PacJAM – Tryon Fine Arts Center

PACOLET JUNIOR APPALACHIAN MUSICIANS

PacJAM provides an opportunity for area youth to experience community through the joy of participating in traditional music.

Local students and their teachers are taking their part in a multi-state regional effort to preserve the music of the Appalachian cultural heritage, filling the air with guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, and ukulele music each week. In addition to instrument instruction, students learn local music history and theory, ear training, dance, folklore, and rhythm development.

PacJAM offers sessions each fall and winter/spring semester, as well as an intensive day camp one week each summer. Students of all skill levels ages 6-late teens, as well as adults, are invited to join us for instruction in traditional music.

Spring 2022 instructors include Gaye Johnson, Amy & Bob Buckingham, Woody Cowan, Carson Moore, Will Trakas, and Emily Wait.

For questions or additional assistance, please email Julie Moore, Program Director or call 828-859-8322.

PacJAM Spring Semester 2022

February 16 - April 27

All teachers will be assigned a classroom, and have the freedom to teach outside as desired. Our health plan remains fluid as needed to match NC state and CDC requirements and conditions. MASKS ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED

YOUTH CLASSES

Spring Jumpstart - Intermediate Youth JAM January 19 - February 23

Beginner Youth Classes

Wednesday

4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

All beginning students receive 45 minutes of group instruction and 45 minutes of singing/storytelling.

Group song & story: Gaye Johnson (known for having the sweetest voice in the region) gives students the strong foundation they need for learning an instrument. To learn music most effectively, students must know the songs before they play them on an instrument – then the learning becomes intuitive. This fun class equips students with the classic songs and stories of the region and helps launch their musical abilities.

Instrument options:

Age ranges are suggestions. Please email Julie if your child is outside the age range for the class they wish to take.

Option 1: Beginning ukulele, ages 6-8

Option 2: Instrument Survey, ages 8-14

Continuing from last semester, this instrument survey class will focus on clawhammer banjo, plus one additional instrument to be chosen by the students.

Option 3: Beginning guitar, ages 8-14

Option 4: Beginner mandolin ages 8-14

Option 5: Beginner fiddle ages 8-14

*Please be sure to select the student's 1st and 2nc\d instrument choices when registering.

Beginner Classes Register Here

TFAC Music Classes by Catherine Turner-15

TFAC Music Classes by Catherine Turner-17

TFAC Music Classes by Catherine Turner-24

TFAC Music Classes by Catherine Turner-35

Intermediate Youth Classes

Wednesdays

4:30 pm-6:00pm

All students with some experience under their belt will take an intermediate or advanced group instrument class, and a band class.

4:30-5:15

Jam Band: Phil Jenkins & Carson Moore help young musicians find their voice in a band environment.

5:15 - 6:00

Option 1: Intermediate Guitar

Option 2: Intermediate Fiddle

Option 3: Intermediate Mandolin

Option 4: Three-finger banjo- all levels

Clover Pickers: 4:00- 6:00

PacJAM’s house band gets rigorous coaching this semester from Emily Wait and special guest coaches. Clover Pickers will spend 5 weeks of the semester practicing their teaching skills from 4-4:45 weekly, and 5 weeks working on choosing and arranging songs for Clover Picker performance. Band rehearsal and coaching last from 4:45-6 for all 10 weeks. Clover Pickers band is by invitation and the commitment requires extra rehearsals as determined by the group.

Intermediate-Advanced Classes Register Here

ADULTS CLASSES

All Adults Classes

Wednesday

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Option 1: Classic Rock for acoustic guitar

Join beloved Polk County musician Woody Cowan and learn YOUR favorite tunes. In this setting, the students pick the songs, and Woody leads the teaching. This friendly class is full of peer-to-peer encouragement and collaboration. Artists covered included Janis Joplin, Neil Young, Old Crow Medicine Show, & Grateful Dead. Whether you know a lot of chords or just a couple, this class will move you forward musically while taking you back through the best era of radio-played folk music.

Option 2: Beginner/Intermediate Folk Jam

World-class musician Gaye Johnson leads this class, gently raising your comfort level to play freely in a group setting. Rooted in traditional folk music, aspiring mandolin, and guitar students will join together to gain more comfort and self-assurance in a group setting, while also diving into rhythm techniques and ornamentations.

Option 3: Intermediate/ advanced band

Bob and Amy Buckingham guide adults on all instruments (guitar, clawhammer banjo, fiddle, mandolin, ukulele, & bass). Several songs are picked by the group at the start of the semester, and over the 10 week semester, the musicality and “setlist” grow exponentially. Adults love this format for
guided jamming.

All Adults Classes Register Here