A double interview is like a sip of a strong double espresso on a foggy autumn morning. 

Talented musicians and longtime friends Mar Loi and David Canales will share their thoughts with you, reveal their goals and instantly cheer you up with insightful stories about Singading. 

 These guys have become almost an integral part of the festival but has the festival become an integral part of them? 

Find out about this in the article. 

On September 24-27, an amazing event in the world of music took place thanks to the efforts of the organizing team, namely a handpan festival in Barcelona, Spain. 

 The team did their best so that Singading evoked unforgettable nostalgia among the festival participants and was imprinted in the memory with a warm and soulful picture. 

Music unites like-minded people and finds answers to many questions. 

 WebSite: singading.wordpress.com 

Mar Loi and David Canales told us a lot of interesting things, namely: 

Why did the handpan sound make Mar run? 

How long has David been obsessed with the handpan without having one? 

Is Handpan just fun or something more? 

Until what event does Mar count the days? 

Why is there a bell on Singading? 

 An acquaintance here and now 

👩‍💻: Hey, friends! Tell us about yourself. 

  Mar: - Hey! I’m Mar Loi. I was born in Tenerife, Canary Islands. Actually, based in Barcelona. 

I’m a handpan player. I explore the sound and expression through handpan. Composing, studying, recording, teaching, sharing, collaborating with all the Handpan Community.   

I teach at Kurdeolian Handpan School in Barcelona. 

I have a Dúo called JOI with Jozz Sajim, an amazing friend and musician and I’m collaborating with the great makers of Mercury Handpans in the north of Spain and Manik SoundSculpture near Barcelona. 

David: - Hi! My name is David Canales. What’s up? I’m from Vitoria – Gasteiz (Basque country) North of Spain.  

But I live in Barcelona where I teach at Kurdeolian Handpan School with my handpan family. 

  I’m a physical therapist, osteopath, handpan player, collaborator with Mercury Handpans and official distributor of KTÄK Instruments from Kandu Cajons in Spain.

👩‍💻: Fine, thanks! David, how did you meet Mar? How long have you known each other? 

David: – I knew Mar after the 3rd edition of Singading. We made a jam in a park of Barcelona. Our friendship is amazing! We made many travels together. Last year I spent all Christmas at her home. 

We are a really good team! 

  👩‍💻: You have a really amazing friendship! You are like brother and sister! 

Friends, what are your goals in life? 

David: - My goal is to live the life I love. 

Mar: - Keep my passion and my motivation around music as my driving or “engine of life”.  “Play Handpan as the kid inside you plays”. 

 Music in the heart: meet your present 

👩‍💻: When and how did music appear in your life?  

David: - The music appeared in my life when I was a kid in my grandparents’ town. I remember when I was 5 years old my uncle made some rhythms on a wood door while a concert was playing in the distance. So, there we spent hours playing the door, laughing together. 

 Mar: - The music as I understand has been always present in my life. I use to make rhythms with everything I found and look for different sounds. 

I played the piano for a year when I was 12 or 13. I stopped because I loved sports and movement but I always kept playing improvising by myself. So nowadays I’m a self-taught learning person, always learning from friends and beautiful people around me. 

  👩‍💻: When did you first hear about the handpan? 

Mar: - About 10 years ago more or less, walking around my home city with my best friend. 

David: - My story is also related to a friend. In 2012 I was at the university and a classmate invites me to a handpan workshop I didn’t know anything about it.  But when I saw it for the first time and played it, I fell in love with it. 

 👩‍💻: We can say that your friends have contributed to your musical future. 

 How did you feel the moment you first heard its sound? 

Mar: - I needed to run and to find where the sound was coming from, haha. And then touch it, and play it.  

I needed to come closer and closer to this sound. 

David: - It has blown my mind. I get engaged. 

👩‍💻: When did you decide to get serious about creating handpan music? 

David: – 2 years after obsessed for having one (it was so difficult at that time) in 2014 I got my Aciel handpan after a contest on the handpan forum. So there my journey as a handpan player was started. 

Mar: - In January 2019 I quit my job as a specialist in psycho-motor skills development with families and schools and I started playing in the streets of Barcelona and composing my album Mercury found Mars, released in January 2020. 

👩‍💻: By the way tell me about your handpan(s). 

 David: – In my life I had instruments from 3 different makers. 

The first one, as I said earlier, was an Aciel handpan. Michael Colley gave me the opportunity of having my first handpan I was very pleasantly surprised to get it after a lot of attempts to try it. 

 Two years later I met Ore Psay from Koan Handpans. He started making so nice instruments and I contacted him. He is a really nice guy. I meet him several times at Singading, he takes so much care in the people who buy his handpans. 

  The last and maybe the most special is Mercury Handpans. 

  I knew Aitor and Esti before they started making their own instrument. 

  It was a really emotive moment, I was playing in Vitoria (my hometown) and this magical couple appeared.  

My handpan was the first one they saw live and played it for the first time. 

  I was also one of the first people how tried their first prototypes.   

After 5 years of contact, we became really good friends. 

We collaborate together. And of course, I have to say: I’m in love with my personalized Sabye scale made with a lot of care from Aitor and Esti! 

👩‍💻: Wow! The story about Aitor and Esti amazed me! 

It’s your turn, Mar. 

Mar: - My first Handpan was a Sunpan, I went to Tenerife to pick it up. Some friends recommended it to me and I developed my first percussion techniques and also sweetness of this magical instrument. 
 Nowadays I have a few instruments from Mercury Handpans. They were the first makers that wanted to collaborate with me, I love to have Esti & Aitor in my life. 
 
My D kurd extended from Mercury Handpans was a crucial instrument for my first album “Mercury found Mars”. When I traveled for the first time with it to Tenerife, a lot of inspiration came to us. 
 
Also, I have a beautiful F pygmy from Manik SoundSculpture and a few experiments… I vibrate really strong with Jordi’s work and emotion. He is like a magician making instruments. 
 
And I have an oceanic B mystic from Nimapan. We were working together on this instrument visiting his place at Fuerteventura. He works in a Van! I love his place. Also, I have a small and sweet D Sabye from Sonidodemano, Fe Deva was the person who brought it to my life

👩‍💻: How can the handpan change a life? 

 Mar: - As a baby can change your way of love, your way of breathing.  

I have improved my self-knowledge, the way I want to interact, and to take care of the people around me.  

I have found a new sense, a new way of expression, the best one for the sounds and feelings I have inside me. 

David: – Incredibly! At first, it was something just for fun. Now it’s the part of my life, my passion, my job. 

I traveled around Europe with it, I climbed mountains, I laughed, I cried. 

I played for babies, for friends, for family ceremonies.  

I played for me, for the universe… 

Welcome to Singading 

👩‍💻: Was it your first Singading visiting?   

Mar: - Nope, my 3rd. 

 David: – No. 

👩‍💻: How many music festivals have you attended?  

Mar: - Five. 

David: - Four times to Singading and then once to Griasdi, Portugal Handpan Festival, and HUG festival. 

👩‍💻: Describe the venue. What emotions did it evoke in you? 

  David: – I saw how this festival was created, the first meetings, ideas, all the organizers are really good friends and the first people I played with. 

 It grew up as a family that was getting bigger. A big handpan family. 

 This year was really special because I and Mar Loi were a part of the stuff too. It’s magical seeing when all the efforts you make for creating the workshop spaces and their decorations can reach so many hearts, smiles, happiness… 

  Mar: - Singading means “Home” for me.  The bell rings when it is lunchtime!  I feel we are taking care of our music during these 3 days. We are taking care of our emotions, our expressions, our intentions.  

We are sharing heartbeats. 

👩‍💻: What classes, master classes were at the festival? 

  David: - I, Mar, Manuezken, and the others from Kurdeolian (Amarok and Moni Shivak) made two workshops trying to share how the jam makes the dialogue between us when we are playing, the importance of hearing, how to join to rhythms. 

Mar: - Quentin Kayser also made an amazing workshop where the presence and breathing of the instrument were essential. 

 David: - There also were other workshops as chiro massage, sound travels, learning to play other instruments… 

  👩‍💻: What were the dishes? 

  David: - All the dishes were homemade and I think it’s one of my favorite things at the festival. They are incredibly delicious. 

 And the best thing is adapted to every people. Vegan, vegetarian, mediterranean (with meat/fish), and also they made them special meals for people who have allergies. 

👩‍💻: How many people were there? Did you meet many acquaintances? 

  Mar: – Not sure about it, around 50 or 60 people. I met almost everyone. 

 

👩‍💻: Did you meet new people? 

 David: – New people come every year. Some usual people didn’t come but others did. It’s funny how the Singading Family grows. 

 👩‍💻: What was the most memorable at the festival? 

 David: – For me and I think for everybody it is the time of the raffles. This year was really special.  

We call the magic of Singading.  

This year two handpans were raffled (Manik & Gios) and both were given to people who really deserved them. I think that everybody cried with happiness when a kid received the Gios, it was a crazy moment. 

Mar: - Playing for the first time a magic instrument before going to sleep and listening to others’ pre-sleeping music after a day full of emotions.  

No words are needed at this moment, just music.   

👩‍💻: What did you feel after the festival? 

 David: – Full of love and smiles. 

Mar: - I just think about how I can stay at Singading Life for the whole year haha, and how many days are left until the next edition… 

👩‍💻: What exactly attracts you to this festival? 

Mar: - Nature, the House and the people around. It’s near to Barcelona… 

David: – The atmosphere that is created, people, the connections. It’s not the festival. It’s a gathering of friends who love music and good vibes. 

👩‍💻:  How is Singading 2020 different from previous editions? Or has this festival remained unchanged all these years? 

Mar: - People who came to Singading every year make Singading different. Also, the organizers and the place vibes make this possible.

👩‍💻: Will you visit it again? 

 David: – Of course, Singadiiiiiiiing! 

 Mar: - SURE! I recommend it to those who really appreciate sharing music with others. 

👩‍💻: Thanks for the interview friends! Inspiration and love to you!  

You can find more information about the life & creativity of: 

Mar Loi on the Facebook page  

David Canales on the Facebook page 

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