Canada

Hello, new here to this forum, old to music!

I'm a student of the Latvian Kokle as well as the Russian Gusli and Finnish Kantele - al three are at their heart essentially the same instrument, a piece of hollowed out wood with strings stretched on top.

Here's an example of:

A small Gusli: http://youtu.be/M2jRgFdd4Us

A Kokle: http://youtu.be/7Iq7Pin0XLk

I've been advertising in paper form (printed ads in music stores, in public places, etc...) as well as electronically on other bulletin boards and forums, on kijiji, craigslist, overhear.com, etc..., looking for like-minded musicians who just want to get together with their favourite acoustic instrument on weekends at my place for some good playing, maybe go to the local hospital with me and play for patients. Please note that I'm not able to get down to Toronto or go out and about to do such meeting because my wife's health doesn't permit her to be left alone in the house, nor to endure such lengthy travelling.

I have had absolutely no good fortune at all in acquiring any such interest among other folks. It's very frustrating, it's like people are lack such curiousity about this very beautiful class of musical instrument and it's amazing, haunting sounds.

Just needed to vent. Thank you,
geo in Grand Valley, Ontario

Very nice, that has a very soothing sound to it.

There's a lot of this quality of Kokle music there. One very popular group "ilgi" has a number of very attractive songs, this one with a beautiful Kokle intro and great vocals by Rūta Muktupavela on guest vocals (radio edit version):

http://youtu.be/xVvbIoSSTOM

This other song from the same post-folk group "ilgi" with a Kokle in the intro.

http://youtu.be/nOMHqIs7xxc