About Boone JAM

The Boone JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians) program offers small group music lessons for kids age 8 and over in traditional styles of the region for fiddle, clawhammer banjo, bluegrass banjo, guitar and mandolin. The program is rooted in traditional old time and bluegrass music.

The Boone JAM program is an affiliate of the Junior Appalachian Musicians organization (www.jamkids.org) and receives support from the Wayne C. Henderson Foundation and the North Carolina Arts Council.

Note from Boone JAM Director, Brandon Holder

brandon.holder@boonenc.gov

"This registration form will ask you to select the most fitting class for you or your child (a separate form must be filled out for each student). Preference will be given to students between ages 8-17, and spots will be assigned on a first-come-first-serve basis. Wait lists will also be created, and the class schedule may be subject to some changes once demand has been assessed. If you are interested in a group class that is not listed (i.e. Advanced Mandolin), please select "Other" and write your requested class in the box below. We will try our best to accommodate as many requests as possible."

 

12-Week Semester

Beginning on February 10th and 12th
Ending with a recital on May 12th!

Lessons at 4:30, 5:30, & 6:30
on Tuesday & Thursday evenings
(No classes on April 7th and 9th)
Classes are 45 minutes in duration

Jones House Cultural Center
604 West King Street
Boone, NC 28607
828-268-6280

Students 18 and over - $125

Students age 8-17 - $75

Sibling Discount - $50 per additional student

Instrument Rental Fee - $25 per semester

Cash or check payable to "Town of Boone"
due at first lesson

*Scholarship assistance available upon request. If needed, please make a note in the final comment box*

Description of various class levels below. Feel free to email with any questions.

*The amount of time a student spends practicing is often more important than number of classes they have taken.*

A Level "1" Class – Has no experience with this instrument before or has played a little but has never taken formal lessons. Some students might find themselves taking this level class more than once to reinstate fundamentals. Repeating classes at this level is common and especially for beginner fiddle, I would recommend a full two semesters at the “1” class level. These classes include rank beginners but also students who are not yet ready for the “2” class level. 

 

A Level "2" Class – Has taken a year or more of formal lessons. Can play a couple beginner tunes/songs, knows some chords, but still needs more fundamental instruction to advance their skills. 

 

A Level "3" Class – Able to tune your own instrument. Being able to perform some tunes/songs by yourself with decent pitch and timing. Ready for more advanced techniques and tunes/songs. Classes at this level might involve the student submitting a video of their playing for inspection.

*We will try our best to accommodate everyone, but due to class size and teacher availability, it is unlikely that we will be able to offer every class at every hour.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES:

Students are encouraged to attend every class meeting and to allocate daily at-home practice time.

To have success in learning to play their instruments, students must be punctual, pay attention to their instructors, care for their instruments, and cooperate in class.

Parents, please go over all policies and procedures with students in order to dispel any confusion, to ensure their success in JAM, and to ensure overall success of the program.

In consideration of myself, and students included on this form, I hereby acknowledge that I understand that there may be risk of personal injury and property damage involved in participation of this program. By signing below, I further acknowledge that participants on this form have voluntarily assumed the risks inherent in the activity, and I hereby, for myself, my heirs, executor, assigns and personal representatives, waive and release any and all rights, demands, and claims for property damages or personal injury I, and any additional participants listed on this form, my incur, against the sponsor, the Town of Boone, its employees, members, agents, volunteer workers, and/or property owners for any property damages or injuries that I, and participants listed on the form, might suffer or sustain in connection with the Jones House Music Lessons.

I agree to the release of photographs and/or video of the particpant(s) for the promotion of the program or the general promotion of the programming of the Town of Boone, Cultural Resources, and North Carolina Arts Council.