Darryl Minsky wasn’t looking for anything special when he walked into a Calgary Goodwill store six years ago, but a surprise discovery turned out to be instrumental in changing his life.
“My wife goes, ‘Hey, look at that,’ and there was this beautiful autoharp,” Minsky said. “A mere 75 dollars and I scooped it up. And my life’s been different ever since.”
Minsky has played guitar for 40 years, but said, “The autoharp was brand new and fresh, and a great challenge. I just rediscovered more joy in music.”
At the time of the purchase, in 2011, Minsky was looking for a change.
“I used to be a computer consultant, and I’d be sitting in front of computers all day long writing code, until I burnt myself out.”
As he mastered the autoharp, Minsky gradually shifted to doing part-time computer consulting, and spending more time with his new instrument.
“I go busking once or twice a week,” Minsky said. “Even if I don’t make a dime from doing it, it just feels so good.”
For him, the autoharp is a hidden treasure.
“It’s changed everything. It’s awesome, man!”