Music education in all forms is what Julia Andrews business helps provide to the community with her business Music Works Iowa.
The studio opened its doors earlier this fall in the First Street Community Center.
For years prior, Andrews had been providing piano lessons to students in the area.
With Music Works Iowa, she’s partnered with two other music educators to help provide private lessons to students of all ages.
Marie Riechers is the artistic director and vocal instructor for the program.
“I got to know Marie because of her work at First Presbyterian Church,” Andrews said.
Lucy Suarez-Wenman is the most recent addition, joining the staff in November. Suarez-Wenman offers musical education on guitar and electric bass playing.
Music Works currently has 35 students in guitar, vocal and piano classes.
Outside of her work with piano lessons, Andrews also provides accompaniment for the Mount Vernon School choirs during their concerts.
The organization offers 1-on-1 music lessons, as well as group classes of three to five students.
Andrews said that one of the goals for 2022 is to fill a niche need and start Mommy and Me Music classes in the Mount Vernon/Lisbon communities.
“It’s a niche, but could fill a need in our communities,” Andrews said.
Rick Elliott, owner of First Street Community Center, said that it’s changed the dynamics of the noise heard in the community center.
“When Elliott’s Fitness was here, there’d be the sound of workouts happening after school and in the evenings,” Elliott said. “Now, after 3 p.m., we get the sounds of music in the gymnasium and hallways. It’s been a very pleasant transition.”
Andrews said that when studio space became available at the First Street Community Center, it was an easy decision for her to move her lessons to that space.
“I view this as helping to make First Street Community Center an artistic hub in this community, that now offers students a place to learn dance with Dance Arts Iowa and now music with Music Works Iowa,” Andrews said.
Mount Vernon School superintendent Greg Batenhorst noted that it is helping in this community as well, as it’s getting harder and harder for teachers in the music programs to find lesson times for all of their students, as the numbers for the programs continue to grow.
“We just have so many students out for our music programs right now, which is a great problem to have in any community,” Batenhorst said.
If people are interested in more information in piano, singing or guitar lessons, Andrews recommends emailing her [email protected].
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About the Contributor
Nathan Countryman, Editor
Nathan Countryman is the Editor of the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.