Creating connection through music is why Ian teaches. Read more on how he hopes to inspire his students. 

Being interested in music doesn't always stick the first time. Ian Landuyt took guitar lessons as a kid, but it wasn't for him at 8 years old. The spark rekindled in his teenage years from listening to music.

Eventually, he picked up the guitar once again, and even grew interested in creating music, inspired by Pink Floyd.

"My goal with music is to create things that make people feel good, and to connect with others," he said.

Teaching, like playing music, sort of popped up in his life. He now teaches guitar and piano at the Cedar Rapids/Marion school.

"It didn’t take me long to really find myself enjoying School of Rock. If there’s one thing I love equally to creating/performing music, it’s sharing my love for it, and that’s what I get to do with teaching," Landuyt said.

Besides how to best play a song, the other rewarding part of teaching is watching his students grow.

"Teaching also keeps me sharp and forces me to keep learning as a musician, which is super important," he said.

More about Ian:

Favorite song to perform: Disillusion by his band Spirit Awake

Fun fact: Before music, his main hobby was coding video games and sometimes woodworking.