The resonant journey: Finding inner harmony through handpan in Monaco
Thomas has an emotional connection to the instrument © Thomas Farinelli
Where modern design meets ancient wisdom, Thomas Farinelli discovers emotional healing through steel and silence in the landscapes surrounding the Principality.
In the serene outskirts of Monaco, as dawn breaks over Cap d’Ail, Italian expatriate Thomas Farinelli sits cross-legged with what appears to be an otherworldly object resting in his lap. The handpan—resembling a flying saucer crafted from steel—may look primitive, but is actually one of the world’s youngest musical instruments, created only in 2001 yet inspired by ancient African steel drums.
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“It started just as musical interest in a new instrument,” Farinelli explains, his voice softening as he reflects on his three-year journey with the handpan. “Then I realised it’s an extremely powerful tool. It’s something that really vibrates with you and opens a space inside yourself.”
Beyond music: A language of emotion
Unlike the percussion instruments he played in his youth or his formal training as a sound engineer, the handpan offers Farinelli something profoundly different. Despite his professional life in electricity production having little connection to music, he has amassed a collection of fifteen handpans—each with its own distinct musical scale and emotional quality.
“With the handpan, I can express my deeper self,” Farinelli shares. “Some people are very good with words, but with this instrument, I can release my deepest emotions very easily. It’s like a language—if I have sensitive people in front of me, they can understand what I’m saying.”
We become almost one. It’s like a dialogue
The meditative experience
The wellness benefits extend beyond mere expression. When playing, Farinelli enters what he describes as a meditative state, making the handpan a powerful mindfulness tool.
“When I’m playing, I lose all my thoughts. Anything you do with focused attention already removes extra thoughts from your brain,” he explains. “Sometimes I’m extremely sad, and taking out your emotion is already a mechanism that brings you to healing.”
This emotional release helps him manage tension and anxiety—benefits that extend to listeners as well. “If I’m playing and you’re listening, we become almost one. It’s like a dialogue,” he says.
Nature’s amphitheater
Unlike many musicians who perform in studios or venues, Farinelli specifically seeks out natural settings around Monaco—from the panoramic heights of Tête de Chien to the ancient stone amphitheater at La Turbie and the coastal paths of Cap d’Ail.
“I like to play outside,” he says simply. For Farinelli, connecting with nature amplifies the handpan’s therapeutic properties. His preference for sunrise sessions is intentional: “When you wake up with sunrise, you don’t have the stress of the day. It gives you a push to live the day differently. At sunset, it’s more a release of what you’ve done.”
I’m always very happy to share with others
A community flourishing
Despite instruments ranging from €1,000 to €5,000, interest in handpan continues to grow. Farinelli shares his passion freely, teaching interested Monaco residents and even gifting his first handpan to a local woman who showed genuine interest.
“This became the best part of my life,” Farinelli admits. “I’m always very happy to share with others.”
While he remains concerned about commercialisation potentially diluting the instrument’s soulful nature, he hopes its meditative essence will remain intact as popularity grows.
For those intrigued by the handpan’s healing resonance, Farinelli dreams of organising sunrise meditation sessions at Cap d’Ail—creating moments where Monaco residents can collectively experience what he’s discovered: that sometimes our deepest emotional healing comes not through words, but through vibrations that connect us to ourselves and to each other.