One of our newest and most enthusiastic piano students is Nazaria, who is in the second grade at Emerald Academy. She started taking lessons with volunteer teacher Ashley Williams this fall after spending forever on our waiting list. Well, it wasn’t actually forever. It was only about six months. But that sure seems like forever when you are 7 years old and want to start learning piano SO BAD. Nazaria’s mom, NyKeesha, did a great job of managing our application process. NyKeesha first reached out to us when Nazaria was just 5 years old. We told her the earliest a student can start oneon- one lessons is 7. So NyKeesha waited patiently and when Nazaria turned 7, her mom applied for lessons. We put her on the waiting list last April.
Then — and this is important — NyKeesha continued to follow up with our Music Director Julie Carter. Do you have a spot for my daughter? Can she begin lessons anytime soon?
This was music to Julie’s ears. “I love to hear from parents,” she says. “The more parental involvement, the better. You know that saying about the squeaky wheel?”
When NyKeesha called Julie to check in back in October, the timing was perfect. “Nazaria’s schedule matched Ashley’s schedule and we were able to put them together,” Julie recalls. “I was really happy.”
Probably not as happy as Nazaria and her mom. “I was overjoyed,” says NyKeesha. “Nazaria is super-excited. It makes my heart so happy. We just went and picked up a keyboard for her yesterday. As soon as she gets home from school, she wants to get right on it.”
At the moment, our waiting list has about 15 students. Wouldn’t you like to help a kid like Nazaria experience the joy of music? If you’re a potential volunteer teacher, please call us at 865-525-6806 and let’s find a way to make it happen!
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Last year’s inaugural Swing for Joy golf tournament was a smashing success—so we’re thrilled to be bringing it back for 2018. The date is Monday, August 27, and the venue is the beautiful Gettysvue Golf & Polo Club. The cost: $100 a person. All proceeds benefit the Joy of Music School.
The Joy of Music School family’s latest addition is Therese Bradbury, who joined our professional staff in April. Therese (pronounced thuh-REECE), is from Murphy, N.C., and comes to us by way of the Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce. She has a Bachelor of Science in applied mathematics, but describes herself as a “country girl.” Now there’s a combination! Therese will work in finance for the School. She also has the title of special events manager, taking on Ed Sublett’s role there as Ed slides into facilities management while continuing as manager of volunteers. Therese also plays the flute and hopes to start as a volunteer teacher as soon as she gets her rhythm in her new job. We’re so glad she’s here!
Do you like this newsletter as much as I do? To me, it has a unique combination of qualities one doesn’t commonly find together, like a mythical food that’s very tasty and yet very good for you. Imagine a sweet, gooey, delicious Cinnabon roll that somehow lowers your cholesterol and gives you six-pack abs. That’s how I see this quarterly. It’s full of stories that are fun and
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends,” sang the Beatles. Our Executive Director Frank Graffeo found himself humming that tune recently, thanks to some help he got from our good friend Jonah Rabinowitz at the W. O. Smith Music School in Nashville.
Not all music is meant to be tuneful, hummable, or foot-tapping. Just listen to an adventure movie score, or the music behind a Tom & Jerry cartoon. Like creators of visual art, poetry, and dance, different musicians embrace different styles. A local ensemble with a national reputation embodies that notion. They even named themselves after the sounds we use to describe audio oddities. Eschewing bleep-blop, they chose Nief- Norf, and they celebrate experimental music.
Remember 1998? The Tennessee Vols were college football’s national champs. E.R. was TV’s top-rated show. The search engine Google made its official debut.
This year we celebrate two very special volunteer teachers whose service as mentors and instructors cross important anniversaries. Charles Parham has been teaching piano at JoMS for 10 years. He has also accompanied countless JoMS students on piano in numerous performances. Also, celebrating 15 years as a dedicated volunteer teacher is Maurie Douglas, an individual who started teaching at JoMS at the tender age of 18! We are ever grateful to these fine people.
Chloe and Caleb are twins, aged 17. She’s a drummer. He plays bass. They are the first JoMS kids to attend the Berklee College of Music’s Five-Week Summer Experience, an international gathering of young people to make music and develop talent in Boston. The pair auditioned via video, and were awarded tuition scholarships totaling $11,000. Room, board, and travel were covered jointly by the Youth Endowment Fund of the East Tennessee Foundation, and JoMS donors. Chloe texted, “I am in three rock ensembles where I learn songs over the five weeks for our final performances. I have become close friends with another drummer from California and we have been exploring Boston in our free time.”
Joy of Music School 