Haliburton Music Exchange

Tom Oliver is a gifted musician and someone who cares about his community. That’s why he’s decided to create a network of musical instruments with those who want to learn how to play them.

Here’s how it works. Oliver put a call out to local residents to donate any musical instruments they have at home that they’re not using. Then, interested would-be players come pick up the instrument of their choice and Oliver connects them with instructors.

Oliver, who travelled all over the world playing music and collected some interesting instruments along the way, was overwhelmed by the community response. He has received guitars, violins, trumpets, flutes, drums and even a steel pedal guitar. But besides connecting wannabe musicians with instruments, Oliver has high hopes of creating a YouTube channel that will feature jam sessions, instructor-led classes and helpful tips for recording music.

CanoeFM recently visited the Haliburton Music Exchange studio and learned more about how this unique network of musicians and instruments came to be.