Steve Cox
After falling in love with the sound of handpans, Jenny Robinson learned how to build them.
In 1999, a new musical instrument was born. The “hang” is a flying-saucer-shaped instrument made of shaped and hardened steel. It’s held on a musician’s lap and played by striking with the hands. It offers rich melodic tones, similar to those of a steel pan, yet even more otherworldly.
The developers of the Hang, Swiss instrument maker PANArt, no longer produce the instrument, yet retain a very tight hold on its trademarked name and patented design.
Nevertheless, this instrument has captured the hearts and ears of musicians and music-lovers worldwide, and, in small numbers, people have started making their own versions. Since the use of the name “Hang” is off the table, these similar instruments are most often referred to as “handpans.”
Jenny Robinson has been pursuing handpan-making for three years, making her one of very few women worldwide building this unusual instrument. What started as a hobby has become a full-time passion, and she recently set up a studio and small business—Isthmus Instruments—on Madison’s east side.
A few years ago, while watching videos of steel pan players, Robinson says she “fell down the YouTube rabbit hole,” moving on to videos of handpan playing. “I fell in love with the sound,” she says.
Amelia Cook Fontella
After some research that unveiled the instrument’s scarcity and price, she decided to try to make one herself. “I needed it in my life,” says Robinson, who had been working as a machinist. “I decided with my background and desire I had to put everything together and take a chance.”
Robinson’s studio reflects her machinist past, with tools and equipment that look like they could just as likely be used to make auto parts as musical instruments. Working with steel requires labor and patience. In one corner of her workspace sits what Robinson calls “a graveyard of disaster pans”: discarded handpans that didn’t make the cut.
She’s surprisingly fond of this collection. “Failure is on the way to success,” says Robinson, noting these attempts are an important part of the learning process. “I’m still adding to the pile, and will be for some time.”
Robinson also credits the small but growing community of handpan makers for helping her along the way.
She is now beginning to produce gorgeous instruments that sound even more beautiful than they look. She has a few prototypes available for sale and is interested in offering introductory lessons and resources for others who want to learn more about the handpan. “I’m really excited to bring these instruments into the Midwest,” Robinson says. “I see many ways the instrument can be enjoyed by people, and that is the most inspiring part of it all.”
For more information, see isthmusinstruments.com.
