“I've been learning from Yaakov Hoter online, one-on-one and in group workshops, including the two-day Samois 2016 experience and I am constantly amazed at hisinnate ability to feel what aspiring musicians need to transform themselves into real creative musicians with a rock solid foundation of understanding and skills. He teaches living, breathing people, not dry material. His unparalleled teaching sense is even more pronounced in live encounters with students where he has the uncanny ability to devine what each particularly needs at the moment and to provide tools to get over any obstacles and reach the goals at hand. Breathtaking! ”

“First, I learned something very important about myself during the week. Yaakov assumed I could do more than I thought I could, and he was right - I learned more, and faster, than I thought was remotely possible for me. I heard daily improvement in my own playing as well as that of every other student. Yaakov has respect for all skill levels and the work it takes to address the difficulties, and he offers ways to be musical at even the most basic of skill levels. He has a lot to offer in terms of technique, but it's all in service of the music, not in service of virtuosity for its own sake. It's a highly focused, intense environment, but Yaakov is incredibly generous and patient, as were his assistant Alon (very helpful - thank you!) and the other students. At the end of the week Yaakov gives each student an individual set of goals and a work plan for the year, including practice routine. When I decided to do this, I thought it would be a one-off for me, but now I'm determined to get there again. 16 stars out of 5. Oh, and ... Carlo did an incredible job with logistics before and during the week, helping all of us non-Italian rubes with anything we needed. And the venue, staff, food, etc ... wow! All in all, a wonderful experience.”

“This week was so wonderful in many different aspects. The location is amazing, the buildings and the park. And the pools. The people involved - Yaakov, Carlo, the staff, the students - like a family. So fantastic. And the teacher - Yaakov is amazing, he is able to break everything down into small parts that everyone can digest and work on. He can perfectly see what to work on for each student. How everybody improved was astounding. Anabsolut recommendation.”

“I spent 5 days with 12 other students at an incredible Italian villa in Tuscana, every day being tutored by Yaakov in both rhythm and improvisation. The whole course was an incredibly enriching experience, made fun and engaging, with plenty of time to spend practising, joining evening jam sessions, and just relaxing in the beautiful surroundings. I learned a huge amount, and came away with so much informatio, and a structured practise routine that it should be enough to keep me busy for at least a year. A fantastic experience that I highly recommend to anyone wanting to improve their playing.”

“Hi, As someone who has been through two of Yaakov's workshops i can tell you that you will not regret a single moment. Yaakov is exactly what you want in a teacher/mentor: knowledgeable (Very Knowledgeable!) , patient , quick in evaluating a student and very quick to come up with a plan for improvement to tackle your weak points and help you improve and teach you how to do it yourself later on which is a exactly what you need in a workshop. Above all Yaakov is a very nice and kind person which counts for a lot in my book. So , i highly recommend it and im sure you will not regret a single moment coming out feeling you spent your time and money in the right place. Good Luck! Avner Arnstein...”

“Yaakov combined his experience as a master performer and serious student of Django with his excellent teaching skills to make this a very productive session for me. He is focused not just on technique, but on how to LEARN techniques. Bravo, Maestro! ”

“ Yaakov Hoter's unique understanding of Django Reinhardt's way of seeing music, his ability to interpret it in such a way that students can understand and learn from it and his almost unearthly ability to identify the precise needs of each student make him by far the best teacher I've ever encountered. The personal attention available in a small group and the possibilities of playing together amplified the benefits amazingly. We could each feel our progress and that of our friends (because we quickly became friends) every minute! Hearing Yaakov perform in this intimate setting was phenomenal and actually having the opportunity to play duets with him was a treat for each and every one of us! The location was beautiful and convenient and the organizer, Carlo, is an angel!”