As the director of instrumental music at Middle Georgia College, Dr. Charles Quinn not only gets to do what he loves on a daily basis—composing, arranging, and conducting various groups—but he is also able to share his passion for music with others. In this same spirit, Dr. Quinn founded in 2007 the Ocmulgee Symphony Orchestra to make fine orchestral performances available to classical music enthusiasts in central Georgia.

In addition to acting as the Ocmulgee Chamber Orchestra’s artistic director and conductor, Dr. Quinn is a talented composer and trumpeter. His compositions and arrangements have won prizes in such festivals as the Culver City Chamber Music Series, while his music for theatrical works has been published in Germany and performed throughout Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. He has received numerous commissions for original works and for his transcriptions of classical works from ensembles both in the United States and Germany.

As a trumpeter, Quinn has performed with many orchestras across the United States, including the Alabama Symphony, Baton Rouge Symphony, Acadiana Symphony, Manitowoc Symphony, Meridian Symphony, and the New Orleans Opera Orchestra. He has performed solo and chamber music in the United States and Europe. Additionally, he has made numerous tours with the Sammy Kaye Orchestra and the Les Elgart Big Band.

As a conductor, he has directed an array of instrumental ensembles from the Jazz Band at the University of Central Arkansas to the Wind Ensemble of Silver Lake College and even The Manitowoc Marine Band, a community group in Wisconsin. As an orchestral conductor, Quinn has led many productions for musical theater and light opera and has conducted the Silver Lake Orchestra in programs of classical music including works for choir and orchestra.

Born in Atlanta and raised in Birmingham, Dr. Quinn’s passion for music was kindled by the sophisticated pop melodies of the Beatles and followed by a deep commitment to performing and composing in both classical and popular styles. He holds a doctorate in music performance from Louisiana State University and additional music degrees from the University of Mississippi and the University of Montevallo. He also earned a Kodaly Certificate for Music Education from Silver Lake College in Wisconsin.

Before moving back to his home state Georgia in 2004, he taught at the University of Central Arkansas and Silver Lake College.

Dr. Quinn is married with two children. When not actively making music, he likes to listen to and read about music or travel—preferably to places that have plenty of music to offer—but he also enjoys a good baseball game.