2018 Island Camp Instructors
Maya de Vitry
Maya de Vitry is a Pennsylvania-raised, Nashville-based songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. She grew up calling many musical settings home, from old-time music festivals to symphony orchestras. She was formally educated by stints at UNC-Asheville and Berklee College of Music, and informally transformed by the months she spent busking around North America and Europe. She has spent the last six years touring the United States, Canada, and Europe with celebrated Americana band The Stray Birds. In 2017 she also spent a month in Cuba studying language and music, visited Morocco, and toured Jordan with Della Mae. In the midst of this motion, she adores the stillness, slowness, and deep presence and attention that is possible during this weeklong communion on Three Mile Island, and is thrilled to spend time with you this June!
Rennie Elliot
Rennie Elliot is a singer, banjo player and drummer who spends her time between Brooklyn, Nashville & Austin. She loves to play everything from old time, country, cajun, mariachi, punk, & viper jazz in such bands as Woody Pines, Kings County Queens, Wild Angles & The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. She also works professionally in video production, tv commercials and film, as well as puts on camps and festivals. Rennie would love to help you get you started on drums, banjo, singing or video making. www.rennieelliot.com
Chris Miller
“The Chris Miller” - as he is affectionately referred to - could not imagine his life without Miles of Music Camp. Chris plays a variety of instruments (banjo, clarinet, dobro, flute, t’fer), but it’s his captivating saxophone style that has brought him around the world and recently earned him a GRAMMY nomination with his band The Revelers (2016 Best Regional Roots Music). His versatility and sunny disposition have also earned him gigs with A.C Newman, Doug Wamble, The Mike & Ruthy Band, and as a mainstay addition to the Great Bear Trio. He splits his time between Brooklyn, NY, Lafayette, LA and The Road. www.chrismillersax.com
Charlie Rose
Having played and studied many instruments with many people in many places for many years, Charlie Rose has accumulated a cache of musicianship to share with students of all levels. He keeps pretty busy touring with Elephant Revival and Barnstar! as well as recording, writing, and producing. A long-standing regular in the Sub Rosa 3 Mile Island songwriting community and guest artist/sailing enthusiast at Miles of Music, Charlie is excited to officially be teaching at camp this year! www.charlierosemusic.com
Thomas Brown
Thomas Brown is a mixed media artist and an occasional songbird. Originally from Muscle Shoals, Alabama and raised up in Louisville, Kentucky, he has now been based in New York City since 2008 working as an ice sculptor. In addition to ice sculptures, Thomas creates environmental art installations, and has collaborated on music videos with Anna and Elizabeth, Cuddle Magic, and Star Rover. Through his collaboration with his mentor, Takeo Okamoto, and Okamoto Studio, Thomas had had the opportunity to show his work in many of the great venues of NYC, including the MET, the MoMA, Guggenheim, Lincoln Center, MSG, Central Park, Columbus Circle, WTC, Rockefeller Center, NY Botanical Gardens, the House of Love, and many more. Sculpture has also given him the opportunity to travel to Japan, and the Middle East, and around the U.S.. He has been featured along with the studio on Iron Chef American three times. Thomas’ passion for working with ephemeral elements and for performing are exemplified during live carving exhibitions for the public to enjoy. These works invite the audience to embrace the experiential aspect of witnessing the creation of impermanent art objects and to be mindful of the moment as they change and disappear.
Adam Moss
Brooklyn based fiddler and songster Adam Moss’ musical career can most easily be characterized by the variance of his influence. Adam loves and plays in the Klezmer, Bluegrass, Old-time and swing traditions which lends itself to a very unique and innovative style in performance setting. He is actively touring with his brother duo The Brother Brothers, but you may have seen him playing in the past with some of his favorite artists, such as Boston’s Session Americana, Brooklyns The Defibulators, Ana Egge, and Anais Mitchell’s “Hadestown,” to name a few.