Canada’s 2011 Guitar Workshop Plus Program

Update: Steve Vai added to upcoming Workshops in Toronto and Vancouver.

Steve Vai

Guitar Workshop Plus is very pleased to announce that the incomparable STEVE VAI has been added to our already outstanding guest artist line-up for 2011.

Attendees will spend time in the company of the legendary guitarist, including a clinic, question and answer period, and meet and greet. This is an exclusive opportunity to hear from the master himself on everything from his career and experiences in the music industry to his writing and playing.



As a Grammy award-winning guitar virtuoso with career sales of over 15 million records, Steve Vai’s sheer breathtaking facility on the guitar is acclaimed in the rock world and beyond. After starting his professional career as a music transcriptionist for Frank Zappa, he recorded and toured in Zappa’s band for two years. Steve has also recorded and toured with Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake. While Vai clearly had what was needed to make indelible impressions during his stays with these acts, it’s as a solo artist that he’s made his most precious contributions.The guitarist began a solo career in 1983 and has released many solo albums since including the groundbreaking “Passion and Warfare”. Vai has been a regular touring member of the G3 concert tour and also started his own record label, Favored Nations, which showcases some of the finest musicians in the world. He is a former Trustee for NARAS (National Academy of the Recording Arts and Sciences) and works closely with his own Make a Noise Foundation, raising money for music education. His name appears at or near the top of “Best Guitarist” polls in every major guitar magazine. We are honoured to have Steve among the artists visiting our program.

Original Press release from May 16:

The 2011 Guitar Workshop Plus program has announced another fantastic artist line-up for this year. The top ranked summer music program continues to provide the ultimate experience in music education and has scholarships available.

Orianthi

Guitar Workshop Plus has announced three sessions at two locations for its 2011 summer schedule. Confirmed session dates are as follows:

Toronto (Session 1) July 17-22, 2011.

Toronto (Session 2) July 24-29, 2011.

Vancouver Session August 7-12, 2011.

2011 guest artists include jazz legend and six time Grammy nominee Mike Stern, pop rock sensation Orianthi (solo, Michael Jackson – pictured right), Canadian guitar great and Hall of Famer Rik Emmett (Triumph, solo), bassist Dave LaRue (Steve Morse, Dixie Dregs, Joe Satriani, John Petrucci), Austin blues/rock great David Grissom (Allman Bros, John Mellancamp, Dixie Chicks, Buddy Guy), Canada’s finest guitar shredder Dave Martone, rock professor Jon Finn, Canadian acoustic genius Don Ross, drum guru Vito Rezza, and more!

Designed for aspiring musicians of all ages including teenagers, adult hobbyists, students pursuing music careers, semi-professional and professional musicians, Guitar Workshop Plus offers students a unique setting for intense musical and personal growth. As well, this program allows for group development (entire bands will sometimes attend) and the family experience (father and son, mother and daughter, brothers and sisters, etc.). The program provides students with the opportunity to study multiple styles, courses, and levels with some of the industry’s leading musicians. Having enjoyed the experience of a lifetime, students leave each session with enough material to work on until the following year. The program’s administration has been organizing and directing summer music workshops across North America for fourteen years. This unique Canadian program has been sold out the last few years running. Musicians of all ages and levels have been attending from across Canada, the U.S., Europe, South America, Asia, and Australia. Considered by many to be the premier summer music education program in Canada, the program has been offering workshops in Toronto and Vancouver for the past several years and plans for expansion are in the works.

By directing instruction to the student’s personal style, level of experience, and musical goals, the program creates a healthy, non-competitive environment in which to learn. Furthermore, in addition to an outstanding faculty roster, the list of artists who have worked and continue to work with the administration is truly astounding. Joe Satriani, Alex Lifeson (Rush), Robben Ford, John Scofield, Rik Emmett, Randy Bachman, Paul Gilbert, Andy Summers (The Police), Billy Sheehan, Pierre Bensusan, John Petrucci (Dream Theater), Wayne Krantz, John Abercrombie, Duke Robillard, Lorne Lofsky, John Knowles, John Jorgenson, Sue Foley, Jennifer Batten, Paul DeLong, and Stu Hamm are just a few of the world class artists on this list. Courses are offered for all levels (Beginner to Advanced), ages (12 through Adult), and styles including blues, jazz, rock, acoustic, and classical. The intensive bass, drum, keyboard, and vocal courses cover many styles and afford students with many rhythm section and ensemble performance opportunities. Each day consists of morning and afternoon classes that involve a hands-on approach, late afternoon clinics (songwriting, improvisation, vocal, etc.), ensemble performances, and evening concerts.

Both Toronto sessions will once again be held at Appleby College in Oakville just west of Toronto. This location has undergone extensive renovations and will be providing outstanding facilities including new classrooms, new dorm rooms, and a new dining hall. The grounds, as always, remain immaculate and picturesque overlooking the lake. The Vancouver session will once again take place at Quest University, which is located just north of Vancouver in Squamish, BC. Quest is located along the Pacific Ocean offering breathtaking views of the mountains and ocean. The facilities and accommodations are pristine and provide fantastic accommodations, modern classrooms, performance space, and exceptional dining facilities.

Resident and non-resident tuitions are available and registration has already begun for the 2011 sessions.

For more information on the Guitar Workshop Plus program, contact:

Guitar Workshop Plus

99 Queen Street South

2nd Floor

Mississauga, ON

L5M 1K7

Tel: (905) 567-8000

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.guitarworkshopplus.com

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Canada’s Guitar Workshop Plus Program for 2012

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