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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

arts

Lotus Festival will continue through weekend

Canteca de Macao performs during the Lotus World Music and Arts Festival 2012.

Fast fingers and swift feet kicked off the 21st annual Lotus World Music and Arts Festival Thursday ?evening.

IU students and Bloomington community members gathered in the Buskirk-Chumley Theater to enjoy the musical stylings of Hungarian group Söndörgó and Italian ensemble Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino.

Starting off their first American tour, the Balkan group Söndörgó opened the Lotus Festival with their fast-paced folk music.

Söndörgó uses the tambura, a small string instrument similar to a mandolin.

Halfway through their performance, Söndörgó changed their string instruments for some wind, percussion and an accordion. The Lotus Festival crowd responded enthusiastically, clapping, cheering and even dancing along.

“Every now and then you find these new gems that you want to go hear so its (Lotus Festival) kind of figuring that out and finding that,” Mary Clare Bauman, Lotus Festival board member said.

Opening night continued with traditional Italian dance and music from Cazoniere Grecanico Salentino.

This was the pizzica group’s second time preforming at the Lotus Festival, as they were a crowd favorite when they took the stage in 2011.

For one night only, the six-person ensemble excited the Lotus audience with their powerful percussions and smooth violin.

The crowd cheered as each individual member entered with his instrument — smoothly transitioning into the ensemble.

The Lotus Festival continues ?through Sunday. Events will be held at the Buskirk-Chumley, Bluebird Nightclub, First Christian Church and various tents around Bloomington.

Tickets can be purchased online at bctboxoffice.com , by phone or in person at the Buskirk-Chumley box office or at any Bloomingfoods location.

Weekend passes are $60 in advance and $70 the day of the show. Individual day tickets vary from $29 to $39.

Lotus in the Park offers a cultural experience free of charge. Food and beverages will be provided by Bloomingfoods from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at Waldron, Hill and Buskirk Park.

This family friendly event will offer educational outreach, live performances and kids crafts. This is part of the year-round Lotus Blossoms cultural education project.

Festival attendees can stay updated about their favorite performers by downloading the free BTown Lotus app. The app includes the entire Lotus Festival schedule as well as descriptions of the artists and directions to the venues.

“It’s great to hear different styles,” Bauman said. “We get to hear great music here in Bloomington all year round. We don’t get to hear world music all the time.”

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