Journey into the handpan dreamworld with the 'Ondo' concert series

Phang Jian Hao, Ondo Handpan Studio founder, describes the handpan as an instrument that is full of unknowns and challenges, which he considers a big part of its charm. Photo: Dev Lee

The Ondo! A Handpan Concert at Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre (PJPAC) at 1Utama Shopping Centre in Selangor this weekend is set to underline how far this remarkable percussion instrument – which looks like a Stone Age relic – has come in a matter of years in Malaysia.

What do you know about the handpan, a relatively new musical instrument that has been making waves all around the world? Created by Swiss artists Felix Rohner and Sabina Scharer about two decades ago, the ethereal-sounding handpan has been described as looking like a flying saucer or a spaceship, with indents scattered across its body.