Now in its 9th season, Pacolet Junior Appalachian Musicians at Tryon Fine Arts Center specializes in nourishing the whole community through music education. From 6-8 year-olds learning ukulele, to a robust adult music program for both beginning and advanced pickers, PacJAM has something for everyone.
“We continue to thrive because we adapt to the community’s needs,” says program director Julie Moore. “Music is one of the oldest community services in existence. Youth and adults thrive when they engage in group music, and our sold-out classes and record attendance last year attest to this basic need.”
New highlights this season include a string of regional guest artists to keep the program’s advanced mandolin and fiddle players on their toes, and to further the development of the PacJAM house band, the Clover Pickers. The Clover Pickers are made of PacJAM’s most senior students. They enjoy gigs from the Landrum Farmers Market to Fr8Yard to Albino Skunk Music Festival.
A new addition for students aged 8-14 is the Survey class, a 2-semester class that lets students explore guitar, mandolin, banjo, and fiddle. Adults continue to fill the large, advanced jam class on Wednesdays, and three classes on Tuesdays: classic rock, ukulele and beginner’s jam.
PacJAM is proud of all its students, noting a record-number of students who received a Wayne Henderson Scholarship this spring – 7 PacJAM youth received over $3000 combined to continue their studies of traditional music this year! Wayne Henderson Foundation also provides annual programming support to PacJAM through their generous grants.
Class details, registration and health protocols are available at www.tryonarts.org/pacjam or by calling 828-859-8322.
Submitted by Marianne Carruth