Ukraine Aid Handpan Music Compilation by Ukrainian Musicians

Ukrainian players of the world’s newest musical instrument, the handpan, have released a compilation of Ukrainian handpan music to raise funds in this time of their nation’s urgent need. The album can be downloaded at Future Rust website for voluntary donation.

The compilation is entitled Contra Spem Spero, which roughly translates to “Against All Expectations, I Hope”, and is the title of a poem written by Ukrainian poet and activist Lesya Ukrainka in 1890 – a period when the Russian empire had made it illegal to publish in the Ukrainian language. This handpan music compilation asks Ukrainians and the world to summon courage in the face of great hardship.   

“Our label Future Rust Records has been working closely with the Ukrainian handpan community to assemble this collection of music to help raise funds in this time of need” said Lauri Wuolio, musician and founder. “The album includes tracks by Ukrainian handpan artists as well as remixes and reworks of cellphone-recordings we received from musicians currently hiding in bomb-shelters,” said Wuolio from Helsinki.

All donations will go directly to Roman Reva from OMana Handpan, who was selected unanimously by a large online group of Ukrainian handpan musicians. OMana has organized a local support group in Ukraine, helping to get supplies (food, water, clothing, and medicine) to those who need them. They have been transparent in their efforts, posting daily transaction receipts and photos of purchases and payments to their Instagram page.

The handpan, invented in 2001 in Switzerland and descended from Trinidad steel pans, is considered the world’s newest musical ideophone instrument, and creates mesmerizing, gorgeous, bell-like sounds which inspire deep meditation and passions.

For more information about the project, please contact:

Lauri Wuolio (Future Rust)
+358 45 2069 045
futurerustrec @ gmail.com

Roman Reva (OMana Handpan)
ramanhandpan @ gmail.com