The teacher will become the performer when Steve Arsenault takes to the stage at Golden Circle Seniors Resource Centre on Sept. 29.
Last summer Arsenault, a Red Deer musician and teacher, started teaching guitar at the Golden Circle to a group of about 10 students that quickly grew.
“It kind of took off. All of a sudden all these people wanted to sign up. I ended up having three groups of almost 10 people in each group,” Arsenault said.
He said the guitar is great for any age. Some of the retirees had experience with the instrument, while others had never played before.
“Some of them caught on really quick. Some had troubles with it. But they all found it really fun.”
He hopes to see some his senior students at concert where he will be joined by violin player John Werkema and percussionist Mark Branconnier, both of Red Deer.
Arsenault, who was born and raised in Prince Edward Island, grew up listening to country and classic rock, and started teaching himself how to play guitar at 17. He moved to Alberta in 1999 to further his career.
His Golden Circle concert will include older country songs and some modern, classic rock covers and some original tunes.
Arsenault has played all over Alberta and has opened for acts like Duane Steele, Nazareth, Trooper, Johnny Reid and High Valley.
This summer he was back in Calgary for the Stampede.
“I’ve been doing the same gig down in Calgary for Stampede now for almost 10 years as a house band at this place called the Wild Horse Saloon, a big tent they put up every year right downtown in Calgary. We play for nine days. It’s always a good time.”
Arsenault regularly performs solo acoustic gigs in Red Deer, Calgary and Edmonton, and for the last four years has also taught guitar at Music Centre Canada in Red Deer. Prior to that he taught at his home.
He said for the longest time he was balancing his music with jobs in construction and landscaping.
“I enjoyed the work, but I wasn’t happy being there and was always thinking about music. I made the decision to hang up the work boots and just concentrate on being involved in music.
“It kind of came together really nicely with teaching and playing. At the store I teach at I do sales as well, so it’s a nice balance. I’m totally surrounded by things that I love so it makes work not seem like work.”
Tickets for his Sept. 29 performance are $20 each and are available at the front desk at Golden Circle, 4260 47A Ave. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m.
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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