Joy of Music School

Music Notes – Newsletter

Category Archives: Special Events

The Joy of Music School periodically hosts special events designed to either raise funds, raise friends, or both!


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Pride and Joy and All That Jazz

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Following is a description of this summer’s Juilliard Jazz for Joy concert/fundraiser. It was written by Knoxville accountant Jenny Hines and originally posted on Facebook.

In 1997, I received a letter from James A. Dick thanking me for agreeing to serve on the Joy of Music School board and stating that the new organization’s fi rst board meeting would be the following Tuesday at noon. One thing you did not do was say no to James Dick—especially if he was your most important client.

I knew from a couple of long lunches and meandering meetings that James Dick had wanted to be a pianist. He settled instead for buying and owning radio stations, beginning with WNOX and expanding to WIVK in Knoxville. It wasn’t such a bad idea because he turned out to be a pretty savvy businessman.

His idea to form the Joy of Music School seemed like a natural investment for Jim Dick’s passion.

He told me that Knoxville was bound to have another young Mozart or Duke Ellington. Well, on July 9 his dream and his vision were realized when Taber Gable and friends Jonathan Barber, Andrew Renfroe and Lesly Valbrun took the stage at the Emporium in downtown Knoxville. They mesmerized a sold-out crowd at a benefit for the very school that James Dick founded. The vision was fulfilled and the hard work of many volunteer and sponsors had come full circle.

There are many success stories from the Joy of Music School, but perhaps Taber’s is the most satisfying because it started here in Knoxville, traveled to Connecticut, where he attended the University of Hartford on a music scholarship, and is now alive and well at Juilliard. Yes, Juilliard.

Taber brought us all to our feet with some original work and with a beautiful rendition of The Tennessee Waltz and a spiritual song where two of his friends sang alongside his brother, Dwayne Gable. It was truly a special moment.

Tom Jester and I had many of our best friends joining us, including Mary-Linda Schwarzbart, Mary Fran Darwin, Dara Canada, Drew Taylor, Rick Fox and Ralph Cianelli. We also were happy to see former Joy of Music School presidents Michael Combs and Rick Carl along with former executive director Marisa Moazen. There were lots of former and current board members including Eleanor W. Barron, Ann Hitch, and Ken Dobbins. And it made me especially happy to see Francis Graff eo, the organization’s current executive director there, full of JOY as he welcomed the full house. But perhaps the best surprise was seeing James Hundley, grandson of James Dick and a current board member, who had driven in from Nashville with his father to attend the event. And they had brought with them Marilyn Dick, wife of James and one of the School’s mainstay supporters.

There can be nothing more gratifying than giving a gift from the heart and then seeing it pay back beyond your expectations. The investment of James Dick and many others over the years got a huge return on investment as Taber Gable gave back through his performance. July 9 was one of those magical nights—a night for remembering those who mentored us, a night for being with very special friends, a night to meet new friends and anticipate the fun of future gatherings with them, and a time to celebrate the JOY of MUSIC!

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See You at Cherokee Country Club!

The 2015 version of Holiday Sparkles & Spirits, our annual fundraiser party, is shaping up to be the biggest and most festive yet. It’ll have all the elements that make HS&S one of Knoxville’s most inspiring evenings, plus the event is so jam-packed with goodness we’re moving it to the Cherokee Country Club ballroom. The evening, Dec. 8, 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- this-world wines! Beautiful jewelry! A wild game dinner! An Italian dinner! 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 call the School at 865-525-6806 to reserve your spot now!

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Experience The Joy of Music Firsthand!

Here’s your chance to be part of something really special. It’s free, it’s fun—and there’s food!

It’s the annual Joy of Music School Spring Recital, Saturday May 9, at 2 p.m. All are welcome at First Christian Church, 211 W. Fifth Avenue in Knoxville.

You’ll be amazed by the spirit and talent of our dedicated students. Sixty-five of our kids will be performing. They’ll play the drums, all manner of strings, the piano, and they’ll sing. This year we’ll even have a rock group that is sure to get your toes tapping.

And be sure to stick around afterward for delicious barbecue. The food will be donated by Joy of Music School board members and will be cooked by them and church members. We really, truly hope to see you there!

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A Round of Applause for our Recital Sponsor

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Along with proud family members, friends and teachers, the students performing at our May 9 recital will have the support of a new and welcomed sponsor this year: HomeTrust Bank.

HomeTrust has offices in North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. It expanded into our state last year when it bought Jefferson National Bank.

“HomeTrust Bank is proud to support an important arts program like the Joy of Music School,” says Beth Kasper, the bank’s sales and marketing coordinator. “We are advocates for education, and skills learned through arts education produce creative problem solvers for our future. Instilling confidence, perseverance, and collaboration will help these students in every part of their lives, and arts education provides all of these.”

We are so grateful for HomeTrust’s support. Special thanks to JoMS board member Trey Coleman, a HomeTrust senior VP, who connected us.

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Making Music, Supporting Music

Keith Brown

Knoxville jazz musician Keith Brown is well-known for his skills on the piano. He also deserves acclaim for his generosity of time and money. Keith came to the School one evening this winter with a couple of bandmates, playing a handful of tunes and chatting about music with a delighted group of students and parents. He is working on his second album, “The Journey”, which he hopes will appear this summer. To help raise money to record and produce the album, he turned to an outfit called PledgeMusic.com. Once he reached his fundraising goal, 10 percent of all the cash above that amount will be donated to the Joy of Music School.

Keith heard about the Joy of Music through Taber Gable, a friend and fellow jazz musician who took lessons here while growing up. “I just think it’s a great thing,” Keith says of the School. “It’s good to have them here.”

Our heartfelt thanks and best wishes for continued success to Keith Brown!

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The Burger Benefit

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The Joy of Music School got four nights “on stage” at one of Knoxville’s premier restaurants in August – and made the most of it. We were part of the Kobe Burger Mondays at the Orangery series, in which the restaurant generously donates $5 to charity for each American Kobe beef burger it sells. Over the course of the month, scores of volunteers, board members and friends of the School (new and old) enjoyed a fun night out and delightful live music. “We were impressed with the turnout, and the musical guests thrilled everyone,” says Rebecca Bonano, the Orangery’s catering sales manager. So, too, DID the burgers. Many thanks to the Orangery for supporting our School!


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Our Super-Joyous Spring Recital

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Family and friends got to fill their hearts, souls and stomachs at the Joy of Music School Spring Recital. Through an evening of solo and duet performances, as well as ensemble pieces by the general music class, choir, ukulele class and jazz band, School students gave the crowd at First Christian Church an emotional, entertaining and inspiring reminder of why music education is so important.

The program included performances by the School’s three graduating seniors–Kristen Thames, Samuel Feier, and Peter Garlington. Like many JoMS graduates before her, Kristen, a pianist and violinist, continues her music education with a full scholarship at the UT School of Music, where she will specialize in string music education. Peter is also attending UT, and Samuel is at Pellissippi State. While it was a time to say a proud goodbye to our accomplished graduates, the recital also was a good chance to see who tomorrow’s “we knew them when”s are going to be.

And there were a lot of them. Approximately 65 students, accompanied by 15 teachers, wowed their first fans with a demonstration of what happens when the hard work and enthusiasm of youth meets the talent and dedication of our wonderful volunteers.

Though there may have been differing opinions on the highlight of the afternoon, everyone agrees the barbecue feast was a hit. Generously provided by Second Harvest Food Bank, School board members and some great friends, along with cooking and clean-up help from church members, the banquet fed 200 happy people. If you missed this year’s celebration, we look forward to seeing you next spring!