Colin Foulke
Pioneer, disruptive innovator, patented inventor, Colin Foulke’s work has impacted the world. A veteran in a young and relatively unknown industry, he has blazed a trail that is uniquely his. Teacher, tuner, leader, he’s a co-founder of HCU and recorded the first ever handpan playing DVD series. He’s worked and performed on 5 continents, open sourced a revolutionary idea, and continues to push the edge of what is thought to be possible.
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Schools
Colin brings a unique perspective to what a career can look like, how non linear career paths can be, and what it can be like to pursue a career in a relatively unknown field. How he overcame setbacks, dealt with burnout, and has stayed relevant in a rapidly changing industry.
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Universities
As an expert in the field, Colin can speak to all things Handpan. The cultural impacts of a new musical genre, the internets influence of a viral musical instrument, the depths of handpan music theory and tuning practices. He creates an engaging environment and challenges students to think and particpate.
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Beyond...
Do you host a podcast and want Colin on as a guest? Do you want a presentation on the history of handpans while experiencing live music played in historical styles? Do you want to have an interactive zoom tour of my workshop with a QnA? Reach out and let’s dream big!
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Analy High School
In 2021 Colin spoke to the Analy Highschool career class putting his non traditional career and non linear career path on display. He discussed the essential building blocks that led to his success, including his background in classical music, his degree in mathematics, and his maker roots.
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Sonoma State University
Colin has been a guest lecturer at the music department of SSU as a world specialist on the Handpan. His lecture topics include history, process, current events, culture, tuning, music theory, and all things handpan. In 2024 he was brought in to work with SSU’s symphony regarding tuning, listen to his tuning talk with the brass and woodwinds below.
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Mid-Pacific Institute
Colin spoke to Mid Pacific University in Hawaii, who are recognized for their innovative educational, technological, and artistic programs. Colin was asked to present on the creative nature that he makes handpans, his technical developments within the industry, and to inspire the students to dream beyond what they think of a possible career.
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“Thank you again for coming and talking with our students. It was apparent that you put much thought and effort into creating a talk that would reach students. The students provided a lot of positive feedback to their teachers.”
Sandy Betschart, WorkAbility Specialist
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"It was a pleasure having Colin Foulke come and speak to the members of the Sonoma State Symphony Orchestra. He got them to think about intonation in new ways, and helped them understand the challenges of tuning faced by different instrument families in the orchestra."
Director of Orchestral Activities
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“I can't tell you how perfect your speech was about having a job that didn't exist not too long ago, since our school preaches that about the immediate future for the kids.”
Chris Ferry, ELD Department Chair