1) Who are some artists that have inspired your songwriting and in what ways have they done so? As a […]
Unleash Your Creativity
Your Songwriting Journey
Experience the joy of songwriting at one of the premiere songwriting camps anywhere ~ SummerSongs (Stony Point, NY), our 28th annual gathering. We are a supportive community where your musical creativity will flourish
Registration is open!
July 19-25, 2026
SummerSongs is a Creative Retreat for Songwriters and Music Makers.
Songwriting for All
We offer summertime songwriting camps for adults in Stony Point, New York, at the Stony Point Center—a perfect haven for songwriting and creative inspiration. Everyone is welcome.
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Top Instructors for Songwriting & More
Learn from nationally-known touring artists. For our songwriting camps we choose guest teachers who are both great songwriters and great instructors.
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Write, Play, Listen, Relax
Songwriting workshops take place during the day, scheduled so that you have plenty of time to relax, play music, write, or just listen to your new friends playing songs for each other.
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Hands-On Workshops
Classes and coaching include songwriting (many styles and approaches), song arranging, performance/stagecraft, harmony singing, co-writing, guitar, keyboard, creative process, art, and more.
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Song Sharing
In the evenings we have concerts and song circles, coffeehouses, and jams that go late into the night. You’ll have many opportunities to share your songs and connect with other folks like you from all corners of the globe.
Teacher Feature
Our instructors are world-class touring musical artists and amazing teachers. Get to know more about them here in this special feature section where we will highlight thoughts from our upcoming instructors!
Greetings!
Hello, community!
Here comes 2026, and we’re thrilled to present our teaching and mentoring faculty for July:
Johnsmith • Susan Cattaneo • Taina Asili • Sloan Wainwright • David Roth • Vito Petroccitto • Mark Dann • Sue Riley • Glen Roethel • Julie Snow
Mark July 19-25, 2026 on your calendars at the Stony Point Center (NY) and plan to join us as we head towards our 28th annual gathering. We’ve come such a long way since our first camp in 1999 when founder Penny Nichols brought her dream to life and lit a candle that’s still burning brightly today. We’ve assembled every year since then to reconnect, collaborate, celebrate, and learn from and about one another and the world through the lenses of songwriting, creativity, and humanity. We do this by presenting the finest songwriters we know who also happen to be great, generous, fun, and humble communicators of this craft we hold so highly. We offer all-levels classes, coffeehouses, concerts, song circles, and spontaneous collaborations as we’ve collectively discovered how meaningful and enriching our time together is.
Every gathering has been special in one way or another, and 2026 will give us opportunity to once again celebrate our journey together, both as campers and community.
Sound good to you? Count on us as we count the days.
David Roth ~ Executive Director
Chris Kunstadter ~ Board President
Sloan Wainwright ~ Board Vice President
Sue Riley ~ Treasurer
Mitch Katz
Steven Prasinos
Glen Roethel
Julie Snow
Emily Weinstein
Musical Experience
Find Your Voice
Develop your songwriting skills in a nurturing environment with like-minded creatives.
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Melody Crafting
Learn techniques to compose memorable and engaging melodies.
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Lyric Development
Transform your thoughts into powerful, resonant lyrics that connect.
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Performance Coaching
Build confidence to share your songs with authentic expression.
Unforgettable
Community
We can't wait to hear what you think.
CLASSES
Classes Vary Each Year
2026 Staff
Johnsmith, Taina Asili, Susan Cattaneo, David Roth, Vito Petroccitto Jr., Mark Dann, Sloan Wainwright, Sue Riley, Glen Roethel, Julie Snow
2026 Classes
Songwriting, Voice, Guitar, One-on-One Mentoring, Performance, Creativity, and more!
2025 Teachers & Classes
Click the button below to read about our amazing 2025 Staff and their classes.
About Us
Sharing the Craft of Songwriting Since 1999
In the summer of 1999, Penny Nichols took a leap of faith and held the first SummerSongs songwriting camp at the Ashokan Field Campus in Olivebridge, NY. (We now gather at the Stony Point Center in Stony Point, NY.)
That first summer 25 campers and 7 adventurous teachers – touring professionals in their own right – created a life-changing experience that has continued nurturing us, and other songwriters, through today. Imagine being in a setting where you can develop your songwriting skills, face your performance fears, and make rich and lasting friendships in an atmosphere infused with acceptance and support. That was SummerSongs then. That is SummerSongs today.
After twenty-seven years, we now have a substantial core of campers along with many newcomers every year.
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- Creative Openness
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- Encouragement
- Growth