Grotta Sonora gongs -
Sound sculptures from the sound cave
Grotta Sonora gongs are not serial instruments, but sound sculptures. They arise from years of experimentation in an Italian sound cave, where metal, shape and resonance are constantly explored.
For this, the makers, Madhava Carrara and Margherita Cioffi, use a unique combination of materials, mainly stainless steel, nickel, silver and titanium, each contributing to the rich and layered sound field.
Each gong is handmade and carries its own unique shape, weight and sound field. The instruments are light in structure but rich in resonance, as if the sound breathes from within.
Why Grotta Sonora has its own place in the Sound Chapel
Grotta Sonora gongs do not behave like traditional gongs. They function as presence objects: sound and silence move simultaneously.
They are often used for meditation, healing and deeper awareness.
They are often chosen by people working with:
- Consciousness processes
- Experimental sound work
- Performance, art and ritual
- Deep listening practices
- Non-dual and contemplative approaches
In the Sound Chapel, their subtle, spacious nature is immediately felt. These are instruments you cannot understand online, only experience.
Light, layered and spacious
Feature Grotta Sonora gongs:
- Light physical structure with surprisingly deep resonance
- Layered overtones that are slowly unfold
- Sound that draws space rather than fills it
- Accurately tuned to key for musical precision
- Easy to assemble into harmonious sets and soundscapes
- Balancing silence and movement
- A sculptural presence, even without playing
Grotta Sonora sounds not like a “field” or a “battle”, but a landscape in which sound appears and disappears again.
The Grotta Sonora gongs
Character and applications
Create your own soundscape with Grotta Sonora
Grotta Sonora's gongs are not only individual works of art, but also building blocks for a harmonious whole.
Each gong is precisely tuned to a specific keynote, allowing them to be perfectly combined in sets. By putting gongs in different keys together, you create a unique ‘set of instruments’ that reinforce and complement each other.
Find out which character suits your composition or practice:
Spatial & Contemplative
Ritual & Present
Instruments functioning as anchor points. Sound supports presence, not movement.
Experimental & Performative
Craftsmanship, experimentation and uniqueness
Grotta Sonora gongs originate from in-depth research into metal resonance and are entirely hand-made and tuned in key.
Madhava and Margherita work without a fixed pattern, from an experimental approach in which listening and shaping constantly interact. This creates an ongoing dialogue between maker and sound, in which no two instruments are alike. Each gong ultimately forms a unique sound body.
Which Grotta Sonora suits you?
For sound artists and performers
Instruments with their own voice. Suitable for live performance and improvisation
For meditation and consciousness work
For ritual and ceremony
Size & shape
No standard sizes, shape, weight and space define the experience. Listening in space is essential
Listening, feeling and meeting in the Sound Chapel
At the Sound Chapel, we, Harry and Gwen, bring our passion for sound to life. It is a place where time slows down and listening takes on a deeper meaning. Here it is not about selling, but about the encounter between man and instrument.
Selected on Resonance
Our collection is hand-selected, fuelled by our years of experience guiding retreats and workshops. We choose instruments that not only make sound, but act as an energetic anchor point.
The Grotta Sonora Family
Our bond with Madhava and Margherita of Grotta Sonora is rooted in friendship and craftsmanship. Every year, they bring the magic of their Italian sound cave to the Sound Chapel for an exclusive workshop. It is a unique opportunity to learn directly from the makers how form and sound merge.
Your Instrument, Your Initiation
Buying an instrument at the Sound Chapel is a personal experience. We take the time for you. The explanation you receive feels like a mini-workshop: together we explore which instrument really resonates with your intention. The silence of the chapel creates the space to feel what an instrument does to you.
At our Sound Chapel you can:
Experiencing several Grotta Sonora gongs in their natural acoustics.
Being guided from years of experience and genuine attention.
Participate in in-depth workshops from ourselves and the makers themselves.
Experiencing a Grotta Sonora gong in the Sound Chapel
The best way to know which Grotta Sonora gong suits you is to hear it, and feel it. In silence, in resonance, in the space of the Sound Chapel.
Here you will experience Europe's largest collection of gongs live. Carried by more than 20 years of experience in sound concerts, retreats and sound healing.
You will be guided 1-on-1 in finding a gong that truly resonates with you or your practice. A carefully curated selection of instruments that energetically
and sound right.
Would you like to schedule a no-obligation listening session or have a question?
Then fill in the form as completely as possible and we will contact you at a convenient time to either schedule a listening session or answer your question.
FAQ - Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Grotta Sonora and other gongs?
Grotta Sonora is more experimental and sculptural; less predictable than Paiste, less cosmic than Gongland. A crucial difference is that each Grotta Sonora gong tuned by hand becomes on a specific keynote.
This precise tuning allows you to bring different gongs together in harmonised sets, in which the instruments interact in perfect intervals (such as fifths or octaves).
Are Grotta Sonora gongs suitable for sound healing?
Yes, especially in contexts where subtlety, presence and space are central.
Need to experience Grotta Sonora live?
Absolutely. These instruments do not allow themselves to be described or compared.
Will workshops be held?
Yes. The makers regularly conduct exclusive workshops at Spirit Connection.
If you have any questions about the gongs, or would like advice, please feel free to phone contact with us. We are happy to take all the time we can for you: +31 6 23 91 52 77