Manu Delago

With its holistic and euphonic sound, the Hang is often referred to as a ?gift from heaven.? This melodic Swiss percussion instrument has captured the interest of artists and listeners alike around the world. How the Hang received its name, meaning ?Hand? in the local Bernese language, is evident as you watch talented artists play by hand some of the most impressive and diverse music on Earth. One such talented artist is Austrian musician and composer Manu Delago.

When Manu Delago began playing the Hang ? an enchanting new sound sculpture from Switzerland - in 2003 he simultaneously discovered his passion for writing music. With more than two million hits on Youtube his solo piece ?Mono Desire' is the most popular Hang video in the internet. ?The master Hang drummer? (Modern Drummer) has performed with his ensembles Manu Delago Handmade and Living Room in Europe's metropoles London, Paris, Moscow, Berlin, Athens, Madrid, Vienna as well as in North and South America and Asia.

After graduating at the university Mozarteum in Innsbruck (Austria) in classical percussion, Manu Delago moved to London and studied jazz drums at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Amongst his teachers were world class musicians such as Jojo Mayer, Troy Miller or Luke Flowers. He had arranging and orchestration lessons with Scott Stroman and Matthew King which inspired him to study composition at the Trinity College of Music in London.

?If you're really right', a composition for 3 players on 2 marimbas has become a popular work in the repertoire of many percussion ensembles and got performed in various concert halls such as the Konzerthaus Vienna. ?Turbo-Lento', a piece for Hang, bass clarinet and string trio was premiered at the Klangspuren Festival in Schwaz by the group Living Room in London, an eclectic ensemble including Hans Koller Award winner Christoph Pepe Auer and string players from the London Symphony Orchestra.

As Hang player and drummer Manu Delago has performed in prestigious venues such as the Roundhouse London, Forbidden City Concert Hall Beijing and the Downtown Independent Theatre Los Angeles. He has also collaborated with highclass artists such as Shpongle, Boris Grebenshikov, Zabine, Georg Breinschmid, Wolfgang Puschnig, Bluatschink, Jazzwerkstatt Vienna and Giannis Charoulis.