Craig Winston is a classical guitarist and teacher in Denver, CO. He holds a Master of Music degree in Classical Guitar Performance from the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver. He currently teaches guitar lessons and performs for concerts, weddings, and private events in the Denver area and the Southwest United States.

As a performing guitarist, Craig has had the privilege of sharing his music in various venues, including private events, weddings, concerts, and recitals. He has provided music for many esteemed clients including The University of Denver, Robert and Judy Newman, Hugo Boss, WZW Law Firm, Lady Nomada, and SoFar Sounds.

His classical guitar performances offer a range of music, from upbeat Latin American music, to the virtuosity of the Baroque, and intimate, emotive modern compositions.

His current interest lies in Spanish and Latin American composers, such as Eduardo Sainz de la Maza, Antonio Lauro, and Astor Piazzolla. Still, his diverse repertoire includes music by Bach, Roland Dyens, Leo Brouwer, and his own original compositions, among many others.


Craig has been a guitarist all of his life, beginning with a strong interest in rock music. He has toured with groups from all over the country and performed a variety of different styles from hard rock and metal to synth pop and musical theater.


He studied Jazz guitar at Berklee College of Music with Mark White and at Lewis & Clark College with Dan Balmer before ultimately completing his second Bachelor’s degree in classical guitar. He studied under Dr. Patrick Sutton at New Mexico Highlands University and with Roger Harmon at Community College of Denver. His graduate studies further honed his skills under the mentorship of Dr. Jonathan Leathwood and Laura Husbands


With a diverse background, Craig offers a unique and heartfelt performance, whether it's a concert, wedding, or a special event. His passion for music and dedication to his craft are evident in every note he plays. 

Craig's performance was simply delightful. The ease with which he delivers each piece is captivating to watch.” - Bernadette Almanzar, LVNM Board of Realtors

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Contact

Performances

Previous events

Date Event Location
Taos has Talent (open Mic) The Alley Cantina, Taos, NM 87571 The Alley Cantina, Taos, NM 87571
 —  — Classical Guitar Brunch @ Apothecary Apothecary, Santa Fe, NM 87501 Apothecary, Santa Fe, NM 87501
 —  — Classical Guitar @ Castaneda Hotel The Castaneda Hotel, Las Vegas, NM 87701 The Castaneda Hotel, Las Vegas, NM 87701
 —  — Craig Winston - Classical Guitarist Uva Wine Bar, Colorado Springs, CO Uva Wine Bar, Colorado Springs, CO
 —  — Craig Winston Classical Guitarist at the Art Social The Art Social, Denver, Colorado 80223 The Art Social, Denver, Colorado 80223
 —  — Classical Guitar @ Firehouse Art Center Firehouse Art Center, Longmont, CO 80501 Firehouse Art Center, Longmont, CO 80501
Classical Guitar Workshop West Las Vegas Schools, Las Vegas, NM West Las Vegas Schools, Las Vegas, NM
Craig Winston - Classical Guitarist @ LVNM Realtors Community Gala TBA, Las Vegas, NM 87701 TBA, Las Vegas, NM 87701
Craig Winston - Classical Guitarist Denver, CO Private Wedding Event, Colorado Springs, CO Private Wedding Event, Colorado Springs, CO
 —  — Craig Winston - Solo Guitar at the Old North End The Old North End, Castle Rock, CO 80109 The Old North End, Castle Rock, CO 80109
Exhibition opening @ The Art Social The Art Social, Denver, Colorado 80223 The Art Social, Denver, Colorado 80223
 —  — Solo Guitar - La Bouche Wine Bar 2 year Anniversary Party La Bouche Wine Bar, Denver, CO 80218 La Bouche Wine Bar, Denver, CO 80218
 —  — Solo Guitar - Private Event University of Denver - Illif School, Denver, CO University of Denver - Illif School, Denver, CO
 —  — Private Event - DU Pioneer Legacy Society Luncheon University of Denver University of Denver
 —  — Chamber Music Trio - Private Wedding Event Crooked Willow Farms, Larkspur, CO Crooked Willow Farms, Larkspur, CO
 —  — CraigWinston - Solo Guitar @ Hugo Boss launch Hugo Boss - Cherry Creek, Denver, CO 80206 Hugo Boss - Cherry Creek, Denver, CO 80206
 —  — Private Event - Classical Guitar University of Denver University of Denver
Craig Winston - solo guitar - Private Event Newman Family Private Event Newman Family Private Event
Craig Winston @ The Old North End The Old North End, Castle Rock, CO 80109 The Old North End, Castle Rock, CO 80109
 —  — Solo - Private Event  

Reviews

Craig is an awesome instructor with a wide, versatile range of skills and knowledge about every genre. Whether it’s Bach or shredding metal, he can help break down your favorite songs and show you how to play them! ...Craig is an excellent teacher with classical knowledge of formal techniques and experience playing live rock.” - Marie Krueger, guitar student, Denver

Google Reviews


 

Craig is fabulous! Highly recommend for any upcoming events. His performances are beautiful, and he is a pleasure to work with always.” - M. Hauser, University of Denver, client

Google

Mr. Winston helped me recently with a company party. Exquisite musicianship, professional demeanor and a joy to work with. We will be contacting Mr. Winston for more performances in the future.” - Jeremy Pickett, WZW Family Law

Google Reviews

I have had the honor of hearing Craig Winston sing and play several times at various venues and events over the years. It has been wonderful to observe the way his musical skills and talents have continued to evolve and flourish. It is always a privilege to attend one of Craig's performances.” - Reina Fernandez, Las Vegas, NM

Google

Craig is very knowledgeable and has helped me look at the guitar in a different perspective. I definitely would recommend him to anyone looking for lessons.” - Alex Trujillo, current guitar student

Google

We booked Craig for an opening art reception. Craig was simply perfect for the venue and the theme. His music set the tone for the exhibit. We were all blown away by his musicianship and talent. He was also extremely professional, going above and beyond what was expected. Throughout the process he kept in touch by phone and email and responded quickly to any requests that we had. Thank you so much. We look forward to working with you again!” - Mara Fletcher, Founder of The Art Social

Google Reviews

We had the opportunity to host Craig at La Bouche wine bar for our 2nd anniversary in September. We were looking for live music that would fit our event. As soon as we decided to go forward with him, he offers to adjust his repertoire and offers to play a couple of French classics. Craig is a really talented and open-minded musician. And a nice person. Highly appreciated.” - Alexis Tréton, La Bouche Wine Bar

Google Reviews


 

Thank you again for your wonderful musical addition to last night’s event at the Governor’s mansion. Your performance was exactly what we wanted – elegant and understated. The combination of the beautiful environment and sophisticated music enhanced the positive vibe felt by all.” - Julianne Salman, NMHU Alumni Association

 

In addition to being an incredible performer and overall musician, Craig was very skilled at transcribing my ukulele etude piece into notation and tab. He is a talent on many levels and can help any musician further their goals and dreams.” - Sami Serrag, Songwriter. Denver, CO.

Rock, Metal, Jazz

I have been an active performer in the Portland, Chicago, and Denver rock and metal scenes.  My guitar work has been featured in concert and on recordings for The Gentry (Portland, OR), The Dead Superheroes Orchestra (Chicago, IL), Thy Shade (Denver, CO). I am the songwriter, vocalist, guitarist for Corpse Paint (Chicago/Denver) for which I also performed bass guitar and acted as assistant producer alongside Mike Tholen for the 2018 release "Nothing Here in the Dark." I have also had the pleasure to perform guitar for several musical theater productions including Spring Awakening at Loyola University in 2015, and to work as music director/composer/guitarist for the Signal Ensemble Theater production of "Devil's Day Off" by John Steinhagen (the "acoustic invention" below is an excerpt from that project).

Below are some samples of original and cover material in rock, metal, and jazz genres. 

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