We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Katy Morris a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Katy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The Rehart Gesner Fund really started decades ago when I was a little girl being ushered around by my grandmother from one musical performance or lesson to another. Not particularly musical herself, my grandmother knew the importance and the beauty in nurturing talents in others, especially her grandchildren. Her passion for helping others is what drove me to want to give back myself.

When I joined the LATOUR voice studios, LLC as an avocational voice student, it had been years since I had used my singing voice. With Dr. Latour’s guidance, I was able to find my voice again. It brought me back to myself and closer to my grandmother, who at the time was suffering from advanced Dementia. She passed in March of 2022. A conversation between Dr. Latour and I during one of my lessons about me hosting a recital in my home turned into a week’s long communication back and forth about how we could turn this recital into something even more meaningful. A benefit recital turned into a benefit fund, and the name was the easiest part to come up with. Dr. Latour and I had reminisced together about how close we were to our grandmothers who were integral parts of our musical journeys. Rehart Gesner is the combination of our grandmother’s last names and their passion for helping others, especially in music. Leading with my own experience in voice lessons, and Dr. Latour’s close relationship to music educators, we decided to use our fund to help support Las Vegas music teachers. We wanted to help them do something for themselves that would nurture their voices, talents, and would ultimately better their lives in and out of the classroom. The Rehart Gesner Fund aims to do this by providing scholarships for voice lessons for music educators. And so, the support my grandmother showed me all those years ago combined with her passion for nurturing talents has lived on through me and through the Rehart Gesner Fund.

Katy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Music has been a part of my life my entire life. I started singing as soon as I could talk and began piano lessons at age 5. Growing up, I found myself in school and church musical productions, and I was encouraged and funded by my grandmother to take voice lessons. I sang jazz in college but ultimately pursued a degree in Psychology leaving music behind for many years. It wasn’t until Christmastime 2021 that I felt a pull to come back to singing. I was led to audition for the LATOUR voice studios, LLC and my new musical journey began. Dr. Latour and I worked hard to rediscover my voice and it was during these lessons that we were inspired to create the Rehart Gesner Fund.

Created in the spirit of our grandmothers, the Rehart Gesner Fund’s goal is to provide a way for music educators to nurture their talents, take care of their voices and become the best versions of themselves through music. Teachers are known to be overworked and underappreciated, so it feels right to be giving back to those who give so much. Our cause is specific, and some might think narrow, but the reality is teachers have a huge impact on us. One teacher impacts generations, so the Rehart Gesner Fund has a broad impact.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

The Rehart Gesner Fund slogan is “providing opportunities to nurture the artist within.” That really says it all. Inspired by the giving nature of our grandmothers, the Rehart Gesner Fund wants to help those who might not otherwise have the means to do something for themselves when they are likely giving most of their time and resources to their students. I think everyone can think back on a teacher that had a big impact on them, and most would agree that teachers deserve more recognition. Through the Rehart Gesner Fund, we can show music teachers that they are seen, appreciated, and cared about. We want to show teachers that their wellbeing in and out of the classroom matters. Providing voice lessons, vocal health screenings and opportunities to continue their educational and artistic journey is what is most important to us at the Rehart Gesner Fund.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

To best support artists, we need to start from the ground up. It is teachers who help cultivate and nurture the future artists and creatives of the world. Supporting educators, like what we are doing with the Rehart Gesner Fund, ensures that people want to teach because they feel supported and cared about themselves.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rehartgesnerartists.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehartgesnerfund/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rehartgesnerfund
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJvQEy4b8oErVb-Db9GBydw

Image Credits
Desiree Nicole Photography