Upon completion of my formal curriculum vitae, I would like to adress all the friends, partners, customers and colleagues, regarding my artistic career and my life in general, as well as about my efforts over the years as a folk instruments luthier in the beginning, and as a classical guitar luthier in the last 17 years.

I lived in Sweden for 13 years (1970-1983), I studied Economics, and during my studies, I worked as an interpreter, a mother tongue teacher, a musician and assistant at the neurosurgery OR of the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm.

I would like to express my gratitude to the swedish state and society for their welcome and of their teaching me about solidarity and living as a conscientious citizen. Throughout my stay in Sweden I also worked as a musician playing the guitar and singing greek songs. In Stockholm, where I lived, I took up manufacturing the Santuri, a well known traditional instrument, as well as repairing greek instruments, thus setting the foundation of my long term career as a luthier.

I was lucky to meet the well known Swedish luthier of Renaissance lute and classical guitar, Karl Erik Gummesson, who later became my close friend. I cannot stress enough the financial support I was offered by my guitar playing and singing.

I have worked and I am still working as a traditional and folk musician. It was in Sweden that I also learned to play the Santuri. I participated in two performances of Axion Esti, conducted by Mikis Theodorakis, one in Dresden and another one in Brussels, accompanied by swedish choir and Christos Mitrentzis on bouzouki.

I do not want to tire or bore the reader relating incidents of my life, although my life up to now has been interesting and creative, which makes me feel happy and content. Still I would like to mention, my love for red wine, which I produce myself as I have 350 vines in my back yard. The way of production is purely organic and ecological, and the varieties I produce are Cabernet Sauvignion and Syrah, which compose a wine rich in aroma and flavour.

I hereby invite all my colleagues, distinguished luthiers I have met and keep meeting at various international festivals, as well as the renowned soloists who have tasted my wine, to discuss and exchange views on wine-making, which is one of my biggest interests. I should add that I also own 250 olive trees which I cultivate and produce my own olive oil.

My acquaintance with so many luthiers has made me realise that I am in total agreement with most of them on life attitude matters and lifestyle in general, which makes me feel, whenever I meet them, that each one of us is part of a harmonious and ideal Whole.

Giannis Paleodimopoulos