Daniel Waples

British handpan pioneer, travelling performer and collaborator whose project Hang in Balance connects music, movement, community and wellbeing.

Daniel Waples began playing the Hang in 2007 and became one of the instrument’s most visible travelling ambassadors. Performing under the name Hang in Balance, he built a career through street music, concerts, workshops and collaborations across many countries rather than through a conventional fixed-band path. His playing favours expressive melody, open improvisation and direct communication with listeners, often combining handpan with percussion, voice or other acoustic instruments. Waples has appeared at festivals, conferences and community events, and his work regularly frames music as a practical tool for connection, relaxation and personal exploration. He has also supported wider access to instruments and shared knowledge through teaching and collaboration. The resulting profile is less that of a narrowly defined soloist than of an itinerant musician whose performance practice, travel and community engagement continually inform one another.