A board certified music therapist has joined the faculty at the Salisbury School of Music.

Dean Quick graduated from Appalachian State University and interned with Palmetto Baptist Health Center studying music therapy in acute psychiatric care before becoming board certified in 2010. At the Salisbury School of Music, Quick adapts music for students with disabilities and also incorporates education goals into his lessons.

Quick began working with Marc Hoffman and the Salisbury School of Music in April. His goal is for his students to gain comfort ability when playing music. Music, Quick says, “has nothing to do with right or wrong, but it is about artistic expression. It’s about being positive and productive while improvising.”

He notes he was inspired to become a music therapist as an upperclassman in high school.

“I wanted to be an anesthesiologist in 10th grade, but after taking AP music theory, I combined my passion to help others with music and found out about music therapy,” he said.

Growing up in Hamlet, Quick was the first in his sports-focused family to become a musician. He considers himself to be “a hopeless optimist” and doesn’t like it when someone sets him or herself up for failure before trying to succeed.

Quick lives in Salisbury with wife Caroline and their three dogs, Vegas, Daisy and Sookie. He says four adjectives describe him: passionate, confident, talented and relaxed. In addition to his work at Salisbury School of Music, he works with four other companies to provide musical healing to children, teenagers, adults and elderly people who are in mental and physical distress.

Two interesting activities on his bucket list include seeing an Italian opera in an Italian opera house and going into space.

For more information about Quick and other faculty at the Salisbury Academy for Music or information about registering for lessons, visit www.salisburyschoolofmusic.com .