Music is, of course, central to the Joy of Music School, but an equally important aspect is the one-on-one and caring mentorship students receive.
The organization offers free group and one-on-one lessons, teaching a wide range of instruments, from multiple types of guitars to keyboards and violins. The school is one of his designated grant recipients by A Community Thrives, the charity of Knox News and its parent company Gannett. This year the school received her $2,000.
Since 2017, A Community Thrives has helped over 500 organizations with a total donation of over $17 million.
Knox News spoke with Julie Carter, the school’s Director of Music Education, to learn more about the school’s efforts and its impact on the community.
What is the most rewarding part of working at school?
people. Really all the people who come through our door both on the volunteer teacher side and the family side, and many community members who support our school. I am really lucky to work here. Because you have to meet and work with all these people.
What kind of classes are there and up to what age can I attend?
We serve children ages 6 to 18. We offer private lessons and match students with volunteer teachers for those lessons. There are also classes such as an introductory music class for 7 year olds and a music maker class for 8 to 11 year olds. We also have a ukulele class.
Who are the volunteer teachers? What brought them to school?
We have a wide variety of teachers. We have a retired musician and his members of the community who are professionals in other fields who just want to get in touch with their music and are looking for volunteer opportunities. We also have students from the University of Tennessee, especially the School of Music. For example, we partner with a string pedagogy class, so some students come here to teach as a lab for that class. For community members who go the distance here, they’re really just driven by the program.
Anything about the school that Knoxville residents might not know?
Many people drive past Interstate 40 and call us asking how much it will cost to study here. People don’t understand what programs really are. People see our sign and think we are a regular paid music school. That’s why we try to raise public awareness as much as possible.
Can anyone learn music?
I believe that the school’s mission is to provide musical education opportunities for all. That is our mission. We are not looking to train apprentices or professional musicians. Some of our children will become professional musicians. It happens, but rarely. Our mission is to enable everyone to learn music, and we do not set curriculum goals such as he must play three scales by Christmas. We haven’t done that, and we wouldn’t set them up in a system that could fail. We value how they are doing, but we are here for everyone. We teach life skills, responsibility and how to handle challenges.
