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Classes: Classes at
Creative Guitar Studio Began in 1992.
In 1992, 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 studio's dedicated to the
instrument alone.
The Winnipeg teachers focusing solely on guitar were the private instructors such as, Tim
Cummings Tony DesMarteaux and Chet Breau. Each of them well established in Winnipeg's
teaching community. A College was operating in Winnipeg, "The Professional Musicians
College," with the guitar department headed by Greg Lowe. But it was a full time
school and those in attendance were seeking an accredited education in the business. It
closed due to low attendance in 1994. No private studio was in place with an academic
guitar coarse that a student could attend weekly and achieve a high level of structured
education on the instrument.
It was in mid April of 1992 that the Creative Guitar Studio program began. Five years
later, in 1997 the last 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. Only 14 Students have attained a diploma for completing the
entire program. Some have taught at Creative Guitar over the years, some have gone on to
teach at other Winnipeg Music Schools. Yet others, such as 1998 graduate "Robert
Hrabluk," have 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.
Producing quality curriculum for students to use was of primary importance. Something a
student could understand, that 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 wasting
their time, because most new students don't 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 extremely 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 Ave.
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, he
set out over the next three years to promote monthly musician seminars in Winnipeg. On
Nov. 29th, 1994 seminars began monthly and continued over the years to include such high
profile musicians as Greg Lowe, Barry G. Player, Steve Hamilton, Kevin Radomsky, Ben
Kehler, and of course Andrew Wasson himself.
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 or 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 students. Those are the teenagers who once they get into playing and studying it
sticks with them for several years."
Moving into Communities: Between
1997-1999 the studio branched in two...
Creative Guitar's growing success in Winnipeg attracted several music businessmen to the
studio. Andrew was approached by guitar repairman, John Sharples. Sharples suggested
opening up a satellite, "Creative Guitar," location at his Wolseley music shop.
The upper floor of the old bank building on Westminster Ave. was offered and lessons began
there in May of 1997.
The summer of '97 would be the last summer spent at the McDermot Ave. studio. The downtown
location couldn't compete with the residential community of Wolseley for attracting new
students.
The Wolseley studio offered an excellent group instruction area on the main floor. Guitar
seminars by Pat Lussier, Tim Cummings, Tony DesMarteaux and Derrick Gottfried were held
there over the next year. At the same time, music store owner, Sam Trachilis, in
St.Boniface approached Andrew about opening yet another location at his Quest Musique
store on Provencher Blvd. Andrew opened this second location in December of 1997.
The Quest Musique location was newly renovated and also had a useful seminar area.
Musician's Murray Pulver, Tim Cummings, Steve Hamilton and Andrew Wasson held seminars
here. Part of the business arrangement Andrew worked out with Sam included establishing a
music school at Quest for all other instruments aside from guitar. This mean't creating
the systems of payment, bookings and structure of the Quest lessons services. Andrew
designed the Quest Music School systems after the Creative Guitar systems he was already
using, including a computer software program.
A concern Andrew began having was that two locations in the city spread the unique
services he offered too thin. One central location, with all of the resources in one place
needed to be established once again, (like the downtown location), to service the
increasing demand for the courses being taught. In January 1999, a decision was made to
purchase one of the large Historic character homes in the Crescentwood / River Heights
area. It was time to create one central community location. It would have the space
of the McDermot Ave. studio and the location of being in a residential community.
In July 1999 the Dr. William A. McIntyre house at 961 Dorchester Ave. was purchased for
the future home of Creative Guitar. The main floor was renovated into the teaching studio,
seminar room and waiting area. Classes began in mid-August of '99 and enrollment continues
to be at peak attendance.
The Dr. William A. McIntyre
House: Classes at Creative Guitar Studio Began Here in 1999.
Dr. William A. McIntyre House
The building was constructed in 1911 near the high point of Winnipeg's golden era of
growth. It was a time when the City of Winnipeg was Western Canada's leader in every
aspect.
Builder Frank Thorpe purchased the lot on the Northwest corner of Dorchester Ave. and
Harrow St. These were the newly renamed roads, formerly known as Gertrude Ave. and Amelia
St. In 1911 he built the dwelling to his own specification. The framed structure was 30'
square with 18" stone foundation walls and concrete footings. the building cost
$7000.00 to construct.
Thorpe sold the property to Dr. William A. McIntyre and his wife Florence S. McIntyre. Dr.
McIntyre was the principle of the Boy's Central School and became the City's School
Divisions first mathematical master. He was appointed to the staff of the Provincial
Normal School and in 1893 took over the position of principle, a post he held for the next
40 years. He was a strong advocate for the improvement of the education of the province's
teachers.
He and his wife raised 5 children in the dwelling and he died in 1938. His wife sold the
property shortly after his death. From 1939-48 the property was owned by the Mutual Life
Assurance Company of Canada and was used as a residence for managers and assistants of the
company. In 1952 Dr. Marcel C. Blanchaer and his wife Fay purchased the property. Dr.
Blanchaer was a biochemist and would become a professor at the University of Manitoba. In
the 1970's the home was owned by Vernon S. and Noelle C. Barnes. Mr. Barnes was the
manager of a Canadian Imperial Bank branch. In the 1980's the property was owned by Sheena
W. McMahon until it was sold to Andrew Wasson and his wife Julie in July of 1999.