Written by Ambre Montespan - Updated on May 8, 2026
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Have you heard of Loris Lombardo, an Italian handpan player? Maybe youâve come across one of his compositions online, or youâve seen him live at a concert or festival. Want to learn more about this trailblazing artist, one of the pioneers of the Italian handpan scene? Youâre in the right place.
I discovered Loris Lombardo in 2016, when his first solo album was released, and I was immediately impressed by the quality of his music. I wanted to learn more about this percussionist, so I started following his work closely. In this article, Iâll share everything Iâve learned about him.
By taking just a few minutes to read this article, youâll discover:
- Loris Lombardo's biography
- His commitment to sharing knowledge about the handpan
- His musical projects and discography as a Hang drum player
Youâll learn everything there is to know about this Italian musician, which will undoubtedly bring you closer to his world and the music he shares with listeners.
Now, letâs take a closer look at the life of Loris Lombardo.
What is the biography of Loris Lombardo, the handpan player?
Loris Lombardo is an Italian percussionist and composer born in 1985 in Savona, Liguria. From the age of two, Loris was introduced to music by playing on his fatherâs drum kit. At fourteen, fascinated by a record from the famous Italian drummer Tullio De Piscopo, he went to study drums with his mentor at the NAM school in Milan. The young musician then continued his training by joining the Soncino Percussion Academy (with a jazz curriculum) and then the Ultimate Drum Experience course in London, studying with drumming masters such as Jojo Mayer, Vic Firth, Gavin Harrison, and Billy Ward. His hard work paid off: in November 2011, Loris Lombardo won first prize in the World Drum Contest 2011, a high-level drumming competition that revealed his talent on a national scale.
After completing his drum studies with flying colors, Loris shifted his focus to classical percussion. At 20, he enrolled at the G. F. Ghedini Conservatory in Cuneo, specializing in marimba, vibraphone, xylophone, symphonic timpani, and more, graduating with honors. At the same time, he played for seven years with the Bruni Symphony Orchestra in Cuneo, performing notably at the grand Ferragosto concert each summer. Lombardoâs thirst for new sounds then led him to explore world percussion. He mastered traditional instruments from around the globe and went on to study with celebrated international masters: the Turkish Mısırlı Ahmet for the doholla (bass darbuka), the Indian Zakir Hussain for Indian tablas, and the Indo-jazz percussionist Trilok Gurtu for Eastern percussion traditions, among others. These immersive experiences broadened his rhythmic and cultural palette.
That said, the real revelation for Loris Lombardo came when he discovered a brand-new, flying-saucer-shaped instrument invented in Switzerland in the early 2000s: the handpan. After nearly 10 years of waitingâmakers were scarce at the time, and waiting lists were the normâLoris Lombardo finally managed to get his hands on his own handpan by traveling to Finland to compose his own melodies.
From then on, this unique instrument took center stage in his percussion setup. Success was not long in coming: with his new handpan, Lombardo won first prize at Percfest, a European percussion festival held in Laigueglia, Italy, in June 2012. This was a historic first for this emerging instrument, which at the time had little visibility in high-level competitions. Back then, there was no official method for playing the handpan, so Lombardo drew on his background in drums, classical percussion, and world percussion to develop his own exercises and techniques. For example, listen to "Aramir," one of his most popular songs, which has reached several million views on YouTube and combines handpan, tabla, kanjira, shaker, darbuka, and konnakol:
Alongside his performing career, Loris Lombardo took innovation into instrument building. In 2018, he launched his own brand, Lombardo Handpan, to produce high-quality handpans and help spread this instrument further. He thus became one of the few professional musicians to build his own handpans, following in the footsteps of Mumi and Valerio Menon. His entirely handmade instruments have been well received, both in Italy and internationally.
Loris Lombardoâs recognition reached new heights in February 2020 during the highly publicized Sanremo Festival. For the first time in the history of this televised festival, a handpan was played on the Ariston stage: Loris Lombardo accompanied singer Emma Marrone live, showcasing his handpan skills in front of millions of viewers. This appearance marked an important milestone for the instrumentâs visibility, especially since Lombardo himself built the five handpans used for the performance. Following this success, he continued to bring the handpan to prestigious stages: in 2023, he was invited to give a concert at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he played his own handpans alongside percussionist Sergio Bellotti. At the same time, the artist regularly shares his knowledge in masterclasses and handpan workshops across Europe, passing on his innovative approach to the instrument.
The artist's contribution to the transmission of knowledge and teaching of the hang drum
Sharing his art quickly became a vocation for Loris Lombardo. In 2015, he opened Italy's first handpan academy, called Handpan & Percussion Academy, initially based in Savona. This unique educational program offers a structured curriculum for musicians wishing to master the handpan. The following year, in 2016, Lombardo created his own solo show entitled Handpan & Percussions Concert, which he performed on stages in several theaters in Italy, England, and Germany. A live recording of this concert was released the same year, constituting his first album as a solo artist.
In 2017, Loris Lombardo published the book Handpan Manuale Completo, the first book ever devoted to handpan technique. This comprehensive manual, published by VolontĂš & Co, was an immediate success and became a bestseller in Italy. In response to the international craze for the handpan, an English version of the book was released in 2018 to reach a wider audience. Also in 2017, in March, the musician made a highly acclaimed television appearance: he performed as a soloist on the show Italia's Got Talent, receiving a resounding standing ovation from both the audience and the judges. The judges on the show, won over by his unique performance, unanimously praised his talent and originality. You can watch his excellent performance in the video below:
What are Loris Lombardo's musical projects and discography?
Throughout his career, Loris Lombardo has taken on a wide range of collaborations and projects, showcasing his versatility. He has shared the stage or studio with Italian pop star Emma Marrone, guitarist Andrea Braido (known for accompanying Vasco Rossi), jazz singer Simona Molinari with the Orchestra della Magna Grecia, alternative rock band Marlene Kuntz, as well as international artists such as world music multi-instrumentalist Prem Joshua and British keyboardist Richard Barbieri (from the band Porcupine Tree). This non-exhaustive list illustrates the variety of musical worlds explored by Lombardo.
In terms of recordings, Loris Lombardo has appeared on around twenty albums, including one as the lead artist. His solo album Handpan & Percussions Concert (2016) immortalizes the show of the same name, combining handpan compositions with percussive flourishes. In addition, Lombardo has participated as a percussionist on numerous recordings of various styles, from jazz to folk to world music, cementing his reputation as an eclectic artist.
Compose wonderful melodies with your own handpan
Combining virtuosity, pedagogy, and innovation, Loris Lombardo has established himself as a major figure in the world of handpan. A pioneer in this field and always in search of new sounds, he continues to inspire a new generation of percussionists to explore this instrument with seemingly endless possibilities. Thanks to all the information youâve gathered from this article, you now know much more about Loris Lombardoâs career and artistic journey.
However, the best way to keep the handpan experience going is to treat yourself to a high-quality instrument so you can compose your own pieces and melodies. With this in mind, the Instruments du Monde store offers dozens of high-quality models designed to provide exceptional sound. For example, the Handpan CĂ©leste delivers outstanding acoustics and is available in 9- or 10-note versions.
Start learning the handpan today and purchase this excellent model by clicking on the image below:
Now, head to Romania and discover Nadayana, a percussionist who also specializes in playing the Hang drum. However, he has made it his specialty to combine it with another musical instrument, the Thai gong, making him one of the most unusual handpan players on the international scene.
