12. B-side: In Search For The Self

''My first official album, 'In The Beginning There Was The Light', is a journey through my own world as a composer and a pianist; throughout the whole process of making it I experimented with different genres -Neoclassical, Experimental, Soundtrack, Solo Piano, Nujazz, and New Age among others- given that each song had a different role to play in the album. I wanted the music to tell a story, or perhaps, the story to have some music, but that was the main reason why I decided ITBTWTL to be a conceptual album, something with a central message/melody that could be used for a film or a play. I invite you to explore the story and for you to be part of this musical journey I created with passion and love; hope you enjoy it.''

Hi everyone, my name is Gabriel Ruata, born and raised in Guatemala City, Guatemala, a small country located in the northern part of Central America. Ever since I was a kid, I loved classical music and always felt a special connection with any kind of musical expression. It seems, somehow, that there was some kind of rhythm in my soul that made me feel music in a special way. 

From among all the musical instruments at my disposition, there was something about the piano that called to me, maybe it was the smell of the wood, maybe it was the beautiful marble keys, maybe it was Chopin or Beethoven calling me, I did not know by then, but there was something mesmerizing about it. That’s why I started playing the piano at age 11; I enrolled in music classes and kept at it for 6 years, after that, I figured it was time I started experimenting with music on my own.

I graduated from school in 2003 and enrolled in Law School after that. After almost 7 years of studying law and finally becoming a lawyer, I decided it was the perfect time to pursue my dream: becoming a music composer, a musician, and an artist.

I studied Music Production and Audio Engineering at Harbourside Institute of Technology in North Vancouver, Canada in 2011; after I graduated from the program, I decided it was time to start doing something more concrete than just individual tunes, so I embarked in the adventure of making a music album.