The Jones House gears up for spring music lessons as part of the Boone Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program, a 15-week session beginning on January 30. This program offers music lessons for children and adults in traditional styles of music rooted in the Appalachian region. Lessons are available for fiddle, banjo, guitar, ukulele, mandolin, and singing.
Boone JAM is an affiliate of the broader Junior Appalachian Musicians program, with members extending across the Southern Appalachian region in North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Now in its twentieth year, the overarching goal of the JAM program is to expose individuals to the traditional music styles of the region through active, hands-on engagement. This initiative was brought to the Jones House in 2004, thanks in large part to Town of Boone Cultural Resources Director Mark Freed, and has introduced hundreds of students to traditional mountain music.
Currently organized by Cultural Resources Coordinator Brandon Holder, the Boone JAM program draws upon a pool of local instructors who are considered among the High Country’s best at their respective musical crafts. “The vision is to have youth and adults who are better connected to the rich musical heritage of their community and who can help preserve these important traditions for future generations,” states Holder.
Each JAM semester consists of 45-minute lessons taught in small groups over the course of 15 weeks. Lessons take place at the Jones House weekly on Thursdays between the hours of 4:30 PM and 7:30 PM. The spring semester begins January 30 and will culminate in a public recital on May 21. Tuition is $75 for students ages 7-17 and $125 for students age 18 and over. Rental instruments are provided for a cost of $50 per semester. Discounts are offered to returning students and families with multiple children participating, and scholarship assistance is available upon request.
Registration for JAM music lessons is open online at joneshouse.org. For more information about Boone JAM or private music lessons call the Jones House at 828-268-6280 or email brandon.holder@townofboone.net.
The Boone JAM program receives funding and support from the North Carolina Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Town of Boone.
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