It was standing room only at the Hindman Settlement School Pick & Bow Program’s Christmas Concert on December 7. More than 30 elementary and high school students took the stage to showcase their musical talents in solo and group performances to an audience of their family members and friends in the school’s Great Hall and around the country via a livestream. Some of the many tunes played by these talented young musicians included the traditional Appalachian folk song “Shady Grove” and contemporary favorites like “Wagon Wheel.” Of course, the evening would not have been complete without a sampling of Christmas tunes to bring a bit of holiday cheer to the program.
Pick & Bow, a program of Hindman Settlement School made available by the support of South Arts and the Kentucky Arts Council, is a low to no-cost after-school music program offering students in Knott, Floyd, and Perry Counties the opportunity to learn–both in-person and virtually–the dulcimer, banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and ukulele from master musicians. Additionally, loaner instruments are available to students. In-person group lessons are offered at Hindman Elementary and individual virtual lessons are scheduled each week.
“To me, teaching and passing on the musical traditions of my Appalachian culture is very important,” shared music instructor Lauren Napier. “I remember as a young girl that there were not very many available opportunities for those of us kids who enjoyed music as an extracurricular activity. Not every kid wants to play sports and some children just needed the opportunity to be creative and learn something different — and that’s where Pick and Bow fits in. While not every student in the program may go on to play music for the rest of their life, they can all benefit from the positive learning environment. And, of course, there are some students who I’ve seen develop a passion and interest for learning music they never knew they had!”
Research has shown that musicianship is an invaluable tool that helps children to develop socially and mentally, and this development comes in part from practicing regularly, the responsibility of maintaining an instrument, and performing with groups and in front of the public. Learning Appalachian old-time music instills a sense of pride and connection to this place and, for the youth involved, provides a great introduction to Appalachia’s rich cultural heritage.
If a child is interested in participating in the program, Hindman Settlement School is accepting new student applications for the spring semester through December 31st. More information about the program can be found at the Hindman Settlement School website at www.hindman.org/calendar or by calling Sarah Kate Morgan, Traditional Arts Education Director at (606) 785-5475.
The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, provides operating support to Hindman Settlement School with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
This project is a component of the ‘In These Mountains: Central Appalachian Folk Arts and Culture’ initiative and supported in part by a grant from South Arts, a nonprofit regional arts organization.
