The idea of hanging sound making (wind) objects on tree branches is probably as old as the humankind, and known in every culture. Stefano Ingrosso, CEO of SEW Handpan (an Italian manufacturer of handpans and other musical instruments) joins the tradition with his SoundTree. The creation is described as “an outdoor steel sculpture with hand‑tuned chimes that turns gardens into immersive soundscapes.” The SoundTree installation, born from a collaboration between SEW Handpan and artist Paolo Borghi, is inspired by the olive tree, blending artistic expression with the organic melodies of tubular bells.
The tree is crafted with high-quality, weather-resistant materials, each tubular bell delicately tuned to produce harmonic and meditative tones, tones that are neither imposed nor predefined, but emerging through interaction with e.g. “breeze of an afternoon, and the rhythm of a gathering”. Needless to say, every encounter creates an unrepeatable soundscape.
I do understand the need of the makers to see the SoundTree as “more than a sculpture, more than an instrument”. Personally, however, I think the work gets its significance from being a contemporary sculpture, a piece of sound art, and perhaps, environmental awareness raiser (collaborating with Olivami, a portion of each “Sound Tree” sale contributes to reforestation efforts). The SoundTree “takes the form of a tree, but avoids imitation. Its silhouette echoes nature, yet remains abstract enough to provoke interpretation.” And that’s how it should be. As such, the Sound Tree is recommended for landscape architects, urban designers, wellness retreats, luxury resorts, cultural institutions, educational centers, and private estates … with the intention that it transforms any setting into a place where art, nature, and community meet. See the video on the webpage and you can hear how the SoundTree radiates church bell kind of meditative peace.
SEW Handpan’s main product is handmade handpans:
