“My daughter Abby has been a musician at Writer’s in the Round for 8 years. She is a singer, songwriter and guitarist that has had so many opportunities from performing in concerts and radio shows to recording her own original music in studio. These never would have been possible without the vision and belief that Linda has in her. I am always amazed at what comes next!”

“Writers in the Round gave me the guidance and support I needed to become an independent singer-songwriter, but has also provided me a place in a tight-knit community where I could learn and grow alongside like-minded musicians. It’s where I met my bandmates, but we’re so much more than that now. We’re a family. A few short years ago, I never would have dreamed that I would be recording an album at thirteen. I’ve played live shows more times than I can remember with these wonderful people, and they even got me on the radio. I could not be more grateful for the friends and mentors I’ve found at Writers in the Round.”

“I began my love of music at writer’s in the round when my age had not yet reached double digits, and continued it until I became a staff member in my early twenties. Linda and her staff not only taught me the mechanics of how to play but how to feel, how to express, and how to develop a passion for the art of music, specifically blues and jazz. While I am now a practicing lawyer, I never lost the passion in music that Writers in the Round instilled in me at a very young age, and when it comes time for my children to begin their musical training, there is only one place I’d send them, and that’s WITR.””

“Linda Lowe and the teachers at Writers in the Round create this amazing creative environment where students not only learn to play an instrument or sing, but encounter this community of working artists that truly love music and inspire others to do the same. It is this safe creative incubator where kids find their courage, learn how to collaborate, and so important, how to own and tell their stories through music. That is powerful. As Alanis Morissette recently said, “Music is the soundtrack of life.””

“The West University community is so fortunate to have Linda Lowe and WITR as a resource for our kids. Both of our sons, Sam and Jack, have taken guitar lessons here. It is more than just lessons though, it is exposure to the arts, and to people who care about your kids. Linda and all the teachers make music fun, not just instructive. The kids learn how to play and sing well. But just as important, they learn it in an atmosphere of caring and laughter. Congratulations WITR on 25 wonderful years serving West University! Here is to 25 more!”

““Linda Lowe recognized that my daughter had talent from the minute she met her. She has developed a love of music in my daughter and we are absolutely thrilled. WITR let my daughters love of music develop naturally, at her own pace.”
”

“My daughter takes guitar lessons with Linda at WITR for several years. The instructors are very experienced and offer lessons that are both educational and fun. The atmosphere is relaxed, and students are encouraged by the instructors to be creative . She has expanded her love of music to include groups she would not otherwise have been interested in. Summer Camps at WITR are a unique experience, as every day is different and much of the music is determined by the wide variety of kids who are in attendance for that week. It’s such a unique experience. She really enjoys the variety of music and neighborhood venues available to WITR. This adds variety to the lesson experience, and is not as formal or nerve-racking as an “Recital”. We are lucky to have WITR in our neighborhood!”

“My daughter walked in to WITR for a half day summer camp and never left. It’s been almost 3 years.Thank you Linda Lowe, for recognizing her talent and providing a stage to perform, but most of all, for giving Brooke a loving musical home. ”

“Linda Lowe at Writers in the Round offers a superb and unique music instruction program. Linda and her tutors, all of whom are professional musicians, are gifted at sharing their love of music with kids. My nine year old son loves his music class. He plays cool songs like “House of the Rising Sun”, “Heart and Soul”, “Yellow Submarine”, and the theme from “The Pink Panther”. When he’s had enough piano, no problem — they switch to the guitar or drums. The instructors are patient and gentle. Particularly since HISD no longer offers music classes in school, I highly recommend Writers in the Round to parents seeking for their children a positive introduction to music.”

“Abby has worked with just about everyone at Writer’s in the Round. When her interest in musical theatre piqued she was able to work with Michelle Caillouet on audition techniques and resume writing and was accepted at her first tryout into the Humphrey’s School of Musical Theatre at Theatre Under the Stars. She has worked with Michelle before every audition she has been called to and has landed a part every time. Michelle has the wonderful gift of being able to reach into her students and pull out what they need to understand the character they are attempting to become. Abby looks forward to auditions because she goes in with a lot of confidence having done the research and rehearsal necessary beforehand with Michelle.”

“The place that will always be a second home for me is Writers in the Round. I have been raised there by the guitars, the colorful walls, and the relaxing, family feel that radiates from the building. I first stepped foot into that space during lower school as I craved lessons on any instrument other than piano, which I had quickly grown tired of. The teachers and their teaching methods were quirky and comfortable, immediately making me feel at home. My mom knew it would be different, in a good way, because all the teachers were songwriters and performing artists themselves. With the support I received there, my skill at playing guitar and singing quickly developed and I grew to anticipate each of my lessons with unbounded excitement. During middle school, my teacher/the founder and owner of Writers in the Round, Linda Lowe, offered me a position in her Spotlight Performance Group. I was honored to be given the chance to work with and perform beside the most passionate and gifted musicians in her music conservatory. My confidence, which struggled during the confusing years of middle school, found a voice while I sang and played on radio shows like Sunny 99.1 and KPFT and at live concerts in Houston music venues and local cafes. I spent much of my time after school and during the summer in that musical paradise, letting the various sounds of guitars, ukuleles, pianos, and drums ricochet around in my mind. In high school, the time came to hand over the baton of the Spotlight Performance Group to the next generation of students. I was sad to leave the group, but knew that my place at Writers in the Round would not be ending there. I continued to stop by and visit whenever I needed to feel grounded, whenever I forgot who I was and where I came from, whenever my identity became obscured. Writers in the Round always welcomed me back with a warm-hearted embrace, no matter how many weeks had gone by without a word from me. It was the summer after my sophomore year that I began to give back to the place that had provided me so much stability. I lead many summer music camps, helping Linda Lowe teach, feed, entertain, and lead all the young children
who were just beginning their musical journeys. Linda then asked me to be president of her budding Student-Teacher Program. When Hurricane Harvey recently came and destroyed much of Houston, my first thought of where I could begin to help people recover was to visit Writers in the Round. There, I led additional summer camps for kids whose parents needed somewhere for them to stay while they figured out how to fix their homes or any other disturbances that Harvey had caused them. I have invested so much time in Writers in the Round because it has helped raise me, held my hand, and pushed me to work hard and be compassionate throughout my adolescence, lessons that were vital in shaping who I am today. And yes, I will be bringing my guitar to college, just like Linda Lowe told my mom that I would years and years ago.”