Welcome to
The Joy of Music School
a Nonprofit Organization
Make a joyful noise at
At The Joy of Music School, weekly lessons and instruments are provided to disadvantaged and at-risk kids at no charge.
The School was founded in 1998 in
We are volunteer driven, and a proud part of the musical fabric of the region! Lessons are taught by an all-volunteer music faculty.
If your kids want music lessons, and you are on the free/reduced lunch program in the Knox County Schools, then you qualify for admission to the School. We never charge any money for the services we provide. Home schoolers and families from outside Knox County are welcome too. Give us a call. We want to get your child an instrument and a teacher as soon as possible!
Yes, you can teach!
Are you one of the countless people in the area who have had years of music lessons, but are not playing regularly? If so, then you might think you can't teach private music lessons. But please consider the following: There are dozens of kids on our waiting list. The vast majority of the kids on our waiting list have never had a private lesson in their lives. You really can help a young beginner! Are you willing to give an hour a week? We're betting that even if you're not jamming every weekend, or taking your bows with the symphony, your music teacher would be proud to know you're passing on your training to a beginning student at The Joy of Music School. We'll help you get started. In no time you'll be enjoying the experience of a lifetime... both you and your student! Please call 865-525-6806 today.
Upcoming Special Events: Save these dates! Jammin' for Joy, Sunday August 10, 2008 at This is the third year of the event, which has come to be our most productive fundraising event of the year. Food, drink, music and a lovely setting above Concord Marina on the patio at Lakeside Tavern. Doctors square off against lawyers in a battle of their bands. Celebrity judges preside, but there’s a catch: The audience gets into the act when they are invited to “bribe” the judges for higher scores for their favorite bands. The lawyers’ band won last year. The doctors vow not to go down to defeat this year! All proceeds benefit the programs at the Joy of Music School.
Click "EVENTS" at left to learn more.
Don't miss these instant classics, designed around music, fun and support for the School. These lively, unique events were new last year and surprised everyone with their instant success. Click "EVENTS" at left to learn more.
Choir's Second year off to a Great Start
Started in 2006, The Joy of Music School Choir is an exciting addition to what we offer kids and the community. Judy Pyne and Laura Jetter direct this group of boys and girls, ages 8 to 12, who are leaning more than singing. They work as a team and individually to master the difficult art of ensemble singing, and the discipline it takes to succeed in a performing group. We are all proud of our choir. They debuted in December 2006 as a boys choir at a special event. They followed that with a concert at the Joy of Music School for family and friends, appearing on WBIR's Live at Five television program. Then in December 2007 they made a second appearance at that special event, sounding better than ever! Look for the choir as they perform in other locations in the coming months.
Multimedia Coverage
Click here to see coverage in the Knoxville News-Sentinel about our "Making Music" camp.
1. Finding and growing financial support 2. Recruiting, rewarding and retaining volunteer music teachers for the 300 kids we serve weekly. 3. Maintaining our beautiful facility as an excellent teaching space, and retaining its value
Our Operational Priorities
Get Involved Discover how you can get involved as a parent, volunteer or a supporter, bringing the Joy of Music to hundreds of kids in For more information about the School, to make a financial or instrument donation, or to volunteer to teach lessons, e-mail us by clicking here. E-mail the School. Join Tennesseans for the Arts, a state-wide non-profit advocacy organization that brings together arts organizations, government agencies, businesses, artists and citizens to speak out for the arts in
The Joy of Music School is supported in part by the Tennessee Arts Commission.
We are also supported in part by the East Tennessee Foundation.
Our corporate partner is Starbucks Coffee Company.
"There is no feeling, except the extremes of fear and grief, that does not find relief in music."
