Watch Dwayne's Video for a complete display of his skills and Teaching Method. Best viewed in full screen.
Dwayne Helberg
Dwayne has been teaching guitar for 37 years (12 years at Alcorn Music) and has prepared students for local, school, and professional bands, Alcorn Jam Bands, College and University.
He has formal training in Music (Jazz Guitar, Diploma in Recording Arts), Education (B.Ed.), Filmmaking, Electronics, and Computers.
He offers Guitar, Bass, Banjo, and Ukelele lessons from ages 9 and up. Styles include Rock/Metal/Prog, Pop, “Americana” (Blues, Country/Bluegrass, Jazz., Fusion/Funk, and Folk). Dwayne was writing and performing “Americana” since he began songwriting in 1982.
His technical skills include: alternate picking, sweep picking, finger style, slide, open tunings, and electronic music. He has developed his own beginner guitar course which he has successfully used for twenty
years in private and group situations in elementary and secondary public school sectors and private instruction sectors.
One of Dwayne’s students received the following in 2012 from Conservatory Canada:
1. the Helen Ingram Memorial Scholarship (for $150)
2. the Medal for Excellence for the Level 1 Contemporary Idioms Guitar exam (for having the highest mark – 95.6% in guitar for the province of Quebec)
Dwayne’s years of public and private teaching experience has enabled him to develop various approaches to teaching giving him the ability to connect with different learning styles and age groups. He encompasses a positive self-concept with his music instruction using a play along with your favorite songs approach (by your second or third lesson you will be strumming along with a song).
Students advance their instrument skills through the style of music and songs they are most interested in and if they wish also through a more formal Conservatory Canada or London College of Music curriculum.
Dwayne welcomes students of all levels from beginner to
professional.
Dwayne's beginner students focus on basic open chords, strumming and reading rhythms, reading chord charts, these basics will lead to chord extensions, basic finger picking, power chords, bar chords, beginner scales, alternate picking and basic vocal accompaniment.
His intermediate students focus on discovering their own improvisational voice and developing a pragmatic technique that can deliver as much speed as one desire’s if they choose to also develop that area.
His advanced students focus on the skills and techniques required to enhance professional performance in the genre(s) of their choice.
His past performances include: International Music Festivals, Dinner Theatres, Songwriting Circles, Workshops, and Radio Features.