Joy of Music School

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Category Archives: Joy of Music School Kids

The young people who study music at the School have a lot going on!


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The Perfect Start to Your Holidays

hss2015-kids

The word “joy” is one we see a lot in the holiday season. It shows up on everything from greeting cards to wrapping paper to festive yuletide sweaters.

One way to be certain your holidays begin with a burst of actual joy: attending the Joy of Music School’s annual Holiday Sparkles & Spirits, a spectacular evening of food and drink, live and silent auctions, and heartwarming performances by our talented students.

This year’s Holiday Sparkles & Spirits is Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m. The venue: Cherokee Country Club’s magnificent ballroom. Tickets are $125.

Among the gifts you’ll find in our live and silent auctions this year: items autographed by Peyton Manning, including a Super Bowl Jersey, 24 Swarovski animal figurines and a display case, a Raymond Valley Winery barrel wine dispenser, collectible wines, many elegant jewelry pieces, and men’s and women’s Vols basketball tickets, with parking.

Holiday Sparkles & Spirits is our biggest and most important fundraiser of the year. So come and find the perfect items for your holiday shopping list—and, in supporting our free music lessons and instruments for Knoxville youth, begin to feel the true joy of the season!


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Letter From The Executive Director

Francis Graffeo

Francis Graffeo

When families apply for admission, we request a statement from every child. “Why do you want to study music at the Joy of Music School?” we ask them. We tell the kids to answer either with words or in a drawing, or both.

When I go through their replies it’s always revealing, often emotional, and, at times, hilarious. The recurring theme is eager anticipation and a child’s vision of themselves with music in their lives. Most of our kids have never had a music lesson. They’ve never had an individual teacher working with them every week. They’ve always held music as something they love, and they want more of it. They are not sure what to expect, but they know they want it.

The range of responses is astounding. One student, age 13, drew an elaborate picture of a band on a stage, labeling it “Playing worship music at Madison Square Garden.” Another, 14, wrote: “I am taking voice to get over my stage fright. I am taking piano to better myself with note names and all of the other musical terms.” An 8-year-old drew a long, sturdy grand piano, with strong legs and wheels, a piano bench and a simple human figure with a smiling face. He drew a prominent curving arrow pointing at the smiling face, with the label “Me.”

There are hundreds of student statements in our files. Each represents potential, anticipation and a vision of one’s future self through music. We, as stewards of these dreams, are inspired to bring reality to those visions, and to expand on them whenever possible. It’s truly a privilege and a joyous responsibility.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Francis Graffeo

Executive Director

 

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Breyon is Back

Breyon Ewing and his student, Michael

Breyon Ewing and his student, Michael

Breyon Ewing’s achievements as a Joy of Music School student were extraordinary by any measure. Starting out as a “lovable, scrawny teen with oodles of potential” (in Executive Director Frank Graffeo’s words), he grew to become an accomplished singer with a robust tenor voice. As a senior in high school, Breyon earned the Grace Moore Memorial Scholarship—a merit-based full ride to the University of Tennessee.

Now, four years later, he’s adding to his JoMS legacy by returning to the School as a teacher.

This fall, Breyon began teaching piano and voice lessons to 15-year-old Michael and piano lessons to Michael’s brother David, 8. “Being back really feels nice,” Breyon says. “It’s cool.”

It was only natural to return to the School, where as a youngster he was taught by volunteer instructor Andrew Skoog, a celebrated tenor and UT associate professor of voice. “It changed my life—it really did,” Breyon says of the School. “Being in that program convinced me that I could get into music as a career.”

“I’m really proud of him,” says Frank. “He knows what it’s like to take an opportunity and make the most of it – and that’s going to mean a lot to his students.”

Breyon expects to wrap up his UT undergraduate degree next year and then will likely pursue a master’s in music pedagogy. This would make him a certified instructor, with a goal of setting up his own studio for teaching and performing.

We’re confident Breyon can achieve whatever he wants. In the meantime, we’re glad to have him back among our dedicated team of volunteer instructors.

 

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Back to School, Joyfully

backtoschoolcollage

School is in session at the Joy of Music School, which means our halls and lesson rooms are humming with activity and melodies fill the air. The fall semester enrollment is on track to exceed last year, when we had 200 students and 85 volunteer teachers, says Julie Carter, Director of Music Education.

A few exciting new developments: We’ve added a second, more advanced baritone ukulele class. Ed Sublett, our Manager of Volunteer Resources, has expanded his Multimedia Production and Engineering course to include a second year. It focuses on shooting and editing videos to accompany music. And for the first time, we’re teaching the fiddle (in addition to the classical violin).


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Strange Sounds & Happy Ears

Nief-Norf

Nief-Norf

The contemporary chamber music ensemble has an odd name: “nief-norf.” But that’s fitting, because this group is all about unusual sounds. niefnorf visited the Joy of Music School in the spring, demonstrating, teaching and collaborating with the kids.

Formed in 2005, nief-norf was the vision of percussionists Andrew Bliss and Kerry O’Brien, naming the group after a descriptor of strange sounds. While some say “bleep-blop,” they prefer “nief-norf.”

By the end of their session, our kids had composed several new pieces of music that were performed by nief-norf. It was inspirational, and occasionally sounded like “bleep-blop,” but it was JoMS bleepblop, which made it all the better! Many thanks to these musicians for sharing their unique talents with us.

 

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The Mighty Thames

Dana, Weston, Haleigh and Rhiannon at Roosevelt University in Chicago

Dana, Weston, Haleigh and Rhiannon at Roosevelt University in Chicago

Recent JoMS graduate Weston Thames, a violinist, won a full scholarship to the Sphinx Performance Academy for two weeks in July at Roosevelt University in Chicago. He earned his spot via a competitive audition process. Way to go, Weston!

While in Chicago he participated in a string quartet, took master classes and got to soak up the big city atmosphere in his free time. But it was hard work. He says, “What really stood out to me was that I really can do more than I believe at first.” He added, “It’s worth the hard work.” By the end of the academy Weston had won the “Best Attitude” award! We are proud of our graduate. He made remarkable progress on violin in his last year here. These days Weston attends Pellissippi State Community College, and has not yet declared a major. We’re hoping it’s music!

 

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Strike Up the Band

U.S. Navy Brass Quintet

U.S. Navy Brass Quintet

In April we were honored by a visit from the U.S. Navy Band Brass Quintet. They were in Knoxville as a part of the big air show happening at McGhee Tyson Airport that week. The sailors arrived at the School in their dress uniforms looking very sharp. They introduced themselves one by one and sat in a semicircle to play a varied program including “America the Beautiful,” Dvorak’s “Slavic Dances,” “Moonlight Serenade,” and finished with a jovial rendition of music from the cartoon “Popeye the Sailor Man.” Of course!

Their big brass sound filled the small space, enveloping everyone with a rich and vibrant tone. The kids loved it, applauding each piece enthusiastically.

To make it all the more memorable, at the close of the program the musicians took time to demonstrate their instruments for the kids, giving them an up close tour of their two trumpets, French Horn, trombone and tuba.

A big salute to our friends in blue!

 

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It’s Recital Time in Tennessee!

JoMs_recital_kids

The Joy of Music School’s Spring Recital has a new home. This year, all the fun and excitement take place at the Scottish Rite Temple, right across from the University of Tennessee campus at 612 16th Street.

Save the date: Saturday, May 7, from 2- 4 p.m.  The Scottish Rite Temple is “a great venue,” says Julie Carter, the Joy of Music School’s Director of Music Education. “There’s a really big auditorium with plenty of seating for the audience, and there is lots of space on the floor and the stage for performances.”

Our annual recital is a truly special event. Roughly 65 of our students will climb up on that stage to show their families and friends what they’ve accomplished—musically and personally—this year. There will be singers, pianists, guitarists, drummers, and all manner of brass and string performances. There will be jangly nerves — and great big smiles of satisfaction and pride.

The event is free of charge for all. Be sure to stick around afterward for a warm and celebratory reception in the temple’s fellowship hall.

We are most grateful to the Scottish Rite Temple for letting us use their beautiful performance space, and to Knoxville’s HomeTrust Bank for sponsoring this important and fun event!


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From Ebay with Love

Pat White

Pat White

Like many (if not most) guitarists, Pat White is a devoted collector. When he sees a really cool guitar, especially one that needs repair, he can’t help himself. He has to have it.

But Pat doesn’t hang onto these beautiful objects forever. Once he brings them back to life, he often donates them to the Joy of Music School.

We have received a dozen restored guitars from Pat in the past two years, a haul that would be worth something like $9,000 if we’d had to buy them.

“Pat has made such a difference in our guitar program,” says JoMS Executive Director Frank Graffeo. “Our kids’ eyes just light up when they see his beautiful handiwork on these amazing guitars.”

Pat buys his instruments on eBay and repairs them in his Knoxville basement. He has 13 guitar stands. So when he gets to 13 guitars, he knows it’s “time to cull the herd” to make room for new ones. That time is now. “I’ve got four here that I’m about to bring over the School,” he says.

A former distribution manager for UPS, Pat took up guitar when he retired nine years go. The bug bit him hard. “I get so excited when I see a new guitar,” he explains. “There’s something about the inherent beauty of a guitar’s design. How it feels to hold it. How it sounds.”

Happily for our students, those are feelings Pat is determined to share.


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‘Blossoming’ Thanks to Music

Eriana

Eriana

Eriana was a shy, sometimes withdrawn sort of kid—until she started attending the Joy of Music School. That’s how her grandmother Norma recalls it. “She’s just blossomed since starting there,” says Norma. “She’s not self-conscious at all.”

Eriana, who is 10, remembers it the same way. “I was quiet,” she says. “But you make friends, and you learn about music, and you don’t feel like being so quiet anymore.”

Her first exposure to the School came four years ago, when Eriana enrolled in General Music, a group class taught by Joe Jordan. “It was really cool,” she says. “He (Joe Jordan) was really nice.”

In 2014 she started taking piano lessons from our Executive Director, Frank Graffeo, an experience she calls “fabulous.” She explains: “I got so hooked by it. It’s just so fun, and you get to learn new things, and it sounds so pretty.”

Eriana practices the piano every day, her grandmother reports. “She doesn’t even have to be told. And she begs to go to the recital.” Her favorite pieces at the moment are Für Else and Pachelbel’s Canon in D.

Her next goal: to take singing lessons. Which, when you consider how shy she was just two years ago, is pretty remarkable. Says her grandmother: “I couldn’t be happier about the Joy of Music School.”


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Ring in the Holidays in Style

HSS2015

Get ready—it’s almost time for the Joy of Music School’s much-loved Holiday Sparkles & Spirits event. And this year, as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of HS&S, we’re taking it to the next level, with a beautiful evening in the Cherokee Country Club’s main ballroom.

The fun begins at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 8. The evening will feature heart-warming performances by Joy of Music School students and a dazzling array of gift ideas in our live and silent auctions. Out-of-thisworld wines! Beautiful jewelry! A wild game dinner! An Italian dinner (see page 4 for more details)! A condo in Vail Valley!

Your ticket price of $100 includes delicious heavy hors d’oeuvres and wine and, of course, goes to support the Joy of Music School. Please fill out and mail in the form at the right or, if you prefer, simply call the School at 865-525-6806 to reserve your spot now!


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A Special Visit from a Top Quartet

Cuarteto Latinoamericano

Cuarteto Latinoamericano

We accomplish most of our goals at the Joy of Music School with the basics: instruction and performance, one-on-one, week in and week out. But sometimes we get an opportunity for a special, enriching and inspiring event, a gathering created especially for the students. On Oct. 13, Cuarteto Latinoamericano, a world-renowned classical music ensemble that was formed in Mexico, presented an invigorating program for our students and families.

Centered around rich and diverse Latin American music, the program featured deft interactions between the venerated musicians (visiting Knoxville as part of a program at the University of Tennessee) and eager, admiring students. They earned a robust and sustained standing ovation. After the program, the Cuarteto was given a tour of the School by Executive Director Frank Graffeo, during which they praised the organization for our mission and commitment to quality. We finally bid the four gentlemen a fond “Adios!” and expressed our sincere hope to see them again one day.

 

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Q&A with Our Student, Aaliyah

Aaliyah and her teacher, Charles Parham

Aaliyah, 10, started taking lessons at the Joy of Music School three years ago. She now plays piano and sings in our choir. Her older brother, Nathan, takes drum lessons at the School, too.

How did you hear about the Joy of Music School?

I was really interested in music and wanted to play the piano. My Mom and my Nana signed me up. In second grade, they showed a video in my class about Beethoven and how he used to play the piano, and I loved that. That’s what made me want to learn.

Did you like the Joy of Music School right away?

Yes. Especially the first teacher I got, Mr. Will (Carter). He taught a group of kids, and we did drum lessons to start. The next year I started playing the piano and my teacher is Mr. Charles (Parham).

What is your piano teacher like?

Mr. Charles is my favorite person at the Joy of Music School. He’s super nice and doesn’t get impatient when I don’t get the piano piece right away.

Do you have a favorite piece on the piano?

Yes. Für Elise by Beethoven.

When did you start in the choir? I started in the choir the same year I started piano, in third grade. I like the opportunities they give me in the choir. Last year, we did this thing where we made a mix of our music while we were singing and they put it online for other people to hear. (You can listen at foundsoundnation.org/curations/big-ears-2015-festival.)

If somebody asked you what is the Joy of Music School, what would you say?

It’s a great school for kids to learn music and sing. And it gives kids great opportunities.