Teacher Spotlight: Steven Thachuk

Dr. Steven Thachuk is becoming known as one of Canada’s most outstanding young guitarists. He has appeared in recitals, as a chamber musician, and soloist with orchestras throughout North America, Great Britain and Europe. In the 1998/99 concert season, he made his Ford Performing Arts Centre (Toronto) debut performing Rodrigo’s Concierto Madrigal with the Toronto Philharmonic. His playing has drawn much critical acclaim, and Classical Guitar Magazine has described his performances as “perfectly and sensitively done”. In addition to many other awards, he received the prestigious Chalmers Performing Arts Training Grant in 1994, and was a top finalist in the Freschen International Competition in Köln.

In addition to his performing career, Dr. Thachuk has an international reputation as a leading teacher and pedagogue of the instrument. He is much in demand for masterclasses and concerts at universities, conservatories, and major guitar festivals throughout North America and Europe. Recent performances and classes have taken place in Toronto, Nova Scotia, Kentucky, England, Germany, the Stetson International Guitar Festival, the Gevelsberg Gitarren Festival, the Iserlohn Gitarren-Symposium, the Halifax International Guitar Festival, and the Eastman Summer Guitarfest, as well as solo appearances with the Toronto Sinfonietta, the Quinte Symphony, the Prince George Symphony, and the Toronto Philharmonia. Thachuk also serves on juries for the many of the world’s prominent guitar competitions.

In 2002, Dr. Thachuk was appointed as Professor of Guitar at California State University, Northridge. He completed his doctoral studies at the Eastman School of Music in 1998, where he taught as an assistant to the guitar department. Dr. Thachuk has previously been a member of the guitar faculties at the University of Toronto, Queen’s University and the Royal Conservatory of Music.

“Thachuk conquered with a flawless concert!…A master of interpretation and artistry.” – Nordeste Culiacan, Mexico

STEVEN THACHUK GUITAR DEMOS (view all)