Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Enriquez Greabell.
Amanda, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am the current owner and a voice teacher at the Leopold School of Music. I began singing at 3.5 years old, simply because my big sister was doing it and it was easier for my parents to have us in the same activities! It helped that I also loved it. The performance helped me thrive- I loved acting, musical theatre, song and dance shows, all of it. It really wasn’t until middle school that I began to demonstrate an aptitude for singing that wasn’t really there in my early years.
My voice teacher at the time referred me to Blake Leopold to help take my singing to the next level, and that’s exactly what happened. I continued to do theatre in the community and at school, I sang at church, and I did summer musical theatre and vocal intensives. I quickly realized that majoring in musical theatre was not the path for me. All I knew was that I loved singing.
I was a student at the Leopold School from 2002 until I graduated high school in 2009. I went to college only knowing that I wanted a music degree and I wanted to sing. It wasn’t until my senior year of college that I really honed in on my passion for teaching voice. My education at the Leopold School allowed me to succeed in my university studies- I earned a BA in Sacred Music and then continued on to my Master of Music in Voice Performance with a concentration in Voice Pedagogy.
Mr. Leopold always said if I ever came back to Tampa with my degrees, I’d always have a place working for him. So that’s exactly what I did. I joined the studio in 2015, and it has been such a joy and blessing to me. To my surprise, after just three years working there, Mr. and Mrs. Leopold were ready to pass on the business to me. I took over the business in 2018 and have been teaching and running it ever since.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road- there have been two major struggles that I have had to contend with since I took over the business. The first was phasing out the Leopolds. They continued teaching at the studio after I took over until about 2020, slowly decreasing their student load. Every now and then I get the question, “So are YOU Leopold?” It always makes me laugh. Then I happily share the history of Blake and Esther Leopold.
I tell them how they are the founders of the school and my teachers, mentors, and friends. A lot of people have asked me if I planned to rebrand, but the Leopold name has been around for 24 years and I hope to keep it going for at least another 24 years. It is a legacy of musical excellence and personal integrity, and I hope to pass this on to all of my students and teachers.
Our second obstacle was the pandemic, of course. We lost about 30% of our student base that spring and in the space of one week, I had to figure out how to transition our entire school to virtual lessons. Implementing all the new safety strategies for the subsequent school year and striking a balance between those students who wanted to stay home vs. those who wanted to have in-person.
Also managing the teachers’ and their preferences as well. I was just 29 at the time and had only been running the business for two years at that point. This was well out of my purview and I think it has truly helped shape me as a business owner. I’m really proud of the way our families and teachers rallied during this difficult time! Even though it took us until 2023 to completely return to our pre-COVID numbers, I feel blessed that we were one of the businesses that made it through.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Leopold School of Music?
Formerly known as The Leopold School of Voice and Piano, we have been a South Tampa local business staple since 2000. The Leopold School was founded by husband and wife duo, Blake and Esther Leopold. They cultivated a music school that had two primary goals: to offer premier-level private music instruction in voice and piano to the community while also paying their esteemed teachers a just wage that matches their expertise and value.
Since I took over in 2018, we have moved locations and now have a newly renovated building with top-of-the-line technology, security, and double the studio space to accommodate our growing business. We have increased our course offerings to include guitar, songwriting, music theory, ear training, and group classes. We look forward to adding mommy and me music classes for babies and toddlers this coming year as well!
We work with students of all ages from young children to retired adults. We transform young students into communicative artists and help them harness their passion and understanding for music in a way that affects and moves their audiences. We help adult hobbyists fulfill their dreams of playing an instrument and help professional vocalists refine their technique to keep them in the game for as long as possible.
Some things that set us apart- are the level of performance experience and education that our teachers have. Your music teacher at the Leopold School is not a college music major trying out teaching for the first time. We are the place where students come when they have outgrown their previous teachers.
We are the place where professional musicians come to hone their craft, troubleshoot issues, audition prep, and expand their offerings. We help propel high school students into top university programs in music and musical theatre. Young budding musicians sow the seeds for lifelong musical passion in addition to the scientifically proven cognitive, social, and creative benefits of musical study.
We are a family-run small business. My husband Morgan Greabell recently took over as admin this past fall and that has been a Godsend. He is streamlining systems and improving customer experiences while the business grows. We think of our students as a part of the studio family and we seek to always meet their needs and make sure all our families feel heard and know that we are only a quick email, call, or text away.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
To me? Firstly, I care about my students and their success. Success to me means reaching musical goals, finding joy in music, and developing a lifelong passion. I run this business to teach students, I don’t teach students to have a business. I love listening to people sing and helping them grow. I love the moment they realize that their hard work is paying off, and how surprised they are at how quickly you see vocal results.
This is more than a job for me, I really believe that teaching voice is my calling, and I feel privileged to have found it so soon in my life. The Leopold School has allowed me to feel fulfilled in my work while also supporting my family- my dear husband Morgan, our 14-month-old baby boy, and our two sweet pups.
After my students, I care about my teachers. I am so proud of my team. We have a staff of 7 teachers (including myself). They are all so talented and knowledgeable. Such beautiful artists and people and even more importantly, they love what they do. We all share this passion for teaching music and seeing our students succeed. It is very fulfilling.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theleopoldschool.com
- Instagram: @theleopoldschool
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theLeopoldschool
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtjf_iR99R8qhRcB_jMw8yg/videos
