Can’t wait to see this year’s community come together!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZLzFFnzFvg&t=7s

- Steve_Sanders
- 2 mths ago
- Reported - view
Hi,

1. I'm working on several things - Poulenc, Mendelssohn, Fauré and Prokofiev.

My incentive to start piano lessons was the introduction of a player piano to the house when I was 5. Once I learned that many of those piano rolls were played by four hands, my love of duets began. i have collected lots of them over the years, 4-hand and 2 piano, and hope to get to play some of the more exotic ones at camp. I'm guessing if I have them scanned for iPad use I won't need to lug paper to Vermont. I'd like to play some of Bolcom's Recuerdos, maybe the playable chunks of Stravinsky's 3 Movements from Petrushka (arr. Victor Babin), and others.

2. I've been playing with local piano groups that meet monthly in San Diego, but a whole week of non-stop piano sounds like a vacation made for me.

3. This will be my first time at Adamant music camp.

4. I am having a hard time knowing what i'll want to work on in lessons this far in advance. If my choice of repertoire changes, can I just update it on the intake form and resubmit? I also didn't see anywhere on the form to list my flight booking info - does that happen closer to the event?

Looking forward to meeting Dominic, Noah & crew this summer! Plus the attendees, of course.

Steve Sanders
- Barbara_Sunseri
  
  13 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  I adore Poulenc. I performed his Concerto for Two Pianos in college in my distant past. Such a thrill! Looking forward to meeting all of you at camp. This is my first time at Adamant.
- Larry_K
  
  8 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  Do you still have a player piano? I have a Yamaha Disklavier DYUS5 upright. I love listening to it play.
  
  I am now recording myself every day so that I can listen to myself from across the room.
  
  It shows my progress and is utterly revealing of all of my mistakes.
- Steve_Sanders
  
  7 days ago
  
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  The piano player stayed with my parents. When I finally got my own grand, I got a Yamaha Disklavier C6, the recording player piano. This was 30 years ago, The power supply eventually died, and getting that repaired would involve shipping the supply to the factory to rebuild, so I just enjoy the acoustic piano, now. I used the recording mechanism to record one half of many piano duets, and then played the other chair live with playback. It was also very handy for recording complicated piano accompaniments (like Sondheim). I coached singers who sometimes wanted a transposed accompaniment track to sing over, and transposing or changing the tempo of recordings just took a turn of a dial.
  
  I’m bringing a pair of iPads with me to camp (week 2), which are very handy for duets, especially Secondo/Primo facing-page layouts, or two-piano works with both parts on same staff. Hope to find fellow adventurous sight-readers wanting to explore the repertoire.
- Larry_K
  
  7 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  I am happy to meet another Disklavier owner!
  
  By the way, Dominic recorded an album of Bach for the Disklavier.
  
  This is some discussion of fixing the power supply,
  
  https://forum.facebook.com/share/19TAnB8YqP/
  
  https://forum.facebook.com/share/1PWxgQvHoa/
  
  A guy named Noah Jolly seems to be the go to guy for getting them fixed. He used to work for Yamaha.
  
  https://www.alexanderpeppe.com/fixing-power-supplies-in-yamaha-disklavier-mark-ii-pianos/
  
  It is a useful system, as you pointed out. At least you still have a working acoustic piano!
  
  I owned a Disklavier upright back in the 1980s but sold it when I moved. Now, I have another Disklavier and dream of owning a DC3X Disklavier grand.
- Stephanie_Reuer
  
  5 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  Just bring whatever you want to play. They ask for a rep list for the faculty, but none of them held me to that list last year. To be very kind, have two copies of your pieces so they can watch along on their own. The faculty are ALWAYS fantastic at a Tonebase event. Looking forward to meeting you!
- Instructor (Music Theory and Piano)
- Jonathan_Mitchell
- 2 mths ago
- Reported - view
Hello everyone,

I am really looking forward to this experience, including playing, practicing, and networking. My goal for this camp is to refine and finalize solo music for a series of recitals here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the late fall.

I'm planning on working on the fifth French suite of Bach, Haydn's c-minor piano sonata, Schoenberg Op. 19, and the Liszt/Wagner LIEBESTOD. I'm looking for a decent but not huge 19th-century piece to put in the middle of this program. Any ideas?

I'll be there for session 2, and I can't wait to meet everyone.
- hot4euterpe
  
  2 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  Hello! Some 19th pieces that come to mind that are not huge and would complement your current program are:
  
  Chopin - Nocturne in B major, Op. 9, No. 3 or Nocturne in F# Minor Op. 48, No. 2
  
  Schubert - Impromptu Op. 90, No. 3 in Gb Major or No. 4 in Ab Major.
  
  Schumann - Arabesque (in C Major) Op. 18
- Instructor (Music Theory and Piano)
  
  Jonathan_Mitchell
  
  2 mths ago
  
  Reported - view
  Thanks! These are all great pieces to consider--the Arabesque is a personal favorite.
- NOAMW
- 2 mths ago
- Reported - view
Hi everyone,
Currently working on Chopin Ballade no 3 and Waltz op 34 no 1, and Pagodes from Debussy's Estampes is coming up. I also have plenty of other pieces, in various levels of maturity so maybe I'll bring them too.

Even though I haven't been to Adamant, I attended the Manhattan event in 2024, and I am very excited for the event! In Manhattan it was amazing and I am sure it will amazing too in Adamant!

I'd like to ask - how to schedule the practice rooms? Is this something that will be annouced closer to the event or on first come first serve?

Noam
- cdales
  
  13 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  Hi Noam-I’m bringing two Debussy preludes (bk. I no 4 & bk. II no. 7, and Images II no 2) and am looking at Ballade no 3 to work on this fall, so will look forward to meeting you😀I was at Adamant at Tonebase 1.0, 2 years ago, and we signed up for rooms each day 1st come first serve. We all have favorites, so I often found myself “piano shopping”. Not sure if they’ve altered that-maybe Domenic knows??
- NOAMW
  
  7 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  I saw that there are plenty of piano practice rooms, which is really wonderful. I think it is possible to play a different piano everyday, which sounds really fun to do. I am also looking forward to meeting you and hearing your Debussy preludes!
- Barbara_Sunseri
- 13 days ago
- Reported - view
Is anyone flying out from the West Coast? I'm leaving from San Jose, CA.
- cdales
  
  13 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  Flying redeye from Victoria BC to Montreal and taking a shuttle to Burlington.
- Barbara_Sunseri
  
  13 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  You have a long day ahead of you as well. I'm flying to Chicago where I have a five-hour layover, then onto Burlington where I'll spend the night. Then taking the shuttle to camp the next morning.
- Gabi
  
  8 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  Hi Barbara! I saw that you're going for session 1, as am I. I'm flying out of Utah and also have a layover in Chicago. Mine isn't five hours but we might possibly take the same plane from Chicago to Burlington.
- Barbara_Sunseri
  
  8 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  Hi Gabi. I hope we are on the same flight! I am flying to Chicago on 8/23 from San Jose, hanging out in Chicago until 6:15, UA 636, which arrives at Burlington at 9:38 p.m. I'll be spending the night in Burlington that night and then taking the shuttle to Adamant the next morning. Any chance your schedule overlaps?🤞
- Gabi
  
  8 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  oh dang! My flight to Burlington is the exact same except it's just one day later so I'll get there at 9:38pm on the 24th instead of the 23rd :,( I was so excited for a second
- Barbara_Sunseri
  
  8 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  Too bad! I'll be on the shuttle to the camp on the 24th but sounds like you'll be taking the shuttle in the morning of the 25th.
- Pamela.3
- 9 days ago
- Reported - view
Hello! Very much looking forward to this experience. I'm participating in session 2 and am bringing Schubert's Standchen (the Liszt arrangement), Chopin's Berceuse and a couple of other pieces that I've been working on. Attended last year and it was absolutely fabulous. Really looking forward to learning and growing and meeting new people.
- Barbara_Sunseri
  
  9 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  Nice to virtually meet you, Pamela, and I look forward to meeting you in person!
- Pamela.3
  
  9 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  Hi Barbara. It's nice to virtually meet you as well. Looking forward to camp. The food was in incredible last summer, and I'm sure it will be great again this year.
- Barbara_Sunseri
  
  9 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  That's great to hear! I can't imagine the pleasure of hanging out with other piano lovers, playing for each other, and getting help from world-class professional pianists. Now if only I could get over my performance nerves!
- Barbara_Sunseri
- 7 days ago
- Reported - view
For those of you who have been to Adamant before, do you know if the beds in the cabins are twin size, or twin size XL? Thanks!
- Steve_Sanders
  
  7 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  Tagging on to that question, is bringing a pillow a good idea? I’m assuming there is basic bedding sheets.
- cdales
  
  6 days ago
  
  Reported - view
  As I remember, the beds are wider than twin (3/4?), but seems to me they’re a standard length (caveat: I’m not a reliable witness on the length as I’m 5’3”!). The sheets are good quality, but this time I’m taking my pillow!