Join award-winning Handpan artist Lachlan Hawkins as he shares the fundamentals of the healing and mesmerising sounds of the Handpan in a small group setting with those new to the instrument. An instrument that inspires self healing and introspection, a wonderful mediator for the nervous system, and a creative outlet to explore rhythm and music-making.

This workshop will be themed around basic touch and technique, basic patterns and simple rhythms on the handpan - to encourage stronger rhythmic foundations and pulse, and to give you the confidence to explore ideas further on your own.

Topics covered:

Introduction to the Handpan - Origins, Layout & Stance
Striking Technique, Scale Patterns & Chords
Rhythms, Subdivisions and Basic Sequences/Ensemble Playing
Questions on Acquiring a Handpan

Workshop times: 2:00pm and 3:45pm (please select 1 class only to attend)

This event is generously supported by top Australian maker Celestial Sound - with top instruments available for use for the duration of the workshop and for purchase to students. For more information about this beautifully crafted instruments and the origins of Celestial Sound, please visit - https://www.celestialsound.com.au/

ABOUT LACHLAN:

Lachlan Hawkins is an accomplished drummer, handpan artist/singer-songwriter and educator, and has been described by many as a gifted and intuitive sound healer. His music (with the Swiss steel sound sculpture known as the ‘handpan’) has taken him all around Australia performing with some of the country’s finest musicians and ensembles as well as with his own award-winning songwriting project 'No Enemy Within'.

His experience of the healing power of music comes from playing at the RBWH Hospital (Brisbane) in wards and waiting areas with The Stairwell Project between 2015-2021, a live music initiative in which professional musicians brought music to various public spaces in the hospital to lift the spirits of patients, staff and visitors.

Lachlan's passion and curiosity in the fields of wellness also stem from his own journey with autoimmune/biotoxin illness, and a desire for others to find music the way it has impacted and shaped his own life and experiences. “Music and songwriting continue to be my solace and the place I feel I can express my true voice and intuition. Through music, I want to encourage others to explore their creative selves and to find more meaning and connection within themselves.”

Lachlan enjoys working with high performance students and new beginners alike, having spent numerous years tutoring at top music schools including 10 years at the Young Conservatorium and 6 years as the drum kit specialist at Sheldon College in 2015. Lachlan joined the Just Percussion teaching faculty in 2014 after graduating from the Queensland Conservatorium, where he was awarded First Class Honours and the University Medal for his research work relating to tertiary drummers' health and mindset.

Handpan Beginner Workshops: First Touch with Lachlan Hawkins (DEC)