Felix Richter

Founder and managing director of Sound-Sculpture, handpan expert

Felix Richter is a lifelong musician whose passion for rhythm began on the drums at age 14 and reignited through the cajón, leading to his definitive encounter with the handpan in 2015. Driven by artistic curiosity rather than quick profit, he spent years traveling Europe, visiting workshops, and learning the craft directly from master builders like Zachary Lamscha of Leaf. Having personally tested thousands of handpans across roughly 80 different international makers, Felix brings rare, hands-on expertise in acoustic engineering, craftsmanship, and long-term tuning stability to the foundation of Sound-Sculpture.

Felix’s musical journey

Some entrepreneurial stories begin with a strict corporate business plan. Felix Richter’s story begins entirely with music. At just 14 years old, Felix discovered a deep enthusiasm for rhythm and sound, picking up the drums to spend countless hours exploring grooves, time signatures and physical forms of musical expression.

While life's standard obligations temporarily diverted him from the drum kit, his musical core remained. Years later, a compact box drum called cajón reignited his creative drive. During a pivotal jam session in 2015, a fellow musician introduced Felix to the mystic soundscapes of the handpan and steel tongue drum. That single acoustic encounter completely redefined his trajectory.

Fascinated by their intuitive playstyle and therapeutic overtones, but frustrated by the extreme scarcity, long waiting lists and steep prices of handpans at the time, Felix initially imported a high-quality steel tongue drum from Russia. His dedication caught the eye of the manufacturer, who offered him German distribution rights. By 2018, this passion-driven import venture matured into the official founding of Sound-Sculpture - which has since grown into one of the most trusted destinations for handpans across Europe.

Technical skills & specialisations

Felix’s approach to the handpan community is grounded in deep metallurgical and acoustic expertise rather than superficial retail. From the very beginning, he sought to demystify the science of steel: Why do some instruments retain their pitch for years, while others collapse after a few months? How do you objectively identify elite craftsmanship?

To answer these questions, Felix embarked on an extensive research journey across Europe, visiting workshops and engaging in intensive technical exchanges with world-class makers. A highly formative partnership emerged with Zachary Lamscha, the legendary founder of Leaf Soundsculptures. Through Zachary’s mentorship, Felix mastered the subtle nuances of material selection, stress-stretching, and structural tuning stability.

Rare hands-on material authority

• 80+ manufacturers evaluated: personally audited the builds, welding styles and heat treatments of approximately 80 individual artisans worldwide.
• Thousands of instruments tested: hand-played and structurally verified thousands of individual handpans to analyze tactile feedback, dynamic range, and overtone balancing.
• The Sound-Sculpture benchmark: this exhaustive testing layout inspired the creation of the dedicated Sound-Sculpture brand, established specifically to offer players premium, reliable instruments with zero compromise on stability or price.

Contributions & publications

Felix is deeply committed to formalizing handpan education and building an accessible archive for players of all levels. He regularly publishes technical deep dives, maintenance playbooks and buying guides designed to protect consumers from low-quality marketplace instruments.

Beyond digital content, Felix translates his expertise into real-world community pillars, actively spearheading:

• The Handpan Festival: a premier regional gathering connecting international artists with enthusiasts.
• Community initiatives: organizing local open stages to provide safe spaces for collective learning and performance.
• Educational workshops: leading structured instructional classes designed to help beginners discover their unique handpan voice.