About Us

Who We Are?

We’re parents, players, teachers, and lifelong music lovers. Qualia Fine Strings started in a really personal way. While I was growing as a violinist my dad stepped into a new world of unexpected financial musical barriers. He began a mission to help find instruments that were actually affordable without sacrificing quality. What began as something just for our family grew into something a lot bigger. Now, alongside Phil Brezina, who spends much of the year as a touring musician, we’re building something that we all believe in. Great instruments shouldn’t be out of reach and every player deserves a real chance to succeed.

Meet John Blake

John Blake grew up in a busy, music-filled home as the oldest of 10 siblings. From an early age, he spent his time singing, playing guitar, and performing in musicals, developing a lifelong love for music and the arts. Growing up in a large family with limited resources, he saw firsthand how difficult it can be to access quality instruments and how much a good instrument can impact a musician’s confidence and growth.

While his roots aren’t in the classical music world, his path into it came later through his daughter, Jenny, as she developed as a violinist. What began as a way to support her quickly turned into a deeper investment in understanding instruments and helping others navigate that same journey. Today, he continues to play guitar, Irish whistle, and sing, staying closely connected to his music roots that first shaped him.

John is driven by a simple, steady goal: to help put well-made, reliable instruments into the hands of musicians, especially young players, at a price that makes sense. When he’s not helping someone find the right instrument, you can probably find him at the bottom of the ocean, scuba diving alongside all kinds of sea life.

Meet Philip Brezina

Philip Brezina is an actively touring and performing musician in both the classical and bluegrass worlds. He is an amazingly versatile violinist performing in venues such as Disney hall, the Grand Ole Opry, the Kennedy Center, and the 9:30 Club.

Philip's love for classical, bluegrass, and world music has led him to perform and record with Sting, Kanye West, members of the Grateful Dead, Mohammad Reza Shayarián, Orquestra Sinfonica Galicia, Radiohead, Death Cab for Cutie and many more. Philip served as principal second in the San José Chamber Orchestra. He was also an educator at The Luzerne Music Center and Interlochen Center for the Arts.

He earned his Master of Music degree at the San Francisco Conservatory with Ian Swensen and completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland with David Salness. He Currently plays fiddle with the touring band the Brothers Comatose. When he is not playing music he is trying to catch the next wave surfing.

Meet Jeanette Hastings

Jenny Hastings love for the violin began at age nine after hearing a live orchestra perform at her school. From that moment on, music became a central part of her life. She studied privately under Jack Ashton, Robert Berekyan, and Paul Abegg. She performed with the Bingham High School Symphony, the Youth Artist Chamber Players, and the Dixie University Symphony and chamber groups. These opportunities took her on two European tours as well as performances at Disneyland, Seattle, and much more.

She continued her musical studies at Dixie State University, minoring in violin performance, and has performed with artists such as Nathan Pacheco, GENTRI, and Peter Noone. Jenny has also taught many private violin lessons and finds a lot of joy in helping young students discover their own love for music.

Today, she teaches 2nd grade and brings that same passion into both her classroom and her work with Qualia Fine Strings, where she is especially passionate about helping children get started with the right instrument. In her free time, she loves going to concerts and spending time outdoors hiking with her dog.