Mouth Harps, Jewsharps, Maultrommel, Vargan, Dan Moi… these are all names given by different cultures to this mysterious ancient instrument. The basic principle behind it, is the use of our mouths and head as soundboards for the harp’s reed. The frequencies are shaped inside our bodies and come out as tones and melodies resembling the sound of electricity. The wave of vibration created inside our skull facilitates a state of trance and deep flow, which has given the mouth harp its nickname “the thought dispeller”.

In this workshop, we will explore the potential of this instrument as a tool for collective meditation. For the first part, guided by the artist Nico Trompe, creator of the Museo del Trompe (Jewsharp Museum, CL) and La Ruta del Trompe (The Road of the Jewsharp), we will learn a bit of the instrument’s historical and cultural context, and then share some of the basic movements and rhythms to understand the sound possibilities of the metal piece. All attendees will receive a Vietnamese mouth harp (“Dan Moi”) to experiment with and take home and are also welcome to bring their own mouth harps to add complexity to the sound journey.

The second part of the workshop consists of a collective meditation inspired by the Mapuche gathering “Trompetún”, in which all of the attendees play the mouth harps while walking around in a circle without stopping, tuning into the ever-changing sound wave, creating vibrations in unison and accessing a state of trance and meditation.


Price 25€ (mouth harp included)

Bookings here