Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) is a program geared to teaching 6th, 7th and 8th grade students the musical traditions of Western North Carolina. Students participating in JAM learn to play traditional tunes on the guitar, banjo, fiddle or mandolin in a group class setting. Master musician Rhonda Gouge is the lead instructor for TRAC’s program in Mitchell County.

Classes are held after school, 3:00 - 4:30 pm on Tuesdays (Harris Middle School), Thursdays (Bowman Middle School) and at Buladean on a day to be announced (2008). The Toe River Arts Council provides instruments for a $25.00 rental fee per semester and students pay $6.00 per class. There are two semesters during the school year: one in the fall that ends just before Thanksgiving the other starts in January and continues to about May 1.

Students can sign up for next semester of JAM classes following the recital on Thursday, December 6 at 7 pm at the Carolina Theatre in Spruce Pine.

Click here for a JAM Application Form.

For more information on this or other TRAC programs call 828-682-7215 or e-mail trac@toeriverarts.org. Partial funding for this program is made possible by a grant from the Blue Ridge Heritage Area and the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency.