Great music education starts with great instructors, and Quinn is exactly that. A dedicated keys and guitar teacher at School of Rock Doylestown, Quinn brings a lifelong love of music and a passion for helping students grow to every lesson. Whether you're picking up an instrument for the first time or looking to level up your skills, Quinn is now accepting new students and would love to help you find your groove.
We sat down with Quinn to talk about their musical journey, their teaching philosophy, and what they hope every student takes away from their lessons at School of Rock.
Was there a particular song, artist, or performance that made you want to learn the guitar?
It’s a hyper-specific pick, but “The Drum” by Car Seat Headrest — specifically the version from their Tiny Desk performance. If I never watched that performance, I wouldn’t be playing guitar.
If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice when you first started playing, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self to learn the fret board early; I wasn’t comfortable with the notes on the fret board for a few years. Having this idea memorized makes it way easier to improvise and write riffs, it gets rid of the “guessing game” of playing random notes and hoping they stick.
If a student is nervous or has never played before, what would you tell them before their first lesson?
It’s a basic thing to say, but there are no mistakes in the process of making art. Yeah, you could hit a wrong note or have the wrong form, but that’s still aiding you in your process of learning whatever art form that you are learning. The most beautiful thing about music is how loose it is, you could mess up a chord and find a completely new beautiful chord accidentally.
What is the biggest mistake people make when learning the guitar?
People tend to rush and want to learn insane solos right away without learning the building blocks...this overwhelms them. I whole heartedly believe that chords are the first thing you should learn and slowly move through harder and harder pieces.
What's the most rewarding part of teaching at School of Rock Doylestown?
Seeing a student smile after getting a song down or being introduced a song they like. Knowing that a student that I am teaching is proud of themself makes me proud of myself.
If you could have every student master one skill beyond music, what would it be?
Self expression! Let go of how others may perceive you, you are unique and you should embrace your individuality. Wear the clothes that you want to wear, do your hair the way you want, listen to the music you want to listen to — be unapologetically human.
What do you hope students take away from their time with you at School of Rock?
I want them to know that I am always in their corner rooting them on! When I’m at work, my biggest goal is to make my students feel proud of themselves.
