UNCSA Community Music School Launches Junior Appalachian Music Program

The Community Music School at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) will launch the Junior Appalachian Music program this February, expanding access to traditional Appalachian music education for young people in Winston-Salem, the Piedmont Triad and surrounding region.

Designed as a welcoming entry point into old-time and bluegrass traditions, the program will offer after-school group instruction in instruments common to the Appalachian region including fiddle, banjo and guitar, with opportunities to perform in small and large groups. The program will also integrate old-time dance instruction and introduce children to Appalachian culture and history. Students will learn music by ear, to preserve oral traditions common to the style. Classes are open to ages 11-17; registration is open now for after-school classes starting Feb. 17.

“Traditional Appalachian music is built on community — on learning together, playing together, and passing something meaningful from one generation to the next,” said Erika Frazier, artistic director of the UNCSA Community Music School. “This program will give young musicians the chance to build foundational skills, make friends through music, and connect to a regional tradition that is thriving right now.”

UNCSA's Junior Appalachian Music program is modeled after the successful Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program network and will be directly affiliated with JAM, joining programs in 19 other cities and counties in N.C. and dozens more throughout South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, West Virginia, Kentucky and Georgia.

Frazier continued, “Our long-term vision is for our program to serve as a regional hub, hosting gatherings a few times each year where JAM programs can come together for shared learning, performances and community-building.”

Faculty for the Junior Appalachian Music program will include banjo and fiddle instructor Rex McGee, a seasoned multi-instrumentalist, educator and composer; fiddle and banjo instructor Ben Masterson, a traditional music educator and North Carolina Folklife Apprenticeship grant recipient; site lead and dance instructor Jessie McGee, an experienced old-time and bluegrass community participant who brings a love of old-time flatfooting and youth-focused leadership to the program; Rick Davidson, a multi-instrumentalist rooted in both Virginia fife traditions and Surry County old-time string band music; and guitar instructor Chester McMillian, a legendary Round Peak-style musician and 2025 North Carolina Heritage Award recipient recognized for his lifelong contributions to the state's traditional arts.

The Junior Appalachian Music program at UNCSA is being launched in affiliation with the recently announced American Roots Music Institute in the School of Music, a new program dedicated to preserving and advancing the traditions of a range of roots styles while preparing performing artists for the future. Established through a historic $10.1 milllion gift from Randall and Kamalakshi Dishmon, the institute will offer a Bachelor of Music in American Roots, a minor for undergraduates, and opportunities for high school students. Students will learn from distinguished artist-faculty and nationally recognized musicians, engaging deeply with the cultural heritage of North Carolina, one of the birthplaces of American roots music. With access to a thriving community of performers, educators and innovators, students will gain world-class training in the very place where these traditions began. The minor and high school offerings will launch in the fall of 2026, with the first class of undergraduates expected to enroll in the fall of 2028.

Junior Appalachian Music at UNCSA: Program details

• Focus: Fiddle, banjo and guitar (with supplemental old-time dance)
• Schedule: Tuesdays, 4-6 p.m.
• Length: 12 weeks
• Enrollment: 20-25 students
• Location: UNCSA Community Music School, Winston-Salem
• Registration: www.uncsa.edu/JAM
• Age Range:11-17
• Tuition: $300