Quinton Morris, DMA

Dr. Quinton Morris leads a distinguished and multifaceted career as a violinist, educator, entrepreneur, and filmmaker. He has performed concerts and taught masterclasses nationally and internationally on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House, the Louvre Museum, Seattle Symphony’s Benaroya Hall, and the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Kimmel Center. He has provided masterclasses for the Cincinnati and Nashville Symphonies, at the National Conference of the American String Teachers Association, and at institutions such as the University of Paris Dauphine, Dong-Eui University in Korea, Monash University in Australia, Tumani University in Tanzania, Bentley Music Academy in Malaysia, Royal Conservatoire The Hague in the Netherlands, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The Boston Conservatory at Berklee, the University of Washington, and the National Taiwan Normal University, among many others. As a concerto soloist, he has appeared with the Seattle Symphony, Harmonia Seattle, Everett Philharmonic, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra, West Seattle Symphony Orchestra, and others.

Dr. Morris is the founder and executive director of Key to Change, a nonprofit violin and viola studio serving South King County. The organization is dedicated to providing access to world-class music instruction for middle and high school students of color and those from underserved communities. Under his leadership, Key to Change has grown into a vibrant program staffed by accomplished instructors, where hundreds of students have thrived. Despite beginning their studies later than typical in classical music, his students have achieved remarkable success, winning local competitions, advancing to state-level contests, and performing as soloists with ensembles including the Seattle Symphony, Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra, Federal Way Symphony Orchestra, and the Northwest Symphony Orchestra. They have also been featured on Classical King 98.1 FM, performed at Seattle Kraken games, and played for distinguished guests including former Vice President Kamala Harris and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.

A highly decorated artist and educator, Dr. Morris has received numerous awards recognizing his scholarship, teaching, and community impact. His honors include Seattle University’s Outstanding Teaching Award and Outstanding Scholarship and Creative Endeavors Award, Seattle Magazine’s Most Influential Educator Award in 2024, the Pathfinder Award from the Puget Sound Association of Phi Beta Kappa, The Boston Conservatory at Berklee Distinguished Alumni Award, and the Outstanding Studio Teacher Award from the Washington State chapter of the American String Teachers Association. Musical America named him one of the top 30 “Movers and Shapers” in classical music.

Dr. Morris is also a TEDx speaker. His talk, “The Age of the Artist Entrepreneur,” has garnered thousands of views on YouTube and explores the evolving role of artists in society.

His work as a filmmaker has also garnered acclaim. He received the Young Artist Award at the Washington State Governor’s Arts Awards, the Seattle Mayor’s Arts Award, the Diamond Award first place at the European Independent Film Awards, and the Bronze Award at the Global Music Awards. His film The BREAKTHROUGH was recognized at New York Film Week and the Las Vegas Lift-Off Film Festival. Additionally, he has been honored with GeekWire’s “Geek of the Week,” the “40 Under 40” Award from the Puget Sound Business Journal, and the Delta Community Captain Award, presented by Delta Air Lines and the Seattle Seahawks.

Dr. Morris currently serves as Artist-Scholar in Residence at Classical King 98.1 FM, where he hosts Unmute The Voices, a nationally recognized radio show and video series highlighting music by composers and performers of color in classical music. His guests have included Angela Rye, Hilary Hahn, Rachel Barton Pine, Jessie Montgomery, Jeremy Denk, J’Nai Bridges, Lawrence Brownlee, and Latonia Moore, among others.

At Seattle University, Dr. Morris is a Loyola Endowed Professor of Music. He is the first Black man to be promoted to the rank of Professor in any academic field within the College of Arts and Sciences, and only the second living Black violinist in United States history to hold the title of Professor. He is also the first music professor in more than 40 years to achieve tenure and promotion at the university.

Dr. Morris earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in violin performance from the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied with Daniel Ching of the Miró Quartet. He also holds a Master of Music degree from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where he studied with Lynn Chang and Irina Muresanu.