Community Outreach

The Joy of Music School doesn’t just teach at its downtown building. Many hundreds of children and teens are taught at sites across East Tennessee. Here’s how it works.

The Joy of Music School Outreach Program has offered classes and activities for thousands of children throughout East Tennessee since 2001. The Outreach Program serves children outside of the School’s main facility in downtown Knoxville. Typical outreach partner sites include after-school care facilities in local elementary schools in partnership with the Knox Education Foundation. In addition JoMS instructors serve sites managed by the Boys and Girls Clubs in Knox County and surrounding counties, Urban Family Outreach, Wesley House and others. In addition the Outreach Program instructs children in several elementary schools through the JoMS partnership with the Knox Education Foundation.

How Outreach Works

Joy of Music School instructors travel to partner sites with instruments, teaching materials, and activity plans for student groups ranging in size from 5 to 35 kids. The sites make space available for JoMS teachers, enabling their youngsters receive first-rate training in general music, music appreciation, note reading, rhythm recognition, ensemble playing, movement to music, genres, styles, and more.

Free to Afterschool Sites

Outreach classes are provided to afterschool and/or summer sites at no cost. The professional instructors’ costs are funded by Joy of Music School donors, the CMA Foundation, and the Tennessee Arts Commission.

Digital

The pandemic of 2020-2021 compelled the Outreach Program to offer online music classes, out of which was born the Digital Learning Program (DLP). The DLP, initially developed with JoMS partner site Pond Gap Elementary School in Knoxville, provides access to students through weekly digital learning sessions. Now expanding, the Digital Learning Program can be made available to schools with after-school programs in economically under-served areas. Schools can even integrate DLP learning modules using their Canvas system.

Current Outreach Partners

See Photos from Outreach Program

Want Music Outreach at Your Site?

If you host youth at an after-school and/or summer site that serves kids from low-income households, and if you’d like to have music classes at your site for the youth you serve, then please answer a few questions below and we will connect with you to get the process started.
Name(Required)

The Benefits of Music to Children

.

44 Points

Higher SAT Verbal Scores in Musical Kids

94%

Think Music is Part
of a Well-Rounded Education

1 Academic Year

Students who play an instrument score the equivalent of one full school year ahead in math, English, and science.

Check out the latest from JOMS

Follow our social channels for an insider’s perspective.

Support the arts with a specialty plate!