Dubai’s SPIN Music Academy Is Breaking Barriers With Beats

In a world where music education often leans on traditional instruments and structured pedagogy, one entrepreneur is remixing the beat—literally—to make the domain more accessible, inclusive, and empowering.

Meet Nadi Choueiri, the founder of SPIN Music Academy, an inclusive DJ school in the UAE focused on early childhood music education and youth empowerment through sound, performance, and technology. Launched in Dubai in March this year, SPIN is already making noise for its approach to inclusive, tech-forward music education that meets students where they are.

SPIN offers a fresh take on music production education in Dubai, with it teaching youth how to mix music, use audio software, and explore digital storytelling through DJing. Open to children and teens of all abilities, SPIN provides an inclusive space for creativity and self-expression through music.

With SPIN, Choueiri is not just introducing a new kind of classroom though—he’s building an environment that he wished to exist when he was a child himself. “I started playing music as soon as I was diagnosed with Stargardt disease—an inherited form of macular degeneration causing central vision loss—when I was 12 years old,” Choueiri tells Inc. Arabia.

And it was in music that Choueiri found an instrument that helped him cope with his condition as well as spark a passion that guided his career path for years to come. “Music became my refuge; it gave me purpose, expression, and connection,” he says. “Over time, I realized that music wasn’t just my escape; it was my empowerment, and I wanted to share my knowledge with the rest of the world to make music accessible to all.”

After completing a degree in musicology as well as receiving certifications from Dubspot, an electronic music production and DJ school based in New York City, Choueiri embarked on a DJing journey that spanned over 15 years in top venues across Beirut. Alongside that, he explored sound engineering, music production, and teaching—an experience that shaped him into not just a performer, but a mentor.

But it was his time as a teacher for students at the Lebanese School for the Blind and Deaf in Beirut, and later as an audio instructor at the Al Noor Training Center for People of Determination in Dubai, that had a major impact on his career journey.

Indeed, it was through this teaching journey that Choueiri began shaping the inclusive vision that would eventually become SPIN. “My experience working at these two institutions played a pivotal role in shaping the vision for SPIN,” he explains. “These environments taught me how to listen, adapt, be patient, and understand the unique ways each student learns and expresses themselves. It was about finding new ways to make music accessible.”

This insight led him to notice that, while youth music education was common in the region, there was a dearth of accessible DJing classes for children and youth. “I noticed a gap in music education, especially in the field of DJing for this target audience,” Choueiri says. “Programs were often too structured or simply out of reach for many young people, particularly those with disabilities or unique learning needs.”

Choueiri thus launched SPIN to break down barriers, making accessibility the cornerstone of its entire experience. “When building SPIN, every choice was driven by one question: is this accessible to everyone?” he says.

As such, the studio’s design follows global accessibility guidelines, with careful attention to the height and spacing of tables, the width of doorways, and accessible washrooms—ensuring the space is welcoming and usable for students who rely on wheelchairs or mobility aids.

But this commitment extends beyond the physical realm to the curriculum and learning modules.

“Inclusivity at SPIN is not just an idea or a theory,” Choueiri says. “It’s the foundation of everything we do, from the curriculum to the physical space itself.”

SPIN’s curriculum is thus project-based and performance-oriented, with students progressing from basic controls to live mixing and original production. He explains that SPIN selects products for their reliability and built-in accessibility features to ensure that students with visual, motor, or cognitive differences can participate fully.

“By integrating professional-grade gear like Rekordbox and AlphaTheta DJ controllers, students get hands-on experience with the same technology used by industry pros, right from the start,” Choueiri adds.

SPIN also developed a unique audio setup with Lebanese tech partner 7Hertz to reduce overstimulation and echo—challenges that can affect students with autism or sensory processing disorders. “In collaboration with 7Hertz, we engineered a custom audio system that mirrors a professional club or performance setup,” Choueiri says. “Each student can route their mix live to the main speakers, collaborate in real-time from different DJ stations, and even livestream or record sessions for showcases and progress tracking.”

The SPIN team also makes it a point to customize lessons for children who may not respond to typical formats.

“Whether a student is visually impaired, has a hearing challenge, or processes information differently, we use technology and personalized instruction to make sure every learner has a way to engage and express themselves,” Choueiri shares.

And in an era where creative expression is deeply intertwined with technology, part of SPIN’s mission revolves around promoting digital literacy through music. “From mixing music and producing beats to understanding audio software, digital literacy gives young people the power to take their ideas, and bring them to life,” Choueiri says.

Choueiri also notes that he has made partnerships a central part of his company’s growth strategy. “Our ongoing collaboration with DJ Corner, the official distributor of AlphaTheta (formerly known as Pioneer DJ, a global leader in professional DJ equipment) and a leading name in DJ equipment across the UAE, gives us direct access to the latest tools, along with continuous technical support,” he says. “This partnership allows us to maintain high standards in our gear and operations, so we can focus entirely on providing an exceptional experience for our students.”

Looking to the future, Choueiri believes SPIN has the potential to be more than just a music school. In fact, he sees it as a potential career incubator for those aspiring to work in creative industries.

“For students of determination in particular, my mission is even more personal,” he adds. “I want them to know that they can learn, grow, work, and build meaningful careers in the creative industry.”

In terms of the company’s long-term plans, Choueiri reveals that SPIN has aspirations to grow not just across the region, but globally as well. “There is a strong need to expand first within the UAE, starting with other Emirates,” he shares. “Abu Dhabi is a natural next step, especially with the focus that the Emirate has on culture and inclusive art. From there, I am looking toward the wider GCC region and beyond, where there’s a growing demand for accessible music education that empowers the next generation.”

Looking further ahead, Choueiri sees international potential—not just in scale, but in values. “Long term, I would also love to explore partnerships that bring SPIN’s philosophy to other international communities that value creativity, diversity, and empowerment through music,” he says.

As for the youth out there interested in pursuing careers in music, Choueiri offers a heartfelt reminder that stems from his own journey.

“To the young creatives out there: if you feel that fire inside you when you’re creating, don’t ignore it—that feeling is real and powerful,” he says. “Whether you’re experimenting with beats, or dreaming of one day playing to a crowd, your passion is valid. The creative path might not follow a traditional framework, but that doesn’t make it any less meaningful. In fact, it often demands courage and a deeper sense of purpose.”

And to the parents whose children dream of creative paths, Choueiri’s message is simple: support them. “If you see your child happy, excited, and motivated when they’re mixing music or crafting a sound, that deserves attention,” Choueiri says. “With the right mentorship and tools, a career in music isn’t just possible; it can be deeply fulfilling, impactful, and sustainable. I know this because I’ve lived it. I turned my passion into a profession, and now I’m sharing my knowledge to help others do the same—because I believe in it with all my heart.”

Choueiri’s conviction is hard to ignore, shaped as it is by his own experience.

“Music saved me,” he says. “As someone who was diagnosed with visual impairment at the age of 12, I know what it feels like to be unsure of your place in the world. But music gave me purpose, identity, and the strength to move forward. DJing wasn’t just a hobby—it became a lifeline.”

Pictured in the lead image is the founder of SPIN Music Academy, Nadi Choueiri. All images courtesy of SPIN Music Academy.

This article first appeared in the June 2025 issue of Inc. Arabia magazine. To read the full issue online, click here.