Today we’d like to introduce you to Renita Luehrman.
Hi Renita, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Suzuki Harmony STL really started out as a dream of mine back in undergrad. I was studying music at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and quickly realized that my experiences (private music lessons, performance opportunities both in and outside of school) were not the norm for many people.
The Arianna String Quartet is the string professor at UMSL and they were very involved in the community and really engaging. I started to think about creating a program that would provide access for all students to have the same experiences I had been given.
Throughout the years, I had a note on my computer where I would jot down ideas about what this theoretical program should look like. Fast forward to 2016, I got up the courage to ask one of my former professors what he thought about this and his enthusiasm and connections helped this all get started!
We began with four students. I was going around to all the schools in the area that would let me in to give presentations and recruit, as well as holding “instrument petting zoos” at local libraries and festivals. The calls and emails started to trickle in and then, suddenly, a deluge of students came and we have been rolling ever since!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Early on, I was really discouraged that we had such few students and I was working so hard to get more. It seemed like such a huge deal at the time, but in retrospect, I should have enjoyed more free time!
When covid-19 hit, I felt like we had just found our stride. I had tried some things that were not working and had narrowed our focus and mission so we could be more intentional and I felt really good about that. Looking back, I am glad for this because it allowed us to focus only on our students in a time when everything felt out of control.
Virtual teaching was by no means easy, but we made it work and both the students and I found much-needed consistency. Another thing that is naturally a challenge when owning a business is that many times it feels like I am on an island.
I work mostly by myself, but the thought of having colleagues I see regularly to bounce ideas off of and get inspired by is so enticing. I have had to make time to be intentional to find that kind of community, and I am still working on that.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Suzuki Harmony STL is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides private and group music instruction to students in the St. Louis area. We allow families to pay what they are able because we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to study an instrument, no matter their ability to pay. I am proud of the work we do. Playing a musical instrument is hard and I am proud of our students for showing up and doing the work. I am proud that we have made it 5 years, even amidst a pandemic. I am proud that we have grown in this time. I am most proud of the community we are building and seek to continue to build.
I believe so much transformation happens in relationships and communities, and I hope to see the fruits of this labor years and years down the road. What we do is different than most other music studios. By taking away the barriers to making lessons affordable, we have opened doors to many students; it is just up to them to walk through them. I sometimes feel like we have a Ted Lasso approach.
I want our students to learn how to play the instrument well. That is so important for their own confidence. But I also really want them to know that they are valued and cared for by someone outside of their family. I think this kind of thing is important for kids from every background.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love St. Louis. I lived in the south for a couple of years and everyone talks about the hospitality there, but the midwest is even more so. There aren’t pretenses. I love that St. Louis has so many things for families to do for free and that they are just as amazing if not more than the zoos/museums you can go to in other cities and pay for.
I love that you can get just about anywhere in 15-20 minutes. I love that true St. Louisans know all the names for all the roads that change names (it is a whole thing). I love the vibe and family-friendly atmosphere here.
I hate that such a diverse city is so segregated. There is so much history to overcome and it feels incredibly weighty. On a lighter note, I dislike Provel cheese.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: suzukiharmonystl.org
- Instagram: @suzukiharmonystl or instagram.com/suzukiharmonystl
- Facebook: Facebook.com/suzukiharmonystl
Image Credits
Kellie McCarthy and Suzuki Harmony STL
