Orcas Center

https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200542100Orcas Center Presents: Yungchen Lhamo in Concert with Rafe Pearlman Saturday, October 3 @ 7pm Center Stage Tiered Ticketing: (https://orcascenter.org/ticket-prices/) $25, $35, and $70 ($10 student/senior/veteran tickets available) [ VOLUNTEER FOR THIS EVENT ] (https://orcascenter.ludus.com/volunteer/opportunity/12451) Yungchen Lhamo in Concert with Rafe Pearlman World-acclaimed award-winning Tibetan singer Yungchen Lhamo, this year’s recipient of the 2026 Distinguished Artist Award presented by the City of Kingston Arts Commission and the Department of Arts & Cultural Affairs, will make her first-ever visit to Orcas Island in September/October, including performing in concert at Orcas Center on Saturday October 2026, with Rafe Pearlman as opening artist. Yungchen will sing some songs a cappella, others accompanied by guitarist John Alevizakis, producer of her most recent, and seventh, album, ‘One Drop of Kindness’ – and some with audience participation! Rafe will be accompanied by musician Bluetech and guitarist Chris Haugen. Rafe Pearlman says: “This is a special event not to be missed! I first heard the incredible voice of Yungchen Llamo when Peter Gabriel’s WOMAD Festival came to Seattle many years ago. I had never heard anyone like her before (or since). It was like hearing a Tibetan Goddess incarnate on earth. When I heard recently she was touring the PNW I reached out to see if we could do something together in Seattle and Orcas.  It’s a true delight to help welcome her to town. Come join us for this magical night and help support this unique artist as she makes a rare tour to our area.” Yungchen Lhamo Yungchen has performed in over 80 countries on all five continents. Her first album Tibetan Prayer won the Australian Recording Industry Award for Best World Music Album. Yungchen was then signed to Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records label on which she released three more albums: Tibet Tibet, Coming Home, and Ama, which featured songs with Annie Lennox and Joy Askew. Tayatha, a collaborative work with Russian classical pianist Anton Batagov, was released by Cantaloupe Music, her sixth album Awakening by Six Degrees Records, and her seventh, One Drop of Kindness, by Real World Records on CD and pink vinyl. In addition to her ARIA Award in Australia and a UNESCO Music Prize, in Italy Yungchen was gifted the city of Silanus’s esteemed ‘Funtana Elighe’ award and was recognized by the province of Genoa as a ‘Messenger of Peace’ and given the title of ‘Ambassador of Culture’. In France, she received the Golden Voice Award from the Dijon Bourjogue Festival, and in the UK, Yungchen’s One Drop of Kindness album won the Asia & Pacific category in the Songlines Music Awards. Rafe Pearlman Rafe Pearlman began his singing career in the Alaskan wilderness, and the wildness of that origin has never left his voice. His exploratory vocal practice has taken him to stages across the globe—India, Hong Kong, Israel, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Australia, Thailand, Mexico, and throughout the United States—including a performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He appeared on America’s Got Talent, which led to a touring collaboration with the Earth Harp Collective, the world’s largest stringed instrument. In Malaga, Spain, he performed accompanied by a full orchestra at MOSMA, the international festival of film composers, alongside Hollywood composer Tyler Bates. Rafe’s voice is featured on soundtracks for Netflix, Direct-TV,  NBC and Thunder Road Films, and on Sony’s top video games. Rafe will be a new voice on the upcoming season of Motherland: Fort Salem, creating vocal spells for the cast of characters. Rafe recently was awarded an artist residency at the Orcas Center Theater to create a new evening length show inspired by his childhood in Alaska featuring his music and visual art, entitled “KANU”. Rafe is a performer, composer, speaker, and creative vocal coach. His musical intention is to inspire a vision of a world in harmony and unity, celebrating diversity, sustainability, and equality for all beings.  He has been a long time resident of the Salish Sea area and feels a deep personal and artistic ties to this place as home. https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200542100 “Yungchen joined our Real World Records label in 1996. The label was founded in 1989 to provide gifted musicians from around the world with access to state-of-the-art recording facilities, with the aim of bringing the music of the world to the world. We were lucky to work with Yungchen’s wonderful voice and music, which encapsulate the spirit, understanding and compassion of Tibetan culture.” – Peter Gabriel “Yungchen sings like an unearthly creature. Her voice has the power to stop time and makes everything else in the world fall away. Her voice transports you.” – Natalie Merchant “Lhamo is a singer. A very acclaimed singer. Her name was given her by a Buddhist lama. It means ‘Goddess of Song’. Anyone who witnessed a brief performance of hers during the V-Day celebration in uptown Kingston will recognize the accuracy of her name. Or you could ask music critics. The New Yorker’s has called her singing “brilliant”. Newsweek called her “angel-voiced”. The New York Times admired her “pristine, gliding vocal lines”. – Jeremiah Horrigan

Contemporary Dance meets Sundays 10-11:15am and Tuesdays 10-11:15am at the Orcas Center Dance Studio. Drop-in classes are $20, or save with a 5- or 10-class pass for $15 per class. Passes can be purchased through the Parks & Rec website or in person at the office (30 Pea Patch Lane, Eastsound, WA). Register here: https://orcasparkandrec.org/

Contemporary Dance meets Thursdays 5:15-6:45pm at Orcas Oddfellows. Drop-in classes are $20, or save with a 5- or 10-class pass for $15 per class. Passes can be purchased through the Parks & Rec website or in person at the office (30 Pea Patch Lane, Eastsound, WA). Register here: https://orcasparkandrec.org/

https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200546932Orcas Center Presents: Calum Graham Sunday, October 11 @ 7pm Center Stage Tiered Ticketing: (https://orcascenter.org/ticket-prices/) $25, $35, and $70 ($10 student/senior/veteran tickets available) [ VOLUNTEER FOR THIS EVENT ] (https://orcascenter.ludus.com/volunteer/opportunity/12452) Calum Graham Born in British Columbia and now based in Victoria, Calum Graham has been making waves in the global music scene for almost two decades. He is distinguished by his passionate and emotionally expressive original compositions and is recognized as one of the world’s Top 30 Guitarists Under 30 by Acoustic Guitar magazine. His repertoire includes songs written for the acoustic, baritone, and harp guitar, where innovative compositions meet breathtaking skill. Drawing inspiration from legendary guitarists like Michael Hedges, Don Ross, Andy McKee, and Antoine Dufour, his original compositions create a sonic experience, taking you on a journey that will linger long after the final note. Testimonials: “THE MOST PROMISING YOUNG GUITARIST I’VE SEEN. HIS COMMAND OF THE GUITAR IS ALREADY REALLY IMPRESSIVE!” – ANDY MCKEE “I KNOW BEAUTIFUL HANDS WHEN I SEE THEM NOW, AND I UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE TO MANIFESTING YOUR IDEAS. CALUM HAS THEM, AND PUTS THEM TO GOOD USE AS HE SEEKS OUT BOTH TEXTURE AND MELODY IN HIS COMPOSITIONS” – BILLY MCLAUGHLIN “CALUM GRAHAM IS AN AMAZING GUITARIST. HE IS THE RARE KIND OF ARTIST WHO IS NOT ONLY A GREAT VIRTUOSO ON HIS INSTRUMENT, BUT ALSO A WONDERFUL COMPOSER. I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF BEING HIS TOUR MATE ON THE 2017-18 INTERNATIONAL GUITAR NIGHT TOUR. PLAYING AND TRAVELING WITH HIM WAS ALWAYS A JOY BUT THE MOST INTERESTING PART OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WAS THAT EVERY NIGHT, DURING SOME 60 OR SO CONCERTS THROUGHOUT EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA, I ALWAYS MADE IT A POINT TO GO INTO THE AUDIENCE AND ENJOY HIS SOLO SET. I WAS USUALLY SMILING, LIKE A HAPPY FAN, BUT AT TIMES, I WAS MOVED TO TEARS. THE GUITAR LOVING PUBLIC HAS MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO AS CALUM’S CAREER PROGRESSES.” -MICHAEL CHAPDELAINE CALUM GRAHAM HAS SOLIDIFIED A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR THE GUITAR. HE MOVES US FORWARD WITH A POWERFUL ORIGINAL MUSICAL VOICE WHILE PAYING TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO PAVED THE WAY BEFORE HIM. A PRIME EXAMPLE IS HIS COMPOSITION “THE NOMAD;” THE COMPOSITION IS 100% CALUM’S ORIGINAL VOICE, YET IT MAGICALLY CONJURES UP THE SPIRIT OF MICHAEL HEDGES. EVERY NOTE CALUM PLAYS IS FILLED WITH HONESTY, INTEGRITY, PASSION, AND JOY. THIS IS GREAT NEWS FOR THE REST OF US, BECAUSE MANY NOTES COME OUR WAY DURING A PERFORMANCE! -THOMAS CLIPPERT “CALUM’S ENTRY RESONATED STRONGLY AMONG THE JUDGES. HIS POEM CELEBRATES THE CULTURAL MOSAIC THAT IS CANADA. HE HAS CAPTURED THE DIVERSITY OF THIS COUNTRY – SOMETHING THAT WE AS A NATION ARE RENOWNED FOR AND PROUD OF” -STEPHAN MOCCIO https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200546932

2026 Orcas Island Film Festival October 14–18 Center Stage 2026 Orcas Island Film Festival See the buzziest films on one of the most beautiful places on the planet: Orcas Island. The lineup is now live for the 12th annual Orcas Island Film Festival (October 14-18, 2026). The festival will open in style with THE ONLY LIVING PICKPOCKET IN NEW YORK, kicking off a lineup of recent festival winners and breakout favorites including Cannes Palme d’Or winner FJORD, Sundance Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award winner JOSEPHINE, Cannes and TIFF award winner LA BOLA NEGRA, and the latest from acclaimed directors Pedro Almodóvar, Barbara Kopple, Paweł Pawlikowski, Kore-Eda Hirokazu, and more. Passes on sale now; single tickets go on sale October 2. ### The wait is over — the 2026 Orcas Island Film Festival lineup and schedule are live! This October 14–18, more than 40 extraordinary films from around the world are coming to Orcas Island — along with visiting filmmakers and artists, conversations, parties, and special events. Buy passes, check out the films, and plan your schedule. (https://us.list-manage.com/E9WJpyXz7DW?e=a79ca3df8c&c2id=3c0da66163fea560f4af6a5050dd1c8e) We are excited to share this incredible lineup with you, all happening in one of the most beautiful places in the world. ### IMPORTANT DATES – Sunday, September 27 – Festival Pass holders can begin selecting their seats. – Friday, October 2 – Single tickets on sale. Reserve seats $18 in advance / $20 at door We look forward to seeing you at the festival October 14-18, 2026.

Visual Arts Committee Presents: Featured Artists: Carla Stanley Class Community Show: 6 x 6 Art Opening: Friday, October 23rd; 5:30pm – 7pm On Display: October 23rd – November 18th All are invited to attend the Art Opening on Friday, October 23rd from 5:30 to 7 p.m., featuring live entertainment and complimentary refreshments. Artists are urged to attend and contribute hors d’oeuvres. To learn more about exhibiting your art, commission structures, and upcoming shows, please visit the VAC page.

https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200547706Orcas Center Presents: TAIKOPROJECT October 24 @ 7pm Center Stage Tiered Ticketing: (https://orcascenter.org/ticket-prices/) $30, $50, and $70 ($10 student/senior/veteran tickets available) TAIKOPROJECT TAIKOPROJECT celebrates 25 years of taiko creativity and innovation with a new concert production entitled “25.” Featuring new compositions and choreography and stunning costumes by acclaimed designer Sueko Oshimoto, “25” will take audiences on a thundering roller coaster of the senses. TAIKOPROJECT has astonished audiences worldwide since 2000 with their unique blend of traditional taiko & innovative aesthetics. Percussive power, dynamic music, and graceful choreography work together to weave a gorgeous narrative you’ll have to see (and hear!) to believe! The group’s powerful drumming unites ancient Japanese tradition with 21st century American innovation to create a riot of movement and thundering rhythm. It’s been called a tsunami of sound but this highly charged ensemble is so much more. This show will ignite all of your senses with a spellbinding mix of music, theater and precision. The group received international acclaim when they became the first American ensemble to win the prestigious Tokyo International Taiko Contest. Since then, they have wowed audiences at the Academy Awards and the Grammys with their grace, energy and passion. About TAIKOPROJECT TAIKOPROJECT was founded in 2000 in Los Angeles, California by a group of young, emerging taiko drummers led by Bryan Yamami and Masato Baba. The group continues to define a modern American style of taiko, blending traditional forms with an innovative and fresh aesthetic. TAIKOPROJECT first made waves when they became the first American taiko group to win the prestigious Tokyo International Taiko Contest in 2005, besting all of the Japanese taiko groups in the competition. That year, they were cast in the Mitsubishi Eclipse commercial, the first and still only national advertising campaign to prominently feature taiko. Since then, the group has performed on the Academy Awards, the Grammy Awards, NBC’s “The Voice,” Syfy’s Face/Off, The X-Factor, rock band 30 Seconds to Mars’ “Up in the Air” music video, Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, the iHeartRadio Music Festival, and was honored with the prestigious Visionary Award from East West Players. TAIKOPROJECT has performed and recorded with Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel, Hans Zimmer, Alicia Keys, A.R. Rahman, John Legend, Meshell Ndegeocello, producer Squeak E. Clean, Sean Paul, Diplo, as well as international stars such as Greek singer Antonis Remos, Persian singer Mansour, Brazil’s Olodum, and Netherlands’ Tiesto. They appeared on Ovation TV’s “The Art Of”, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Food Network’s Iron Chef Gauntlet, and the MTV Movie & TV Awards. TAIKOPROJECT has performed at many of the premiere performing arts centers in the country, including the Hobby Center (Houston, TX), Ordway Center (St. Paul, MN), Meany Hall (Seattle, WA), Mondavi Center (Davis, CA), Tower Theatre (Bend, OR), Hatfield Hall (Terre Haute, IN), Lied Center (Lincoln, NE), Gammage Auditorium (Phoenix, AZ), TPAC (Nashville, TN), Cache Valley Center (Logan, UT), Kentucky Performing Arts (Louisville, KY), Macey Center (Socorro, NM), Green Music Center (Sonoma, CA) and the Ferst Center (Atlanta, GA), just to name a few. https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200547706

https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200548104Orcas Center Presents: Grabbing the Hammer Lane: A Trucker Narrative Sunday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. Center Stage Tiered Ticketing: (https://orcascenter.org/ticket-prices/) $25, $35, and $70 ($10 student/senior/veteran tickets available) [ Volunteer for this event ] (https://orcascenter.ludus.com/volunteer/opportunity/12627) Grabbing the Hammer Lane: A Trucker Narrative “Grabbing the Hammer Lane: A Trucker Narrative” is a searing, 60-minute, one-act play about prodigal rebellion and fleeting moments for redemption written by and starring David M. Proctor. Matt, a long-haul trucker, hits the road to find himself and the freedom he desires — only to become imprisoned over time in a steel cell on 18 wheels. Clarence remains at home, diminishing with the passage of time and from the anguish he bears from losing the love he pushed away. With humor, grit, and in-your-face honesty, Hammer Lane chronicles the lives of these two men living different sides of one story — a story about rejection, regret, separation, and the devastating consequences of rage-fueled choices. It offers an intimate glimpse of a final reckoning after a six-million-mile journey back home. https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200548104

https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200548448Orcas Center Presents: Phina Pipia: Ha Ha Da Vinci Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. Center Stage Tiered Ticketing: (https://orcascenter.org/ticket-prices/) $25, $35, and $70 ($10 student/senior/veteran tickets available) [ Volunteer for this event ] (https://orcascenter.ludus.com/volunteer/opportunity/12694) Phina Pipia: Ha Ha Da Vinci Hailed as “terrific,” by the New York Times, “impossible to resist” by the Montreal Gazette, and “imaginative, intelligent, and strangely mesmerizing” by the San Diego Union Tribune; Phina Pipia takes audiences on an adventure overflowing with the delightfully unexpected. A tuba lights the way, beds make music, paintings come to life, and a radio delivers a message from the past in a whimsical production that combines elements of illusion, music, and theater. When a young grad student discovers that Leonardo da Vinci and his collaborator, magician and mathematician Luca Pacioli, invented a time machine, she is zapped back to the Renaissance. It’s up to her to decode their notes and solve a 15th-century mystery so that she can return to the present. Winner of the Critic’s Pick Award for Best Solo Show – Musical from the Orlando Weekly and Orlando Sentinel, Artist’s Pick and Golden Lanyard Awards at the Minnesota Fringe, the San Diego International Fringe Festival’s Outstanding Solo Performance Award, the Vancouver Fringe Festival’s Joanna Maratta Award, and named a Top Pick at the San Diego Fringe by PBS, Ha Ha Da Vinci invites audiences of all ages into a world where truly anything is possible. Phina Pipia “A triple-threat with a flare for sleight-of-hand…” Called “terrific” by the New York Times, “imaginative, intelligent, and strangely mesmerizing” by the San Diego Union Tribune, “enchanting,” by the Twin Cities’ Pioneer Press, and “impossible to resist,” by the Montreal Gazette, Phina Pipia’s performances have captivated audiences around the world. She has spent the past four years touring her 90-minute, multi award-winning solo illusion, music, and puppetry show, Ha Ha Da Vinci across Europe, the United States, and Canada, performing in both English and Italian. In addition to the show, Phina has created a series of Make Magic Happen workshops, which use da Vinci’s approach to the creative process as a springboard to explore the magic of the Italian renaissance and to provide working artists practical tools for sustaining their own practices. Her solo album, Outside of the Movies, was released in 2020 alongside a songbook complete with lyrics, sheet music, and original illustrations. Phina’s work invites audiences of all ages into a world where they can safely expect the delightfully unexpected.   https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200548448

https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200548452Orcas Center Presents: Frank Vignola & Pasquale Grasso Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. Center Stage Tiered Ticketing: (https://orcascenter.org/ticket-prices/) $25, $35, and $70 ($10 student/senior/veteran tickets available) [ Volunteer for this event ] (https://orcascenter.ludus.com/volunteer/opportunity/12695) Frank Vignola & Pasquale Grasso Frank Vignola Frank Vignola is one of the most extraordinary guitarists performing before the public today. His stunning virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world’s top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, John Lewis, Tommy Emmanuel, Lionel Hampton, the Boston Pops, the New York Pops, and guitar legend Les Paul, who named Vignola to his “Five Most Admired Guitarists List” for the Wall Street Journal. Vignola’s dynamic, genre-spanning music has brought him to 21 countries on three continents. He’s performed in some of the world’s most illustrious venues, including the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, New York’s Lincoln Center, The Blue Note, and the world’s oldest indoor concert hall, Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy. Vignola has recorded over 30 CD’s as a leader and has been a guest on hundreds of recordings. To share his expertise with the world, Vignola has written over 18 educational music books and created other educational material, reaching thousands of jazz guitar enthusiasts throughout the globe. Currently, Vignola holds residency every Wednesday night at the world famous Birdland Jazz Club Theatre in New York City. “Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night” has featured some of the finest talent on the planet including Mike Stern, Peter Bernstein, Houston Person, and Pasquale Grasso. Pasquale Grasso In 2016, Pasquale Grasso received the kind of endorsement most rising guitarists can only dream of when Pat Metheny was asked to name impressive younger musicians in an interview for Vintage Guitar Magazine. “The best guitar player I’ve heard in maybe my entire life is floating around now, Pasquale Grasso,” said the jazz-guitar icon and NEA Jazz Master. “This guy is doing something so amazingly musical and so difficult… He’s the most significant new guy I’ve heard in many, many years.” Born in Italy and now based in New York City, Grasso has developed an astounding technique informed by bebop pioneers like Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie. His digital-only EP series showcases Grasso in the solo-guitar format, where his intensive studies of both midcentury jazz and classical meld into a signature mastery that is both unprecedented and evocative. His innovative style is hypnotizing to watch as his nimble fingers appear to change the six guitar strings into 88 piano keys. https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200548452

Visual Arts Committee Presents: Featured Artist: Debra Babcock Community Show: Mixed Media Art Opening: Friday, November 20th; 5:30pm – 7pm On Display: November 20th – December 22nd All are invited to attend the Art Opening on Friday, October 23rd from 5:30 to 7 p.m., featuring live entertainment and complimentary refreshments. Artists are urged to attend and contribute hors d’oeuvres. To learn more about exhibiting your art, commission structures, and upcoming shows, please visit the VAC page.

https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200548500Orcas Center Presents: Zan Fiskum & Sturtz Sunday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. Center Stage Tiered Ticketing: (https://orcascenter.org/ticket-prices/) $25, $35, and $70 ($10 student/senior/veteran tickets available) [ Volunteer for this event ] (https://orcascenter.ludus.com/volunteer/opportunity/12707) Zan Fiskum & Sturtz Come enjoy a night of live music at the Orcas Center on November 22nd. Sturtz and Zan Fiskum have toured together in the past, and both groups are led by vocal powerhouses. Sturtz is a folk duo based out of Longmont, CO, but they travel to the PNW at least once a year to share their music. Zan is based out of Maple Valley, WA, and loves making it out to the islands whenever possible. Join us for this night of impressive harmony! Zan Fiskum Zan Fiskum is a singer and songwriter from Maple Valley, WA, whose music blends folk, soul, and cinematic pop into emotionally vivid storytelling. Known for her commanding vocal range and a diverse sound rooted in the Pacific Northwest, Zan has built a dedicated following through a series of independent releases that have amassed over a million streams. She has opened for artists including The Avett Brothers, Kingfish, Mon Rovia, and shared the stage with John Legend and Dave Matthews. With her third album, “American Sparrow,” coming early 2027, Zan returns with a confidence and clarity that brings her voice into sharper focus than ever. Produced by Grammy-winning producer Tyler Chester, the record expands the range and emotional depth of her sound: blending pop, soul, folk, and country into a cinematic, road-worn world of warm textures, brought to life alongside powerhouse collaborators. https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200548500

https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200548385Orcas Center Presents: Salish Sea Nutcracker Dec. 11, 12, and 13 at 6 p.m. Dec. 12 & 13 at 1 p.m. Center Stage Tiered Ticketing: (https://orcascenter.org/ticket-prices/) $25, $35, and $70 ($10 student/senior/veteran tickets available) [ Volunteer for this event ] (https://orcascenter.ludus.com/volunteer/opportunity/12681) Salish Sea Nutcracker Orcas Dance Collective is again presenting the Salish Sea Nutcracker! Featuring many wildlife themes that make our island home so magical, this full-length dream ballet will showcase an intergenerational cast of local dancers. Salish Sea Nutcracker is a nautical twist on the traditional ballet, featuring roles such as the Sea Star Fairy, Great Blue Heron, Octopus Fairy, Orca Whales, and more! https://orcascenter.ludus.com/200548385