Spruce Ritual with Lucian Kano Balmer

• Date & Time: Saturday June 22, 7:30 p.m.
• Venue: Incarnation Episcopal Church, 1750 29th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94122
• For details visit https://sunsetarts.wordpress.com

Lucian Kano Balmer is a violinist, vocalist, and composer, who performs original compositions often described as "raga-infused." His main ensemble, Spruce Ritual with Lucian Kano Balmer, consists of vocals, violin, viola, cello, sitar, tabla, and tabla taranga. He has studied vocals with renowned Hindustani vocalist, Shweta Jhaveri, vocals and instrumental music with Bruce Hamm, senior disciple of Ali Akbhar Khan. In the past, he's also performed with award winning guitarist Shambhu, and with sarod player Lisa Sangita Moskow.

Rather than going the conservatory route, Lucian studied with Indian guru Sri Chinmoy, who was once the guru for Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin as well as many other musical luminaries. During his 13 years with Chinmoy, he memorized and performed over 4000 songs in Bengali and Sanskrit and arranged music for ensembles and choirs for both amateur and professional musicians. He has no association with the Sri Chinmoy Centre nor does he support Chinmoy’s philosophy; however, it did have an undeniable influence on him personally and musically.

His current focus is Spruce Ritual with Lucian Kano Balmer, however he also spends time working on works for solo violin, and works for violin and tabla. Always a student of music, he spends time deepening his knowledge of Hindustani music and different western composition techniques as well.

He is widely praised for the deep, soulful, and at times meditative quality of his music, using both his violin and exquisite voice to demonstrate the spiritual power of music for healing and reviving the soul.

Host or Publisher The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, San Francisco