Ace Glaspy
- Jul 8
- 6 min read

July Newsletter Part 1- 6 Months of Awesome!

Editor: Ace Glaspy

It has been a great year so far!

A letter from the President

Dearest Reader.

The last 7 months have been a whirlwind of activity within the Appalachian Society of the Arts, and we have been so happy to continue this journey with our community. It has been a period filled with creativity, inspiration, and a strong sense of community. As the president of this wonderful organization, I have been incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead and be a part of such a vibrant and passionate group of individuals. Witnessing the enthusiasm and support from our community has been both humbling and uplifting, and it truly means the world to me to hear the wonderful feedback from you all and see the smiling faces at events and classes. Throughout this time, we have organized numerous events, workshops, and classes that have brought people together to celebrate art and culture. The feedback we have received from our members and participants has been overwhelmingly positive, reinforcing our commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. In this issue of Appalachian HeArt, we reflect on the past to capture the essence of the moments that have brought smiles to our faces. These newsletters are a time to cherish the memories we have created together and to appreciate the dedication and talent that our community has shared. Looking ahead, we are filled with excitement and anticipation for the future; we envision even more incredible opportunities for growth, collaboration, and creativity. The journey we have embarked on is one of endless possibilities, and we are thrilled to continue exploring what lies ahead. As we turn the pages of this issue, let us celebrate the past, embrace the present, and look forward to the wonderful things that await us in the days to come. Together, we will continue to write the story of the Appalachian Society of the Arts, a story filled with passion, artistry, and the enduring spirit of our community.

Here is what you will find in this issue:

Tennessee Songwriters Competition
Spring Fling & the Budding Artist Scholarship
Highland Harmony Community Chorus & the Wildwood Flutes Spring Concert
Plateau Junior Players: Frozen Jr.
Kids Corner-Puppet Project & Color Me Creative
Junior Appalachian Musicians of Scott County

I look forward to seeing you at our events and projects!

-Ace Glaspy, President of the Appalachian Society of the Arts

Please find a video documenting this wonderful year so far by going to our Youtube!

Tennessee Songwriters Week

The year kicked off hot with Tennessee Songwriters week for the second year as ASotA continues to partner with the Oneida Historic Revitalization to showcase local artists! Held at Gather Coffee, Tennessee Songwriters week holds an annual contest that acts as "a statewide celebration of the craft that put Tennessee on the map." We continue to be grateful to offer this opportunity to everyone within the areas we have partnered with and beyond! For more information on this yearly celebration, go to https://www.tnvacation.com/songwriters-week.

A big shout out to Mayor Lori Phillips-Jones, Anthony Smith, and Gather Coffee!

Our Winners of the competition, Cullen Kehoe & Zeke Harness!

Second Annual Spring Fling Concert

The Fling Concert was held on Saturday, March 9 in the Scott Christian Care Center’s amazing Black Box Theatre, 101 Marcum Rd., Oneida, TN 37841. This year’s concert again offered free admission and featured live performances by numerous local artists and teachers including:

Tamia Bible Jacob Boshears

Jana Brawner Megan Byrge

Beth Furrer Ashlee Glaspy

Jason Goodman Leslie Harris

Zeke Harness of Sunstreet Ryan Hoffman

Taylor Jones Jada Martin Seth McMillan Cheyanne Leonardo Plateau Junior Players OES Drama Club Jessica Rash Kinley Sexton Michelle Simpson Jenniffer Smith

Grant Swain Philip Thompson Wildwood Flutes

Sound was provided by the awesome talents of Hart Audio Visual.

Jacob Boshears, trumpet; Beth Furrer, piano

Leslie Harris, vocals; Jessica Rash, piano

Jenniffer Smith, vocals; Ryan Trosper, acting

Proceeds from the event are being used to support the Budding Artists Scholarship Fund, which sponsors local youth and adults seeking additional training in the arts (music, theatre, dance, visual arts, and creative writing) via workshops, seminars, and college scholarships.

Last year’s Spring Fling concert allowed our community to raise $2,360 to support two local-area graduates pursuing fine arts at the collegiate level. Steven Lawson received a scholarship toward his studies in Music at Tennessee Technological University, as well as Gracie Strunk, who now studies Dance at Oklahoma City University.

This year, we raised $$$$ and have been able to fund several youth in their opportunities

Highland Harmony Community Chorus & Wildwood Flute Spring Concert

The inaugural concert for the Highland Harmony Community Chorus was held May 10th at the wonderful First Baptist Church in Oneida, Tennessee, opening with the Wildwood Flutes. Directed by Jessica Rash, the choir is open to adults and teens (14 and up) who want to sing together in a large group. All are welcome, regardless of skill level. HHCC sing a variety of music including spirituals, folk, classical, traditional, sacred, and contemporary music. The Wildwood Flutes are a group of avid flautist who play a variety of music at a variety of events. Keep an eye out for upcoming events from these wonderful groups!

Click play to enjoy the performance!

The Plateau Junior Players Production of Frozen Jr.

Broadway comes to the Plateau as the first year of the Plateau Junior Players begins with a bang! After several months of practice and rehearsal, the Jr. Players put on a grand performance of the beloved children's story in the Scott Christian Care Center's Black Box theatre. Through the combined the unique and varied talents of over 50 youth, staff, and community members, the Jr. Players put on a massive production, showcasing so much talent the theatre could barely contain it.

The Cast:

Young Anna..................Charley Anderson

Middle Anna ..................River Wood

Anna............................Michaelan Stanley

Young Elsa .................. Arionna Terry

Middle Elsa..................Harley Cross

Elsa ............................Ryan Trosper

King Agnarr..................Courtney Taylor

Queen Iduna ................Sheridan Smith

Pabbie.........................Amelia Sexton

Bulda..........................Grace Bachali

Kristoff.......................Michael Ray

Sven...........................Chloe Bennett

Hans...........................Ava Morrow

Weselton..................Gideon Waldroup

Olaf..................Rylan Carson

Oaken..................Harper Strunk

Bishop..................Annalisa West

Hidden Folk ..................Lauren Sharp, Sydney Bertram

Ladies in Attendance ...........Willow Glaspy, Hadley Sims, Lydia Lay, Mallory Lay, Isabella Christie

Oaken's Family..................Delaney Christie, Leena Christie

Summer/Snow Chorus ..................Arionna Terry, River wood, Willow Glaspy, Lydia Lay, Mallory Lay, Dylan Chambers, Sheridan Smith, Gunner Morgan, Harper Strunk, Storm Wood, Sydney Bertam, Karmen Chambers, Isabella Christie, Harley Cross, Leena Christie, Delaney Christie, Annalisa West, Charley Anderson, Chloe Bennett, Lauren Sharp

The entire ensemble would like to say a very special thank you to the following:

~ The parents of the ensemble for their cooperation and understanding in the time commitment necessary for the successs of the production, as well as support for the Arts!

~ Oneida Elementary School and the Baptist Student Center for giving us space to practice when needed.

~ The Plateau Players, our namesake, for providing us with necessary sound equipment and Ralph Trieschmann for lending his expertise and eye in the review process.

~ Jessica Rash for her exquisite vocal instruction.

~ The Black Box Theatre at the Scott Christian Care Center for their unwavering loyalty to the Arts and partnership with the Appalachian Society of the Arts.

~ John Scates for his expertise in providing sound for the show.

~ TA's Tasty Treats for providing delicious treats to our community.

~ Jenniffer Smith for the amazing costumes and time spent working with the community to raise initial funding.

~ Colleen Fulcher for taking pictures for us and recording our show!

~ The Tennessee Arts Commission and South Arts for providing grants to make this whole shebang happen.

Kids Corner: Puppet Project & Color Me Creative

The Kids Corner Visual Arts & Color Me Creative programs is a blend of art education, visual art, and interactive play. The two groups have teamed up to provide services to youth and adults of all ages through the process of artistic expression.

Becky Hintzmann's passion for teaching is apparent as she lovingly engages the youth in our area in teaching the arts, and

Currently, the group has been focusing on the art of puppetry, which showcases both visual craft and performing arts. The Kids Corner program meets in Historic Rugby and Oneida to make the program more accessible to Fentress & Morgan, as well as Scott and McCreary, respectively. All school aged youth are welcome!

JAM-Junior Appalachian Musicians-Scott County

Junior Appalachian Musicians provides communities with the tools and support they need to teach children to play and dance to traditional old time and bluegrass music. JAM introduces music through small group instruction on instruments common to the Appalachian region, such as fiddle, banjo and guitar. Each JAM program is individually operated and funded. The Appalachian Society of the Arts is proud to partner with this great nonprofit in bringing music of our cultural roots to the community.

Shout out to Oneida Elementary for giving us space for this wonderful program!