The Front Porch

It was cold and dark night on Monday, Nov. 23, rain gathering in the hollows of the steep and winding gravel driveway leading to a quaint little school house where the Bluegrass jam session was being held by The Front Porch. Walking through the entryway into a homey room, full of colorful paintings of animals hung on the walls, rich Oriental rugs strewed about the floor, and a circle of chairs where several people sat in a circle playing guitars and mandolins while crooning out versus of their favorite Bluegrass songs.  Bookshelves lined the walls, brimming with sheet music and instruments that were available to anyone that wanted to join in. Two more join the circle, one taking a seat with a mandolin and the other standing behind with a bass violin. They join in without missing a beat, adding to the already harmonic rhythm.

“The Front Porch strives to bring people together, to celebrate Virginia’s musical heritage through lessons, to performance, to jams,” said James Wilkinson, secretary for The Front Porch, during a brief pause in playing. Now located in a building owned by Mountaintop Montessori, The Front Porch, a non-profit music school, had its beginnings in the living room of founder and Executive Director Emily Robey Morrison and her husband John’s home in Belmont.

Emily was motivated to start the school when, at 35, she began learning to play the banjo. She found it uncomfortable and embarrassing to practice at jams where she didn’t know anyone, and decided to start her own music school that offered jams everyone could feel comfortable joining. “We are a new roots school in Charlottesville that offers lessons, group classes, workshops, performances and community events (like square dances and public talks) for people of all ages,” Emily said via email.