Chris Quinlan is host of the award winning television show "Melbourne Musos - The Drum Show", one of the longest running musical education shows on free to air Australian TV having reached its 1000th episode in November 2025.
He was nominated for Australian of the Year in 2013 and listed on Modern Drummer Magazine's exclusive International Drummers Register in 2015.
Chris is the original author of the Melbourne Musos Drumset Curriculum, written in 1995, it was the first syllabus of its kind written for the Drumset in Australasia.
He received a Fellowship Diploma in Composition (f.dip.a) in 2005 for this work and subsequent book series.
The Curriculum has been used throughout Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia and covers Preliminary Grades through to Performer Diplomas equivalent to Tertiary and Post Graduate Levels. It is tried tested, proven.
The syllabus has been endorsed by drumming greats Dom Famularo, Billy Cobham as well as The Percussive Arts Society of Australia (PAS).
Chris has played professionally since the 1970's, having grown up surrounded with the Irish folk music being played in his Father's Hotel. For most of the late 70's, he was a part of the Melbourne Jazz Scene, carving out a life as the typical starving Muso!
He started teaching Drums and Guitar in 1978, not only at his home studio but also at Footscray Community Arts Centre and schools in the western suburbs.
He has been the Lead drummer for the City of Essendon Brass Band (1989-94) which involved ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day Marches as well as National Band Championships which required strong reading and technical skills.
Chris has also played many and varied productions which have required strong reading skills such as Annie, Little Shop of Horrors, The Wiz, Flower Drum Song, Kismet amongst others.
Having taught Drums and Guitar since 1978, he has seen many of his students become established musicians and qualified teachers in their own right.
Chris has been teaching from his Seabrook (an enclave wedged between Altona Meadows & Point Cook) based teaching/recording studio since 1996, where he produces his TV Show, with many excerpts, clips and full episodes available on his website and YouTube.(www.youtube.com/melbournemusos)
The studio is a large open plan (double garage) size studio where parents are welcome to sit in and also record video if required or requested.
Chris was also an executive producer at The Alex Theatre St. Kilda where his show "Melbourne Musos Facechook Live" was the first show launching a new initiative for the Live Music and the Arts during the Covid-19 restrictions in 2020/21.
As of 2025, both TV Shows Chris produces have been nominated for awards, Melbourne Musos for best Community Music Program and Impromptu_TV for Outstanding Creative Achievement.
Melbourne Musos in particular clicked over the 1000th episode mark in November 2025. Now 30+ years on free to air television.
All styles of music are taught with patience, humour and an attention to detail.
All books written by Chris are provided inclusive of tuition fees.
Simply put, he loves it.
Details last updated: November 21, 2025
