The Institute for European Studies is sponsoring performances by French musicians during this year's Lotus Festival, taking place in downtown Bloomington between Sept. 27 and Sept. 30. 

Artists' bios from the Lotus Festival website:

Guilhem Desq: Nicknamed the “Hendrix of Hurdy-Gurdy,” Guilhem Desq breathes new life and innovation into this old-world instrument – a deep-barreled, lute-shaped string instrument whose sound is generated by a the turning of a crank. Desq electrifies this originally acoustic instrument and plays a wide variety of genres on it – anything from traditional European folk to Middle-Eastern tunes, contemporary rock, hip-hop, and electronica. “He builds musical stories and creates interesting forms for us to enjoy. The various styles and textures keep the music moving forward and it is easy to forget that everything was created on one instrument, simply amazing….” (Staccatofy.com)

Lo Cor de la Plana: Lo Còr de la Plana matches six male a cappella voices with the stomping, clapping beat of hand drums. Its Mediterranean roots include Arabic and African influences and Gregorian chant. Singing in the ancient language Occitan, the group creates intricate harmonies typical of polyphony, soaring between the earthly and the sacred. The musical result is a joyful, sometimes boisterous vocal celebration that needs no translation.

Times and locations:

Guilhem Desq

• Sept. 28, 18:00-19:15, First Presbyterian Church 
• Sept. 29, 19:15-20:30, First Presbyterian Church

Lo Cor de la Plana

• Sept. 28, 22:45-00:00, First Christian Church
• Sept. 29, 18:00-19:15, First United Methodist Church

For tickets and more information, visit https://www.lotusfest.org/2018-festival-information/ 

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