In 1997 Mr. James A. Dick, prominent business leader and philanthropist, visits the W.O. Smith School in Nashville. Impressed by their mission of providing low cost music lessons to low income children, he decides to bring the idea back to Knoxville.

Later that year Mr. Dick gathers fellow business leaders, community activists, and music educators and founds The Joy of Music Youth Music School. The School begins operations in the fall of 1998 providing free music lessons to the disadvantaged youth of the Boys of Girls Clubs of Knoxville.

With a volunteer board and one staff member they undertake the mission of providing a quality music education to disadvantaged youth. The founding board president is F. Michael Combs. The School begins in the Moses Center in space provided by the Boys and Girls Clubs with Anne Marie Begley as the first primary music teacher and coordinator or the music program.

In November 2000, The Joy of Music School becomes a 501(c)(3), nonprofit corporation.

In January 2001, the first Executive Director, Marisa Galick, is hired to manage the business operations for the School.

In October 2001, the School begins a neighborhood program in which non-Boys & Girls Club members can also register to take free music lessons if they qualify as being from low income families.

The community enrollment of the School grows so fast that in July 2002 the Board begins a search for a larger building for the School. After an exhaustive search the Board finds a new home.

On August 6, 2003, The Joy of Music School moves from a cramped 900 sq. ft. space at the Moses Center to a 7,000 sq. ft. building at 1209 Euclid Avenue, only blocks away.

On March 28, 2005, The Joy of Music breaks ground on necessary major upgrades to the School’s new home. The building is brought up to city building codes, requiring some modifications including an elevator, a second stairwell, and handicap accessible restrooms.

October 2005, Julie Carter, a respected music educator and flutist with considerable international experience, is hired as director of music education.

In November 2005 the new addition to the building is completed. Now the School is fully operational with a spacious lobby, a kid-friendly family waiting area, new restrooms and an elevator.

In December 2005, conductor Francis Graffeo, formerly of Knoxville Opera and founder of the Rossini Festival, is appointed the School’s Executive Director.

In January 2006 the School’s Board of Directors elects prominent attorney and musician Rick Carl as president.

Ms. Julie Howard, attorney and singer/actor is named acting president in February 2007 as Mr. Carl is forced by pressing family matters to redirect his energies.

In January 2008 (the School’s tenth anniversary year) Mr. Kenneth Dobbins, President of BankEast, begins his tenure as President of the Board of Directors.

In August 2008 bassoonist Preston Sangster, student of Joy of Music Volunteer Teacher and University of Tennessee professor Keith McClelland, is the first Joy of Music School graduate to attend college as a music education major at the University of Tennessee School of Music.

In September 2008 guitarist Nate Montgomery is the first Joy of Music School graduate to return as a Volunteer Teacher after studying guitar at the School from 2004-2007.

In January 2009 Mr. Larsen Jay, President of DoubleJay Creative, succeeds Dobbins as President of the Board of Directors.

Dr. Kurt Weiss, management consultant and professional photographer, becomes president of the board in March 2010 as Larsen Jay steps back into the role of board member. Mr. Jay’s action was taken in order to allow him to focus his energies on his growing motion picture production business.

In June 2010, an agency purporting to be a documentary producer documents a pre-arranged volunteer who helps out at the School for a few days. By the end of that week it is revealed that the volunteer is actually a millionaire who makes a substantial donation to the School in her final moments with us. It is further revealed that the producers are actually the ABC Television Network, and the footage is to be used in an episode of a new program, “Secret Millionaire.”

In August 2010 tenor saxophonist Marquis McGee, student of Joy of Music Volunteer Teacher and jazz great Jerry Coker, enters the University of Tennessee School of Music as a Studio Performance and Jazz major on full scholarship.

In August 2010 jazz pianist Taber Gable, student of Joy of Music Volunteer Teacher and jazz great Jerry Coker, enters The Hartt School, University of Hartford, as the first full scholarship recipient of the Hartt Performing Arts Scholarship.

In January 2011 our building gains a new tenant in the available office space on the second floor. The Marilyn Roddy for Mayor campaign joins existing tenant, Saratoga Technologies.

In January 2011 the Joy of Music School partners with the Knoxville Mentoring Initiative, which will mean standardized training for our volunteer teachers in the area of mentoring, thereby strengthening and deepening the relationship between our volunteer teachers and their students.

In February 2011, the School’s founder, Mr. James A. Dick passes away. His legacy lives on in the fine work of our volunteers and in the music made by the hundreds and hundreds of Joy of Music School children. We mourn his loss, but are proud to carry on the vision he created.

In March 2011, ABC Television airs the episode of “Secret Millionaire” featuring the Joy of Music School.

By August 2011 the School institutes mentor training as a part of its offerings to teachers. All volunteer teachers, in addition to orientation and various forms of teaching support, also receive training and instruction in the skills necessary to be mentors to the students they are teaching. Teachers learn how to form stronger relationships, and to understand the unique challenges financially disadvantaged children face.

At the close of 2011 the School reaches record high numbers of teachers and students.