• Home
• About
• Programs
• Teachers
• Information
• News
• Seminars
• Links
• Merchandise
• F.A.Q.
• Make a Payment
• Privacy Policy
• Contact
• Registration

History of Creative Guitar Music Instruction in Winnipeg:

Andrew Wasson moved back to Winnipeg, MB. after graduating from the Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood, CA. While at G.I.T. Andrew attended a Music Business class that covered Music Instruction. The decision was made to start a Guitar Studio upon returning home. At that time there were no formal private music schools dedicated solely to the guitar.

It was in mid April of 1992 that the Creative Guitar Studio program began. Five years later, in 1997 the final book of the Advanced Program was completed. The first graduate of the coarse, "Bernard Kehler," (currently teaching and playing professionally in Toronto), graduated in 1997. Some graduates have taught at Creative Guitar over the years, some have gone on to teach at other Winnipeg Music Schools. Others, such as 1998 graduate, "Robert Hrabluk," opted for further training at the University of Winnipeg - Concord College. Most of the  players involved in the Creative Guitar Studio Advanced Guitar Player Program are pursuing a career in the music business.

The Winnipeg music teachers focusing on teaching advanced guitar were guiitar instructors such as; Tim Cummings, Tony DesMarteau, and Chet Breau. Each of them well established in Winnipeg's guitar teaching community. There was a Professional Music College operating in Winnipeg at the time called, "The Professional Musicians College," (known around town as; P.M.C.). Head of the guitar department was Greg Lowe. But, the P.M.C. was a full time school, and those in attendance were there seeking accredited education in the music business. It unfortunately closed due to low attendance in 1994. Afterwhich, no other private college took it's place. Creative Guitar was the only remaining music school with a highly developed academic guitar coarse which a student could attend and achieve a high level of structured education on the instrument.

Producing quality curriculum for students to use was of primary importance. There were two important curriculum goals:
 

1). Curriculum a student could easily understand.

2). Curriculum which was at their own level and had an

attainable ending.

This is why each course has ten study units, and they all have exams at the end of each course. Andrew explains, "Just asking a new student, 'what do you want to learn,' is pretty much wasting their time, because most new students don't actually know."

Upon beginning a course the Creative Guitar student feels like there is a plan to follow, a map that leads to a destination.

The Locations:

It began with four students, traveling to their homes...

The first students, (there were four), were taught in their own homes. Within a month there were 18 students and Andrew leased a small one room office at 1311 Portage Ave. It worked well for 2 years. But, with over 50 students it was becoming clear that more space would be needed.

In 1994 a major move was made. A main floor vacancy in one of Winnipeg's heritage buildings went up for rent. The space was over 2000 sq. feet. A musician friend of Andrew's named Terry Zurylo wanted to establish a second location for his keyboard instruction business downtown to service students that lived in central Winnipeg.

In October of 1994 Creative Guitar Studio and Keyboard Ventures Music Instruction launched a joint venture in the Exchange District. This new studio located at 290 McDermot. finally offered the space needed to create the kind of environment Andrew wanted for Creative Guitar. A firm believer in seminars for intermediate and advanced students, Andrew set out over the next three years to promote monthly musician seminars in Winnipeg. On Nov. 29th, 1994 seminars began monthly and have continued over the years to include such high profile musicians as Greg Lowe, Barry G. Player, Steve Hamilton, Kevin Radomsky, Ben Kehler, and studio director Andrew Wasson.

For as much opportunity that the downtown location presented, it also had it's drawbacks. High rent and taxes, poor parking and a lack of any community, (neighborhood residents), saw few younger students attending classes. Andrew comments, "the overall numbers were there, the rent was paid, but it was almost all adults and I needed to attract more long term teenaged students. Those are the ones who once they get into playing and studying it will stick with them for several years."