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Hi,

I was last weekend on the first "Hangsonic" Hang, Worldmusic and Juggling festival.
Ellen (Vaboon) was one of the initiator from this nice meeting. I want to say "Thank you" to all the people who made this great festival possible.

The Hangsonic was on a very nice area. The main building is an old small "water castle". This building is surrounded by forest and a lot of space for camping.
There was an very nice decorated and comfy open pavilion for relaxing, session, and catering. (very delicious crepe (pancakes) and other nice food).
There was a small wading pool for the children in front of this pavilion.
A few hundrets meter inside the forest was another pavilion only for Hang playing. No other instruments allowed on this place. So Hangplayer who need silence could find a place to play the Hang in silence all over the weekend.
Another pavilion was for didgeridoo playing and workshops with didgeridoo.
A special place was made for fire juggling.
In front of the "castle" a lot of people meet and play djembe and other drums. A great drum session.

On the stage in the courtyard was at saturday concert. First it was a kind of open stage and a few Hangplayer played the Hang for the audience.
The initiator booked a few Bands with different nice music.
Didgeridoo, Worldmusic, Hangmusic and so on.
At the end from the concert at night there was a great fire juggling show together with the Band from Vaboon.

The concept from the Hangsonic was also, that people could make workshops. There was a didgeridoo workshop and different other workshops like Joga , juggling....

Ixkeys was the initiator of a few Hang specific ideas. So we meet with few Hangplayers inside the building. There was a historic room, with very nice acoustics. This are something like the "hallow halls" from the municipal. Normally they use this place for very special events.
For example the bestowal of the "Bundesverdienstkreuz" or "Federal cross of Merit".
The concept was "Hang in silence, for the silence. Hang in the moment, for the moment."
One after the next Hangplayer played the Hang. He played how long he want. If an Hangplayer end to play there must be the sound of silence before the next player start to play.
Nobody speak, nobody rate the playing...
There was only the sound of the Hang and the sound of the silence...
We played in this way for maybe one hour.
At eleven in the evening the Hangplayer meet again in this room. We invite people to come and listen.
There was a circle with candles in the middle of the room. Around this circle the Hanghang and the Hangplayers.
The audience take a seat and Ixkeys explained to the audience that this is a quiet "Midnight Hang" concert. He asked the audience not to speak and if the want to applaud they should wait till the end.
We wait and there was only the sound of silence in the room. One Hangplayer start to play the Hang. Then again silence. The next Hang began to sound... again silence... one maybe two minutes silence.... only the breath from the audience... the next Hang... silence... Hang...silence... Hang... silence... silence...silence...silence....
The concert was over. Nobody want to say something.... A few people had tears in their eyes... silence...
Ixkeys broke the silence with a "Thank you" to the audience. After that the people applaud.
A great evening for the Hangplayers, the Hang and the people who listen.

On sunday a newspaper made a mistake. They wrote that the world music concert on stage is sunday. But the concert was saturday. What to do? No bands, no PA for the stage...
People who read this newspaper come and want to listen the concert. So, the Hangplayers meet in the main Pavilion, and there we gave a "Hangconcert" for the people. The public enjoyed the concert and it was not a big problem, that there was not the worldmusic concert the thought.
After that, a small session with Hang, Djembe and different instruments start. It was sunday afternoon and we must go home.

It is very likely that this Hangsonic start again next year. Pictures from this year coming soon. This event is worth a longer journey. I think that next years more and more Hangplayer find the way to Hangsonic.
The area is wonderfull. Nature, great small castle, a lot of space to make music together or play Hang in silence.

Greetings
Frank

fantastic - glad it was a sucess!!

x

This sounds like a wonderful event. beautiful sentiments in regards to how each player played.

Sounds like it was a fantastic event!!

The Hang concerts sound wonderful, particularly the reminder that music comes out of silence. This is a useful thing to remember with everyday playing--a bit of silence at the beginning and end gives a certain kind of perspective and appreciation.

Hi,

it is likely that the next year "Hangsonic" is in July.

I think Vaboon post the exact date, soon.

It would be nice, if a few Hangplayer from outside Germany find the way to this great event.
My home is not so far away and if people need a place to stay a few days before or after the Hangsonic... I can help

Greetings
Frank

Yes, of course, the hang issues from silence and returns back to silence. As do we. It is a blessing to remember this and to feel the joy of it, the immense joy.

I feel a breeze of melancholia. It's like a mirror of life and a lesson we can learn. Nothing is forever, it's existing only now and will be over. As do we. The lesson is, that we cannot get the music without the silence. While practicing this simple concept of playing a Hang this anti-religious wisdom issues, possibly connecting us with life.



Ix

What the...?
What's that supposed to mean?

Travel some thousands of miles with your Hang playing in each town, house and tend that will give you accomodation. Then reach the hill were the old Hang Guru resides. Climb up the 42 steps of the broad staircase, stand breathless from your exhausting pilgrimage before the old man in silence... And then ask him!

Or - if you want an answer immediately: The story tells you the secret of life.

Ix

Doesn't the hang guru live in a small house with like 3 steps?

Nice story - though it's meaning is far too deep and abstract for me to understand. Sounds a bit kung fu panda-ish if you ask me - sort of faux mysticism.

All hail the hang guru!