One of the most memorable handpan festivals in the world – HONA Music Festival makes place at the end of May every year on the wonderful Naxos Island in Greece.

Festival website: https://hangoutnaxos.com

To plunge headlong into memories: What was HONA 2019?

The festival gathered a huge number of talented musicians: professionals, amateurs, and just listeners.

And that’s not it! In addition to the creators of melodies and unsurpassed compositions, there were creators of sound and notes, namely, handpan makers. They came from different parts of the world to not only introduce you to the sound of their creation but also to have a great time surrounded by like-minded people.

Talented famous Ukrainian maker of handpans Roman Reva will tell us all the details of the gathering from A to Z and his impressions.

It’s time to meet: Hello, OMana Handpan

Roman and his brother Anton founders OMana handpan.

Roman and Anton come from the small town Barvenkovo in Ukraine.

It’s interesting that Roman has a philology education, Anton has a technical one. Probably, it helps a lot in understanding all building process! Anton also graduated from a music school. He is a pianist.

They tell that love music. But we see they understand music! Because so beautiful is sounds from their instruments.

Well, let’s go.

Maker Roman Reva about the spirit of HangOut Naxos

👩‍💻: Good day, Roman!
Tell us, please, did you enjoy Greece and the venue of the festival?

🎤: Greece is a beautiful country though the capital very surprised me with contrasts. But the islands are paradise places. Calm and quiet. The Naxos island, where the festival was held, is not the most popular resort island, but this is its advantage. At that time there was no influx of tourists. Wonderful beaches, clear sea, delicious food, beautiful peculiar nature. And the local oranges, olives, and olive oil like a dream!

This was our first festival outside the territory of Ukraine, but for some reason it seems to me that we will not see better. Everything is ideally combined there: the sea, music, wonderful nature, warmth and hospitality of the Greeks. The ideal festival time was also chosen – the end of May. The sea was already warm and around a minimum of tourists. The beaches are just empty. In a word – Great!

Festival organizer Stephanie Bender did an excellent organizational job. Everything is clear, simple and affordable.

👩‍💻: A tempting place. After your words, we wanted to go to HONA one more time!
Where did you staying? How did you navigate the place (transfer / help from residents or did you personally look for a way)?

🎤: Everything was agreed with Stephanie Bender. Accommodation, transfer, etc. – everything was complete with a ticket for HONA. We lived 100m from the sea in a simple, clean hotel. Everything is nearby. Restaurants, transport to the central port, beach, car rental for exploring the island. The hotel and at the same time the place where the festival was held is called Maragas

👩‍💻: Did you make some new friends?

🎤: Of course. All participants are interesting personalities. Namely PERSONALITIES. We talked with many people. All open, good, kind.

👩‍💻: What musician can you mention? Maybe someone hooked you with their game and skill.

Among musicians, I would like to mention the duet Samantha Archer & Jaron Trip. They were a discovery for us. Nice guys. And of course, Kabecao. Though all concert participants are unique in their own way.

👩‍💻: Why did this duet become special for a fairly experienced master of sound? What is its highlight?

🎤: When music is transmitted not with notes, but with feelings, such thing always happens.

👩‍💻: You’re right! Only true feelings can hook! What moments of the festival will forever remain in your memory?

🎤: I remember how Kabecao, playing a composition, rotated a handpan and at the same time kept a rhythm and a melody. He also played for my little niece Ksyusha her favorite song.

👩‍💻: That is so sweet. Elena told us that the baby also danced to her favorite tune.

🎤: Yes. She is our dancer! She is 1.5 years old.

👩‍💻: Quite small, but nevertheless, she already reveals her talents!
How would you describe the emotions and mood of HONA?

🎤: Sunny. Calmly. Interesting. Unhurriedly and without tension.

👩‍💻: Who were happy to meet at HONA?

🎤: We met personally with Elena from Namana. Do you know her? 😉 Easy going and positive person!

👩‍💻: We know firsthand and are fully in solidarity with you!

🎤: We also met a nice couple from Tbilisi, who moved to Greece for permanent residence 10 years ago. It was very nice to hear Russian speech in communication. The guy’s name is Ruslan. He is the master of Tiflis handpans. I was surprised by the zeal and love with which he is engaged in this business. You just imagine! His mini-workshop is located in an apartment of a multi-storey building!!!! He set aside 2 square meters of space, making a kind of cabin with noise isolation, and all production cycles take place there! From forming a tool blank, its heat treatment in an oven, and to setting up and assembling. I am surprised at the patience of his wife Mzia))))))))) This, perhaps, is a true love! Ruslan works only at certain times of the day, when all residents are at work, and children are in schools and kindergartens. All the same, the profession is noisy. He has already achieved good results. Respect for these people just rolls over!

👩‍💻: We wish success to the master and let love help him achieve all goals!

🎤: Also, we finally met live with one of the top masters and his team. This is Yonatan Yishama handpan. One evening after the concert we started a conversation with him about production, life, music, and in general about everything. We talked until the early morning. Very cheerful and funny guy, nice to talk to and generally well done. We even had a thought about creating an instrument together.

Before that, Yonatan and me talked a lot just online. But live communication is always much more interesting.

👩‍💻: How cool to meet like-minded people!

🎤: I also remember a wonderful dinner with the festival organizer Stephanie Bender. She has a wonderful home in the port of Naxos. Her house is 500 years old! She told us that there is no crime on the island! As she told us: “see the window open in the room? It has not been closed for 10 years.” ))) Impressions are super!

👩‍💻: These are incredibly warm stories!!! We are very grateful to you for a piece of your memories!

Having plunged headlong into your memories, I felt myself on the shore of warm Greece in the company of pleasant and cheerful people creating a cosmic melody of the soul.

Warm, cozy and homely atmosphere.

🎤: Yes. That is exactly how it was. There are places that I do not want to leave. It is just such a place.

👩‍💻: Thank you again for the opportunity to feel the HONA spirit.

With love and care,
Namana Bags team

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