Junior Appalachian Musicians Program
HCAC offers this after-school program for students in grades 4-12 to learn to play fiddle, banjo, and guitar in Appalachian styles from well-known musicians. The JAM is designed to acquaint area young people with their local cultural heritage through instruction in mountain music. Learn more at www.JAMkids.org.
Each week, our talented instructors share their knowledge of regional traditional music with children in after-school classes at Folkmoot in Waynesville. The emphasis is on community, learning the old-time styles of playing and singing music, developing our ears and creativity, and continuing the folk process here in the mountains that has been going on for 200 years or more.
JAM is a friendly place for students to come after school where it’s safe to create and fulfilling to work together. The friendships formed at JAM are different than anywhere else, and being in a band and playing music with your friends can be the experience of a lifetime.
Our Instructors
The instructors are role models for all JAM students, but especially the girls, as seeing a woman play who has mastered her instrument is not something every little girl grows up seeing. The girls in JAM can be leaders if they want to, and they have strong role models in Cary and Maddy. Travis, Bob, and Robby do their part to help create an environment where all musicians are shown respect and admiration for their musical accomplishments. Depending on the number of students and their skill level we will have four instructors teaching banjo, guitar, fiddle, and band or advanced.
Fall 2023 Registration
When: Tuesdays, 4 pm – 5:30 pm starting September 5 through December 19, 2023. Open House will be on the first day of class. The End-of-Semester Performance will occur on the last day of the semester. JAM is canceled when Haywood County schools get out early or are closed.
Where: Folkmoot Friendship Center, 112 Virginia Avenue, Waynesville.
Ready to Register? First, click the button below and read about the program and it’s requirements. Then, click the next button below and fill out the online JAM registration form. HCAC cannot accept hard copies – please let us know if you need support filling out this form! Finally, pay for JAM online by clicking the last button, or send us cash or check. If you are registering multiple children, contact Tonya to discuss proper payment procedures.
Email: Tonya Harwood, director@haywoodarts.org
Mail: PO Box 306, Waynesville, NC 28786
Drop Off: 86 N. Main Street, Waynesville NC 28786
Thank You to Our 2023 - 2024 School Year Sponsors
Wayne Henderson Foundation
This project was supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.