We’re thrilled to announce the second-annual Lighthouse Handpan Gathering, returning to Sound Artist Handpan & Creative Music School in Centerport, NY from November 6th through 8th!
Join us for this full-weekend immersion into the world of handpan led by renowned handpan players, teachers, and builders in a beautiful community environment.
Experience handpan workshops for beginner/intermediate & advanced players, open mics, group jams, handpan concerts, handpan elective classes, expo hall, tuning services and wellness practices throughout the weekend.
The remarkable teachers, builders and performers coming together to lead this event include Prana Rising | Rafael D’Arco | Dan Mulqueen | Sarah Paz Hyde | Ricky Hillson | Jon Antzoulis | Chamil Janith & many more!
This is more than just a handpan gathering, it’s an opportunity to find your way home to the handpan. No matter where you are on your musical journey, there is something inspiring waiting for you here.
Thank you for being a part of this meaningful moment for Sound Artist as we take another momentous step in supporting the growth and collaboration of our New York and United States handpan community. We are beyond excited to share this with all of you!
All Are Welcome! Attend the entire gathering or just specific offerings. 🎟️ Explore our sliding scale ticket options through the link in our bio & reach out with any questions.
With Love and Gratitude,
Prana and the Sound Artist team
Schedule:
Friday, November 6
Arrival, Welcome & Community Opening
3:00–5:30 PM — Check-In at Sound Artist
Arrive at Sound Artist, get registered for the weekend, receive welcome information, meet other participants, and spend time in the classroom.
5:30–7:00 PM — Dinner / Venue Transition
Break for dinner and transition from Sound Artist to Midnight Wellness.
7:00–9:00 PM — Opening Gathering, Performance & Open Mic
Weekend welcome, logistics overview, community Q&A, participant performances, open mic, and faculty-led musical offerings.
Saturday, November 7
Full Day at Sound Artist
9:00–10:00 AM — Doors Open / Coffee & Morning Gathering
Light coffee, snacks, and informal time in the main meeting room.
10:00–10:30 AM — Full Group Welcome
Group orientation, schedule overview, and opening remarks for the full Saturday program.
10:30 AM–12:00 PM — Foundations & Flow
A hands-on session focused on grounding, technique, comfort with the instrument, and building musical confidence across levels.
12:00–1:30 PM — Community Composition Lab
A full-group workshop where participants learn and develop music together, with space for different levels of experience.
1:30–2:30 PM — Lunch Break
2:30–4:00 PM — Songwriting & Creative Development
A creative session focused on shaping ideas into musical forms, building phrases, and developing original material.
4:00–5:30 PM — Technique, Tone & Musical Vocabulary
A deeper playing session focused on expanding expression, rhythmic language, touch, tone, and musical possibilities on the handpan.
5:30–6:00 PM — Teacher Q&A / Optional Extended Dinner Break
Participants may stay for a teacher Q&A and review discussion, or begin an extended dinner break.
6:00–7:00 PM — Dinner Break
7:00 PM — Faculty Concert in the Sanctuary
Evening concert featuring the teaching faculty in the sanctuary.
Sunday, November 8
Morning at Midnight Wellness / Afternoon at Sound Artist
10:30–11:15 AM — Morning Yoga
A gentle morning movement session to begin the final day.
11:15 AM–12:00 PM — Sound Bath
A meditative sound experience to close the morning gathering at Midnight Wellness.
12:00–1:00 PM — Lunch / Venue Transition
Break for lunch and return to Sound Artist.
1:00–2:15 PM — Sunday Workshop Session 1
An instructor-led afternoon class focused on continued musical exploration and integration from the weekend.
2:15–2:30 PM — Break
2:30–3:45 PM — Sunday Workshop Session 2
A second instructor-led class offering a distinct musical focus and final opportunity for guided learning.
3:45–5:30 PM — Teacher & Builder Features / Community Jam / Store Time
Teacher features, builder features, time to jam, try instruments, connect with participants, and shop from teacher and builder stores.
5:30 PM — Closing, Clean-Up & Community Send-Off
Final gathering, closing remarks, community clean-up, and send-off.
Meet The Team:
Prana Rising
Artistic Director • Educator • Performer • Founder of Sound Artist
New York handpan artist, percussionist, and founder of Sound Artist Handpan & Creative Music School, Prana believes all people are born with the gift of musical expression. An Eastman School of Music graduate with a decade of performing, teaching, and recording experience, Prana is a co-founder of Handpan NYC and facilitator of 25-plus “Intro to Handpan” workshops throughout the tri-state area.
Onstage, Prana blends orchestral percussion, nuanced electronics, and handpan into transportive soundscapes. Offstage, they cultivate community through ensemble work, mentorship, and teacher training, as well as instrument sales and rentals. Upcoming projects include new eCourses and original music releases.
Rafael D’Arco
Handpan Builder • Expo Artist • Guest Instructor
Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, Rafael transitioned from engineering to studying music at the University of São Paulo in 2006. His musical path began with piano at fourteen and later expanded to percussion. In 2009, his fascination with the handpan inspired him to build his own instrument when none were available.
After receiving his first handpan in 2014, Rafael founded Tacta Handpans, merging engineering precision with musical artistry. He continues refining his craft, advancing tuning and design innovations, and growing the handpan culture in Brazil.
Jon Antzoulis
Handpan Builder • Expo Artist • Guest Instructor
Jon Antzoulis of Aura first started his handpan building journey in 2012 by taking a ball peen hammer to a pizza pan from his mom's kitchen. After much trial and error, Jon learned the fundamentals of tuning. He has since built over 850 of his own instruments, and has retuned and repaired countless handpans from other makers.
Jon has worked with many different materials and instrument sizes, and continues to experiment and push the limits of what a handpan can offer. The Aura Handpan workshop is located in Denville, New Jersey.
Dan Mulqueen
Handpan Artist • Composer • Performer
One of the world’s most respected handpan artists, Dan is known for his intensely percussive style and beautifully melodic compositions. His fusion of handpan and electronic music creates a one-of-a-kind sound that keeps listeners hitting repeat.
A New Jersey native, Dan showcases the handpan’s versatility across genres with four solo albums, multiple singles, and collaborations with artists like Mereba, Shpongle, Zebbler Encanti Experience, and Long Arm. His performances span the USA, Europe, Japan, Brazil, and Australia—captivating audiences worldwide.
Ricky Hillson
Composer, Multi Instrumentalist, Luthier, Educator, Rav/Handpan Performer
Ricky is a professional multi-instrumentalist, teacher and artisan, performing on guitar, Handpan, Rav and a variety of World Instruments. Elevating these instruments beyond just drums, his creative songwriting style engages listeners mind, body and soul.
After teaching handpan and Rav all over the US and online, his core musical belief is that we are all inherently musicians and awakening our individual abilities is often a life changing experience.
Sarah Paz Hyde
Handpan & Vocal Resonance Artist | Sound Healer | Educator
Sarah’s musical journey began with violin at four. Discovering the handpan in 2016 reshaped her path—she now uses sound and voice for self-healing, calmUNITY connection, and planetary restoration.
A graduate of the Soundwise School of Harmonic Therapy, Sarah travels nationwide sharing handpan & vocal resonance through community events, education, and sound meditations. Learn more at SarahPazHyde.com and Super-Bloom.life.
Chamil Janith
Music Producer | Multi-instrumentalist | Creative Director
Chamil Janith (Sonic Pills) is a music producer, multi-instrumentalist, and creative director bridging world acoustic instruments with modern studio production. As the visionary behind Sonic Pills, he creates handpan-driven original music intentionally designed to promote healing, mindfulness, mental clarity, and wellbeing.
This vision manifested into Akasha, an international concert and festival series launched in 2026, featuring the first-ever handpan concert in Sri Lanka's history and Ontario’s first-ever Handpan, Arts & Wellness Festival in Mississauga. Deeply driven by a commitment to creating meaningful, lasting impact, Chamil stands as a dynamic creative force, continuously expanding the boundaries of performance to unite music, healing, and global storytelling into one seamless experience.
Misha Love
Bhakti Yoga Teacher • Herbalist • Medicine Person • Sacred Ceremonialist
Misha Love is an embodied Spirit soul — a 500-hour Bhakti yoga teacher, herbalist, medicine person, and sacred ceremonialist. Their passion is crafting beautiful containers with Spirit’s guidance to facilitate intuitive movement, somatic release, and liberation from unprocessed trauma.
Believing each person holds their own answers within, Misha channels experiences that awaken the inner voice. A devoted student of the Earth, they weave subtle energy magic and plant medicines to elevate collective consciousness — serving the anchoring of the New Earth, the reawakening of Sacred Sexuality, and our reunion with Mother Gaia. Their purpose is to invoke remembrance of our inherent divinity and the gift of the human experience.
