Adamant welcomes pianists of all ages and professional backgrounds, including: Piano students (from precollege through graduate school) Dedicated adult amateurs Teachers looking for artistic renewal Whether you're looking for inspiring teaching, a tranquil place to practice, or simply to connect with like-minded piano lovers, Adamant is the place for you. As part of your application, we ask that you submit videos of yourself playing two pieces from contrasting stylistic periods (not required for Masterclass Observers). Students younger than 15 are required to attend with their parent in residence. Other than that, there are no limitations regarding who may attend.

All participants stay on campus at Adamant Music School in one of six campus residences which feature basic yet comfortable single-occupancy accommodation in newly refreshed rooms, many of which feature brand-new mattresses. Bathrooms are shared between 2-4 individuals.

Our on-site chef provides all meals from healthy and varied buffet-style menu, as well as ensuring constant snack availability in the centrally located dining hall, steps away from most of the campus residences. Breakfast is at your own pace, and lunch and dinner are one of the communal highlight of Adamant, where you can mingle with faculty and fellow participants for lighthearted conversation and deep musical discussions alike. Refreshments are available at the local Adamant Co-op, and restaurant dining options are available in Montpelier a short drive away. We are proud to accommodate all dietary restrictions in our dining offerings – simply let us know on the intake questionnaire closer to the summer!

For the masterclass sessions, we ask you to bring two pieces or one large work that you wish to focus on. For example, you might bring a Chopin Ballade and a Bach Prelude and Fugue, or you might bring the Brahms Handel Variations and play half of it in each of your masterclasses. For multi-movement works such as sonatas, your decision depends on the overall length of the work and how many other students are performing. In respect for our diverse community of pianists, while thorough preparation is expected, memorization is not strictly required. For the Traditional Session, you’re welcome to bring as much as you like! The more pieces you bring, the more variety of insights you'll receive, but you'll still come away with amazing new tools and knowledge even if you bring just a handful of works. We recommend at least 3 contrasting pieces for the Traditional Session, some of which should be concert-ready. You may bring additional pieces at earlier stages of preparation (fluent but not yet memorized) to work on in lessons.

In the Traditional Session, the program includes approximately 3 hours of studio class every morning with your assigned teacher. Thanks to Adamant's small class sizes, you will receive private instruction in these studio classes nearly every day. You also are welcome to request private lessons from other teachers in the afternoons at no additional charge. In the 5-day masterclass sessions, you will receive two public lessons with the master teacher (exception: Angela Cheng and Alvin Chow will give one joint lesson to each participant). The master teachers may be available for additional private lessons for an additional fee. Adamant is not limited to to the formal instruction described above: it is full of opportunities for informal learning. Participants often remark on how meaningful it is to discuss musical topics at dinner with participants and faculty, to play for their colleagues and receive advice, to play 4-hands late into the night, and more.