Last week was awesome. I flew into Syracuse on Saturday from Chicago where I had spent 6 days with THE GRANDBABY!!!! and drove to Utica in the rain. NOTE: It rained without stopping for the rest of the week. On Sunday morning I met Rami at Center Stage Piano for some pre-camp lessons. Sunday night I met the rest of the campers at Ann Delia’s house, where we had pizza. Thank you, Chris Critelli for the cheesecake! Monday through Friday was the usual round of lessons and evening classes, culminating in our recital at 2 PM on Saturday.
Awesome things:
1. The campers. Doris and Ron were relative beginners and quite nervous about playing in front of us all. Nonetheless they performed their duet musically and perfectly on Saturday. Cholena, from NYC, also hasn’t been playing for long but she performed her piece every time with totally beautiful legato and zero errors. How I envy her that ability! She just relaxes into it and plays. Carrie, from Texas, was working on several Bach Inventions. I was delighted by her ornaments and have adopted them for my very own. 😎 Rob is a composer and I so loved to hear him play his own compositions – a Nocturne and a movement of a piano sonata. His writing style is Romantic, reminiscent of Rachmaninoff, Brahms, even a little Richard Strauss.
2. The activities. We had a couple of Master Classes and our final rehearsal with Rami. Tina Toglia did an excellent Master Class. I skip Sar Shalom’s class on Friday to go to bed early, but I hear it was as excellent as usual. As a special treat on Friday afternoon we heard a piano-saxophone concert that included a transcription of the Franck Sonata. Then the pianist, Benita Rose, did a short Master Class for Rob and me. HEY RAMI, I’ll write a separate e-mail about her advice to me vis-à-vis yours, Sar’s, and Tina’s.
3. The logistics. Pianos for everyone, and almost everyone was there practicing almost all the time.
4. My lessons. Lots of fun with Rami’s Jazzkids book, which I am teaching to a student of mine; reviving the Litolff Scherzo, which I plan to play with Rami chez moi in March when he comes to Williamsburg; the Mozart 2-piano Sonata which I’m planning to play with Joni at June camp; Schubert Marche Militaire which Rami and I will play in March at the Williamsburg Music Club meeting where he will be presenting a concert-lecture on Ragtime; and the Grieg Nocturne, which I played at the recital.
5. And a cute Hallowe’en duet (“The Phantom” by Melody Bober) with Chris Critelli.
6. Wednesday night off, when I had a fabulous dinner all by myself at an undisclosed location.
Nancy, thank you very much for posting here on Rami’s website thus re-breaking the ice. Best of all, now I know how much fun you had in this most-recent Piano Camp!
Margie Feduck, a piano-camp participant wrote on her FB page on June 28:
“I have just completed the Summer Camp for Adults in Utica with Rami Bar-Niv and cannot even begin to tell you all what an incredible teacher and pianist this man is. Patient, kind, demanding he teaches alongside the great. His performances were incredibly beautiful, and he left us in with deep emotion after the Bach Busoni Chorale. and he drew the best out of us all.
We had so much fun, and revised and learned so much I will be back for another camp next year, would not miss it for anything. Thank you Rami and the organizers of this event.”
2014-10-27 Name: Tonia Herrin
Comments: Hi, Rami! I do plan to order the fingering book. Very much enjoyed meeting you at Nancy’s … and thank you for sharing the improvisation with me! “Toni” … Tonia Herrin
2014-07-03 Name: Theo F
Country: USA
Comments: Lovely music.
2014-03-29 Name: Tonora
Country: USA
Comments: I am so enjoying your piano videos on Youtube. I hope I can attend camp this summer! Are spots available for June 2014? Thank you.
2013-12-13 Name: Ollie Malone
Country: USA
Comments: Hello, Rami! It’s great to see you still doing great things musically. You and I met on Piano-L, back in the days before Facebook and all the rest of the stuff. I recall your mentioning that you were going to be doing your own piano camp and it’s great to see that this has happened. All the best to you in this venture. I know you’ll be great. I hope to join you at one of these great events in the near future.
2013-05-26 Name: Henry Berman
Country: USA
Comments: Where can I purchase the sheet music version of the Shmateh-Rag for piano and solo instrument like the flute. Is that available anywhere? It is a GREAT piece. Thanks.
2013-05-19 Name: Yacov Amir
Comments: Is it possible to get the book in Israel?
2014-01-22
Comments: Reply to Yacov Amir. sorry, only saw your question now (Jan 22, 2014). Yes, please email me at
2012-12-20 Name: Jude Brundage
Comments: I’m so excited to get this book for my grand niece who is beginning piano lessons just this week.
2012-07-09 Name: Joni Travis Whitehead
Country: USA
Comments: I am interested in your summer program for 2013. I like that you work with small groups and give 4 hours daily for individual practice.
2012-02-23 Name: Alex Blakemore
Comments: Hi Rami, I’m excitedly looking forward to studying your book. I remember from the few times I was fortunate enough to take a lesson from you that you have an amazing ability to find a fingering for a passage that I never would have considered, but that somehow makes the passage much easier to play comfortably, securely and with good technique. Sometimes technical problems melt away once you start with a natural fingering. Congratulations on completing the book; now you can start on the companion DVD 🙂 Best, Alex
2012-02-16 Name: Elvania Caram
Comments: Hi Rami, Your first book on fingering, sound very good. Congratulatios! Give me another way to buy it because I can’t order the book from here! Regards, Elvania Caram-Brazil
2012-02-15 Name: Gary Haskins
Comments: Hi Rami, Congratulations on your first book. Hopefully you will write more. All the best, Gary
2012-02-13 Name: Andi Bar-Niv aka Wife
Comments: Wishing you all the success in the world with your first book! Love. Andi
2011-01-19 Name: elvania costa caram
Country: Brazil
Comments: Hi Rami, your new site looks good. My best wishes of luck and success! Between, my best regards. Love, Elvania
2011-01-05 Name: Heather Guldenschuh
Country: USA
Comments: I love it and love making cookies for it
2008-08-02 Name: Telly Ohana
2008-06-11 Name: ya
Comments: that good
2008-02-01 Name: Bill Firestone
Comments: Hi Rami, Glad I found your web site. Looks good. Bill
2007-06-03 Name: George F. Litterst
Comments: Nice site, Rami! I enjoy your posts on the various email lists. Regards, George
2007-05-12 Name: Jayne
Comments: Sorry, it doesn’t work out. I really wanted to join this amazing sounding camp, but other things have to come first. Good luck
2007-05-09 Name: Stan Williams
Comments: are you in Utica or Clinton? Are spaces available for either of the umcoming camps? Do you specialize in any type of music? thanks.
2007-03-10 Name: David Lee
Comments: An amazing artist and a true friend
2007-03-10 Name: Christie
Comments: Your site is great, and the camp looks and sounds outstanding. All best wishes, dark chocolate, red wine, and a big hug!
2006-12-29 Name: Don Johnston
Comments: Just took a look at the info about your music camp and whatever else I can see about you on the web. Good job!
2006-12-12 Comments: wow what an amazing experience
2006-12-06 Name: Jude Brundage
Comments: Hi Tootsie!! P2P……
2006-11-30 Name: Andi
Comments: Wishing you all the success you deserve in your new venture.
Last week was awesome. I flew into Syracuse on Saturday from Chicago where I had spent 6 days with THE GRANDBABY!!!! and drove to Utica in the rain. NOTE: It rained without stopping for the rest of the week. On Sunday morning I met Rami at Center Stage Piano for some pre-camp lessons. Sunday night I met the rest of the campers at Ann Delia’s house, where we had pizza. Thank you, Chris Critelli for the cheesecake! Monday through Friday was the usual round of lessons and evening classes, culminating in our recital at 2 PM on Saturday.
Awesome things:
1. The campers. Doris and Ron were relative beginners and quite nervous about playing in front of us all. Nonetheless they performed their duet musically and perfectly on Saturday. Cholena, from NYC, also hasn’t been playing for long but she performed her piece every time with totally beautiful legato and zero errors. How I envy her that ability! She just relaxes into it and plays. Carrie, from Texas, was working on several Bach Inventions. I was delighted by her ornaments and have adopted them for my very own. 😎 Rob is a composer and I so loved to hear him play his own compositions – a Nocturne and a movement of a piano sonata. His writing style is Romantic, reminiscent of Rachmaninoff, Brahms, even a little Richard Strauss.
2. The activities. We had a couple of Master Classes and our final rehearsal with Rami. Tina Toglia did an excellent Master Class. I skip Sar Shalom’s class on Friday to go to bed early, but I hear it was as excellent as usual. As a special treat on Friday afternoon we heard a piano-saxophone concert that included a transcription of the Franck Sonata. Then the pianist, Benita Rose, did a short Master Class for Rob and me. HEY RAMI, I’ll write a separate e-mail about her advice to me vis-à-vis yours, Sar’s, and Tina’s.
3. The logistics. Pianos for everyone, and almost everyone was there practicing almost all the time.
4. My lessons. Lots of fun with Rami’s Jazzkids book, which I am teaching to a student of mine; reviving the Litolff Scherzo, which I plan to play with Rami chez moi in March when he comes to Williamsburg; the Mozart 2-piano Sonata which I’m planning to play with Joni at June camp; Schubert Marche Militaire which Rami and I will play in March at the Williamsburg Music Club meeting where he will be presenting a concert-lecture on Ragtime; and the Grieg Nocturne, which I played at the recital.
5. And a cute Hallowe’en duet (“The Phantom” by Melody Bober) with Chris Critelli.
6. Wednesday night off, when I had a fabulous dinner all by myself at an undisclosed location.
Looking forward to the next one!
– Nancy, aka “Lo Scolare”
Nancy, thank you very much for posting here on Rami’s website thus re-breaking the ice. Best of all, now I know how much fun you had in this most-recent Piano Camp!
Margie Feduck, a piano-camp participant wrote on her FB page on June 28:
“I have just completed the Summer Camp for Adults in Utica with Rami Bar-Niv and cannot even begin to tell you all what an incredible teacher and pianist this man is. Patient, kind, demanding he teaches alongside the great. His performances were incredibly beautiful, and he left us in with deep emotion after the Bach Busoni Chorale. and he drew the best out of us all.
We had so much fun, and revised and learned so much I will be back for another camp next year, would not miss it for anything. Thank you Rami and the organizers of this event.”
2014-10-27 Name: Tonia Herrin
Comments: Hi, Rami! I do plan to order the fingering book. Very much enjoyed meeting you at Nancy’s … and thank you for sharing the improvisation with me! “Toni” … Tonia Herrin
2014-07-03 Name: Theo F
Country: USA
Comments: Lovely music.
2014-03-29 Name: Tonora
Country: USA
Comments: I am so enjoying your piano videos on Youtube. I hope I can attend camp this summer! Are spots available for June 2014? Thank you.
2013-12-13 Name: Ollie Malone
Country: USA
Comments: Hello, Rami! It’s great to see you still doing great things musically. You and I met on Piano-L, back in the days before Facebook and all the rest of the stuff. I recall your mentioning that you were going to be doing your own piano camp and it’s great to see that this has happened. All the best to you in this venture. I know you’ll be great. I hope to join you at one of these great events in the near future.
2013-05-26 Name: Henry Berman
Country: USA
Comments: Where can I purchase the sheet music version of the Shmateh-Rag for piano and solo instrument like the flute. Is that available anywhere? It is a GREAT piece. Thanks.
2013-05-19 Name: Yacov Amir
Comments: Is it possible to get the book in Israel?
2014-01-22
Comments: Reply to Yacov Amir. sorry, only saw your question now (Jan 22, 2014). Yes, please email me at
2012-12-20 Name: Jude Brundage
Comments: I’m so excited to get this book for my grand niece who is beginning piano lessons just this week.
2012-07-09 Name: Joni Travis Whitehead
Country: USA
Comments: I am interested in your summer program for 2013. I like that you work with small groups and give 4 hours daily for individual practice.
2012-02-23 Name: Alex Blakemore
Comments: Hi Rami, I’m excitedly looking forward to studying your book. I remember from the few times I was fortunate enough to take a lesson from you that you have an amazing ability to find a fingering for a passage that I never would have considered, but that somehow makes the passage much easier to play comfortably, securely and with good technique. Sometimes technical problems melt away once you start with a natural fingering. Congratulations on completing the book; now you can start on the companion DVD 🙂 Best, Alex
2012-02-16 Name: Elvania Caram
Comments: Hi Rami, Your first book on fingering, sound very good. Congratulatios! Give me another way to buy it because I can’t order the book from here! Regards, Elvania Caram-Brazil
2012-02-15 Name: Gary Haskins
Comments: Hi Rami, Congratulations on your first book. Hopefully you will write more. All the best, Gary
2012-02-13 Name: Andi Bar-Niv aka Wife
Comments: Wishing you all the success in the world with your first book! Love. Andi
2011-01-19 Name: elvania costa caram
Country: Brazil
Comments: Hi Rami, your new site looks good. My best wishes of luck and success! Between, my best regards. Love, Elvania
2011-01-05 Name: Heather Guldenschuh
Country: USA
Comments: I love it and love making cookies for it
2008-08-02 Name: Telly Ohana
2008-06-11 Name: ya
Comments: that good
2008-02-01 Name: Bill Firestone
Comments: Hi Rami, Glad I found your web site. Looks good. Bill
2007-06-03 Name: George F. Litterst
Comments: Nice site, Rami! I enjoy your posts on the various email lists. Regards, George
2007-05-12 Name: Jayne
Comments: Sorry, it doesn’t work out. I really wanted to join this amazing sounding camp, but other things have to come first. Good luck
2007-05-09 Name: Stan Williams
Comments: are you in Utica or Clinton? Are spaces available for either of the umcoming camps? Do you specialize in any type of music? thanks.
2007-03-10 Name: David Lee
Comments: An amazing artist and a true friend
2007-03-10 Name: Christie
Comments: Your site is great, and the camp looks and sounds outstanding. All best wishes, dark chocolate, red wine, and a big hug!
2006-12-29 Name: Don Johnston
Comments: Just took a look at the info about your music camp and whatever else I can see about you on the web. Good job!
2006-12-12 Comments: wow what an amazing experience
2006-12-06 Name: Jude Brundage
Comments: Hi Tootsie!! P2P……
2006-11-30 Name: Andi
Comments: Wishing you all the success you deserve in your new venture.
2006-11-29 Name: Yair Barniv
Comments: Looking good!!!!!!!!!!!
2006-11-29 Name: Diane Kauders
Comments: Much luck with your venture. It sounds terrific.