Andrea Quinn Joins West Ashley High School as Director of Orchestra and Piano Programs!

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West Ashley High School is proud to welcome Andrea Kemper Quinn to its Fine Arts team as the new Director of Orchestra and Piano Programs beginning Fall 2025. Quinn brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished record of success, having most recently led the acclaimed piano and orchestra programs at James Island Charter High School (JICHS).

During her tenure at JICHS, Quinn established one of South Carolina’s largest and most successful non-magnet piano programs. Under her leadership, students consistently earned Superior ratings at the biannual South Carolina Music Educators Association (SCMEA) Piano Festivals and were regularly selected for the prestigious SC Honors Piano Recitals. In 2025, the JICHS Orchestras also received Superior ratings at the SC Music Performance Assessment.

Quinn served as the Fine Arts Department Chair at JICHS from 2015 to 2023, a period marked by significant growth in both enrollment and course offerings. In addition to her instructional roles, she was elected Secretary of the JICHS Board of Directors since 2021 and was recognized multiple times as a finalist for Teacher of the Year. Currently, Quinn is the Past President of the SCMEA Piano Division, where she has worked since 2020 to support and advance piano education across the state.

Quinn holds an Educational Leadership Specialist degree from the University of New England (2023), a Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of South Carolina (2007), and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education with dual principals in piano and cello from the University of Miami (2001). Her teachers include Dr. Teresa Escandón (piano), Dr. Ross Harbaugh (cello), and Dr. Robert Jesselson (cello), and she served as a Graduate Assistant with the USC String Project. A Dutch Fork High School alumna, she studied under educators Paul Scott and Maurice Hood.

An active performer, Quinn appears regularly in both classical and improvisational settings on cello throughout the Lowcountry. Her conducting experience includes serving as Guest Conductor for the Berkeley and Beaufort All-County Middle School Orchestras and as a Clinician for the South Carolina Cello Choir's Large Cello Choir event.

Outside the classroom, Quinn is a devoted member of James Island Presbyterian Church, where she serves as a Deacon, sings in the Chancel Choir, is Co-Director of the Youth Choir, and performs as the church’s Resident Cellist. She and her husband, John Quinn, have been married since 2017 and enjoy international travel, spending time with their nieces, Sophia and Audrey, and doting on their two beloved dogs, Fiona and Harley Quinn.

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West Ashley High School is thrilled to welcome Andrea Kemper Quinn and looks forward to the inspiring leadership she will bring to the orchestra and piano programs.