My introduction: Hello there, my name is Graeme Gibson, I am 32 years of age, and have been playing music for more then 13 years now at this level. Before hand I was playing mostly classically inspired music in technique regards to the instruments and lessons I had at the time. Starting at age 9 to 11 I was mostly playing piano at a music teacher Joanne Broduer's home at the time in South Vancouver as I recall at home I started on playing various models of Casio keyboards. Joanne Broduer she was instrumental (yes the pun included) in inspiring me to play music not just listen to music. Although these therapy sessions as a young child were "informal" although they were very helpful through out my life. I am not a classical trained musician though I do take many elements in the music I play traditional to contemporary to what I like to call "uniquely my own".

The premise of my web site: Although I do enjoy educating others I will admit I do get things wrong too. I learn't in music for one instrument, musician, or biography there of. Over the years I found that music has so many interpretations and people have their own perspective especially when it concerns the history of music or a particular tuning of a musical instrument or a particular playing technique, song, country of origin or region of origin and so forth.

My knowledge of ethnic music whilst stronger in some areas and lacking in some areas, I can say that I am learning things on a day to day basis.

1.) All the photos of my collection are from my own camera (unless if stated otherwise).

2.) The collection will continue to grow as I continue to collect; some pages have not been uploaded yet.

3.) I am a dedicated amateur musician, who I live by the philosophy of "don't rush into things, and the results will pay off.

Circa year 1988 to 1990's: When I started playing music in my adolescent youth. My first musical instruments were digital electronic keyboards they were toys although not professional synthesizers Though this was the basis of my musical exploration. As the old adage goes “one has to start from some where”.

Year 1999's: Through a long year of persistence with Mom and I, and with the help of a friend of ours Jaron Lanier. Thanks to Jaron Lanier I and my family and I got connected with Randy Raine Reusch. My teacher Randy became both a teacher and friend in which I am deeply grateful to him. He is a persistent teacher in which has stayed teaching me through years and years since we first met. This was along time ago at that time he lived in a loft in East Vancouver some where. I memorized the names of the musical instruments citing things such as "dutar", "tanbur", "rebab", "dulcimer" and so on).

Year 2000's: I became deeply interested in the triangular body three-stringed Russian instrument the balalaika. In this brief time I studied with Mr. Bibb's Ekkel who briefly lived in the outskirts of Vancouver before he moved to England. My first song I learnt was Korobushka or "Korobeyiniki" which from Russian to English is "The peddlers" this also was the basis for the theme song in the video game "tetris". The balalaika being my first instrument at the time was a cheep poor-quality imitation of a balalaika. After through several sources in who were mainly individuals I knew during this time.

Randy Raine Reusch: Randy Raine Reusch is my teacher for quite a while since we first had met through a mutual friend Jaron Lanier. It was largely thanks to him and those involved who “hooked me up with Randy”. At first Randy was a bit skeptical yet when he showed me his collection at the time. I was one of the only young kids he knew in which I was able to recite the names of the instruments, stringed instruments, plucked, and bowed and so on. Randy was quite impressed and the lessons then began and stated something among the lines “there is something there with this kid”. I took that as a compliment right away and I still do to this very day too :-). In turn Randy and I remain very good friends as well as student and teacher.

Rene Hugo Sanchez: He is also a very close friend Rene and I were introduced by a friend of mine in Vancouver who knows Rene.Many In-fact many musicians are in formal or informal training with one or more teachers. Rene is from Rio De Oropeza in Peru. Like Randy both are professional musicians yet very good ones at that too. I've learnt so much from both teachers, Rene teaches me the specific regions with in South America particularly Peru, Bolivia and pretty much the rest of South America.

Bill Laswell: http://music.hyperreal.org/labels/axiom/ - I consider my self very fortunate to which I had a unique very personal oporitunity to having met this amazing musician, producer, recording-artist when I was in NYC in year 1999, in which I went on vacation with my father. A friend of my fathers arranged the meeting.

Celso Machado: http://www.celsomachado.com/ A personal friend of mine.

Jaron Lanier ~ http://www.well.com/~jaron/ - This is the musician, inventor, composer who introduced me to my teacher Randy Raine reusch.