Workshop's director - Derek Hasted MA (Cantab) DipABRSM
Meet our director - Derek Hasted
I'm Derek Hasted - I founded
Workshop in 1988 and it's become one of the area's largest guitar ensembles for novice and intermediate adult players.
As a result of Workshop's continued success, I founded the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra (hago) in 1999 to provide a similar opportunity for advanced players.
I've put together the Workshop Collection - about 150 easy ensembles - to allow guitarists to enjoy the same mix of music, fun and company that other instrument players take for granted.
I've been playing guitar since I was 12, and I've taught in the Havant area since 1977, accumulating many years' experience of coaching beginners and leading ensembles.
As well as Classical Guitar, I play other fretted instruments and also brass & piano.
Many of my players have taken exams in Guitar - I have a 100% pass rate - and hago has won competitions locally and nationally. My compositions and arrangements have featured on radio in this country and overseas, and my books of accessible ensembles sell round the world. They have been played at the West Dean Guitar Festival on more than one occasion.
Associated Board commissioned me to write a set of guitar ensembles for their Music Medals scheme for ensemble players, and the European Guitar Teachers' Association commissioned me to write for their Solo Now! series.
You can read more about my activities on my other websites below.