O'CONNOR METHOD CAMP NEW YORK CITY

O'Connor Method Camp New York City ® 
Testimonials from Parents, Students, and Faculty
“Dear Mark & Maggie, I just wanted to say thanks again for your extremely generous spirits and for all that you did this week for all the kids (& adults) in the camp. My nephew, James London is a Suzuki kid, and had not learned any O'Connor method rep until a few days before camp. He really enjoyed the camp, learned a great deal, and made new friends. He also mentioned that he really enjoyed Sara Caswell's classes. It was a real joy for me to watch the absolutely wonderful way you both interacted with the kids and created such an amazing vibe. I have quickly become a huge supporter of your Method and all you are trying to do. Please let me know if I can ever be of any assistance to you down the road (I'm a pianist/composer here in NYC) Thanks again." - Rich Campbell (Parent)
 "Mark & Maggie, I just want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to be part of something so special, enjoyable and important. I have believed in this idea since you first introduced it to me (that's why I immediately incorporated in in my program) however after this week and seeing its effect on such a diverse group of students and teachers, I now have an even greater understanding of its scope and the possibilities it possesses for our future.

I started this week knowing about the method and how it worked. I came out of this week completely inspired by the possibilities that lie ahead for string education, the role of American music, and what it will do for generations going forward.

I came in ready to work with music and string students, I came out with the knowledge of the Love, Caring, Goodness and Joy your work will bring to us and to the future generations of musicians in this country and around the world. You don't deserve just thanks you deserve a medal!

With the deepest and most sincere appreciation and Thanks!" - James E Duncan (Faculty)
“Wow, y'all. I have just experienced one of the most soul satisfying experiences of my musical career. Having worked with the Divine Duo Mark and Maggie O'Connor and a stellar staff and student body at the MOC Strings Summer Camp NYC, my life has been incredibly enhanced. My heart has been deeply touched and my spirit profoundly moved at the love and support that I experienced there. The music that inhabited the walls of the school was exhilarating to hear. Oh, and the talent was off the chain! Chile, even my littles were amazing at four and five years old! Major props to my fellow fiddle felicific facilitators Sara Caswell Joy Adams Pattie Hopkins Lev 'Ljova' Zhurbin Melissa Tong James Duncan Rebekah Griffin Greene Joe Smart Amelia Gold and everyone I may have missed. Collectively we have changed the world one fiddle at a time. God bless each one that played, taught and listened to the music that the O'Connor Method presented. I am a happy Pammie!" - Pamela Hamilton (Faculty)
“That was fun — and so memorable. I’m still singing all those amazing tunes. So many amazing moments.” - Lev 'Ljova' Zhurbin (Faculty)
"Now that I have had a chance to get home and get a little rest (I got home at 4am and was going on about 10hrs total for the last 3 nights) and be somewhat coherent, I just have to say this past week at the O'Connor Method Camp NYC was one of the best music experiences I've had! Aside from all the jamming and recitals and meeting and making new friends, it was exciting to see all the young talent out there and how the exuberance of playing all the fun American music was electric and just sparked excitement everywhere! So many great faculty members, and students, had such great spirits and the love for what we were doing was contagious. I feel like I was able to really be a part of a legacy and help leave a mark on people's lives. I'm happy and excited, and already can't wait to do it again next year!" - Joe Smart (Faculty)
"Dear Maggie and Mark O’Connor, We would also like to thank the many teachers who made the camp successful => Melissa Tong’s accompaniment and energy, Joy Adam’s talent and happy entertainment during the student recitals (with her lovely student, Natalie Gonzalez from Miami), Isabel Fairbank's ability to quickly and enthusiastically connect with Jonathan, Patrice Jackson’s professional performance experience, and certainly, Rebekah Greene's drive to challenge Anastasia to perform Oh Susanna in all thumb position and then, give her an opportunity to play her bass solo on Sonatina. This was Anastasia's first time playing a solo in any kind of forum, music camp or audition so it was extra special! The quartets (in the chamber music electives) were also the perfect matches for my children to choose and participate in. I was most impressed with the creative assignment from James Duncan to layer color and music to the Langton Hughes' poem. He must truly be quite the inspiration to his Brooklyn students all year! Please also extend our sincere gratitude to Pattie Hopkins and the teacher trainers who generously included Jonathan and his English horn in the New World performance (put together five minutes before showtime and in the right key which he transposed the night before)! The guest conductors were also exciting additions and memorable opportunities to the All-Camp orchestra each day at 3:00pm. Gabriela's Two Feet performance and your (MOC) impromptu time playing in the lobby with Ronan Brown [one of the recipients of the Daniel Pearl violin this year] from Seattle were also inspirational highlights! We also appreciate all the many efforts and hospitality from Amy and the other staff members at the Turtle Bay Music School - who also kept Anastasia's bass safe and secure each night all week. Thank you for assembling such kind, wonderful and talented people! Best of luck on your trip to Budapest! Congratulations on your new CD release and of course, Happy Birthday!" - Rhonda Lewis (Parent)
"This week has been incredible. I went to the Mark O'Connor "O'Connor Method" Camp in NYC and had a blast jamming with amazing musicians (including Joy Adams and Ross DeBardelaben from Miami!). The best part is, I was awarded the Daniel Pearl memorial violin from the Daniel Pearl Foundation. Daniel Pearl was a famous journalist who was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan in 2002. What some don't know about him is that he had a large passion for music. He played fiddle and was a huge fan of Mark O'Connor. I was passed down this absolutely beautiful violin made by Jonathan Cooper that I get to hold on to for a year, and I'm going to use it to spread the message of love and hope. 

  If there's anything that's able to bring people together and conquer the hate in this world, it's music. I will do my absolute best to help Daniel's family in honoring his memory and standing up for what matters. I am so overwhelmed right now as this all sinks in. Thank you so much to the Mark O'Connor Fiddle Camps and the Daniel Pearl Foundation. My heart is so full as I stare at this incredible instrument and all that it stands for." - Katherine Evans (Student and Daniel Pearl violin recipient at the NYC Camp)
"Ronan is still so happy and excited from camp. I had a great time as well. Free concerts every day! And again, I truly appreciate and marvel at the time and effort you both gave for all the kids at camp. You are a remarkable couple of people. And great faculty too!" - Ian Brown (Parent)
"Hi Mark and Maggie, I just wanted to send a BIG thank you for having me at the camp last week. I had a wonderful time and it was amazing to work with kids who are so in love with music. A joy! I hope you two have a wonderful end of summer and thanks again. I had a blast! Congratulations on an amazing enterprise!" - Isabel Fairbanks (Faculty)
"Dear Maggie and Mark, I wanted to thank you again for giving me and my students the wonderful opportunity of last week. I personally enjoyed every moment I spent there and definitely learned lots of useful and new things for my teaching, which will be definitely improving my work after this week! Tahir and Shabnan couldn't believe themselves...it was such a new and different opportunity for them. I'm so happy they were able to come and I can't wait to see their development. Again, I'm very grateful for all you're doing and for all the help to us." - Leonor Falcón (Teacher Training Course)
"Still trying to come down after a most exciting and educational week at Mark and Maggie O'Connor's Fiddle camp with the fiddle babes (who won't put down their fiddles still!). On second thought, we'll stay up! Thank you Sara Caswell, Pattie Hopkins, Pamela Hamilton, Joy Adams, Maggie O'Connor, Mark O'Connor and all of the talented, supportive, generous-spirited teaching artists!" ‪- Tandum Lett (Student)
"Coming to the end of what has been my 15th time teaching at Mark O'Connor's fiddle camps. And each year, I marvel at the creativity, joy, & artistry pouring out of every room. Thanks to Mark, Maggie, the fabulous faculty, & the stellar students for a terrific week!" - Sara Caswell (Faculty)
"It was a really amazing experience for me sharing so many great moments and to have played music with so many amazing people. Thank you for providing those memorable moments." - Raimundo Nilton Silva (Teacher Training Course)
"I wanted to send my thanks for a wonderful week of music at the Mark O’Connor Method Camp. I had a wonderful time and learned so much! I’ve already begun to incorporate tunes from the duo book into our fiddle group’s set list and I had a blast sharing your newest videos with all my classes today. What better way to create inspiration and passion within my students than by starting off the school year with you performing for all of them via the internet? I wish you could have been there to see their faces as they took in your playing. Thank you for caring and for giving so much to the music world, especially the world of string education." - Darcy Radcliffe (Teacher Training Course)