There were only about a dozen American string quartets in 1964 when the Guarneri was born. Just 16 years later, there were over 250. While that growth cannot be attributed to any single cause, the Guarneri is frequently cited as a significant force assisting the boom. For one thing, the members’ active work as teachers increased student interest in playing string quartets. One need look no further than Peter Wiley, who began his cello studies with Soyer, to see an example. The group's teaching at Harpur, at University of Maryland, and particularly at Marlboro and Curtis certainly helped young musicians to develop an appetite for quartet music. James Reel quotes a Curtis student's thoughts: