Meet Anthony Ghimenti and his Family – New Owner of Kalimba Magic

Anthony is not the fellow that I was expecting to sell Kalimba Magic to. I was thinking I would sell it to someone who ran a music store already, or maybe to one of the top kalimba players. Or someone who made kalimbas already.

Then again, I myself was an unlikely person to start Kalimba Magic, as I had no experience running any business at all. But it was my baby, and I nurtured it as it grew.

So, who exactly is Anthony Ghimenti?

Mark Holdaway passes the torch to Anthony Ghimenti at the New Kalimba Magic headquarters in California.

KM: Anthony, what inspired you to buy Kalimba Magic?

AG: I have always enjoyed working with wood ever since shop days in high school. I ended up becoming a union carpenter, and continued my love of working with materials on a high level of detail. And when my wife started playing kalimba, I was really taken by the design of the instruments. I loved the different types of exotic woods and the different sounds they made.

I saw how the kalimba helped my mother-in-law Suzy when she was dealing with neuropathy during her chemo treatments. The beautiful vibrations of the kalimba stimulated her nerves and kept them alive. And she is doing so well now.

And when Suzy pointed out Mark was selling Kalimba Magic, a light bulb went off in my head: I had been looking for a hobby to pursue that allowed me to use my wood working abilities. Because of the simplicity of the design of the kalimba, I realized that Kalimba Magic was something that I could do. And this is something that brings joy to my wife and to my mother-in-law. So, my inspiration is really a family affair… and I have Melissa and Suzy to help me with the music.

KM: Do you play kalimba?

AG: I am just starting out playing kalimba, but my wife and mother-in-law are avid players. I keep a Spiral-10 kalimba on my night stand, and I play at night to relax.

KM: What is your favorite kalimba?

AG: You know, the Hugh Tracey HotShot-11! I have one in standard G tuning, and one in the Middle Eastern Hitzazkiar tuning. I feel really privileged to  have these classic kalimbas, knowing now that they aren’t making them anymore.

KM: What do you like about the HotShot-11?

AG: I love the size, I love the sound, and I love the feel of the vibrations in my hands. And also, it has few enough tines that I often feel that I am getting it.

KM: You are involved in writing kalimba music – what can we expect in terms of new kalimba instructional materials?

AG: My favorite thing is “two song mashup duets”. This is two different songs played simultaneously on two different kalimbas. Share with a friend and play together.

I also hope to do something for the Hotshot-11 kalimba.

KM: What are your plans for Kalimba Magic in the future?

AG: Kalimba Magic is Mark Holdaway’s baby. He raised it for 19 years, and now he’s passing the baby off to us, to protect and help it grow in the Kalimba world and the music world at large. I have ideas of my own, and I’m exploring building my own  kalimbas. When the time comes!

KM: To celebrate transferring Kalimba Magic to Anthony’s care, we are offering a 15% coupon code, good for the entire week!

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