Coming to Orcas Center | Yungchen Lhamo in concert with Rafe Pearlman

||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH SUMMERS for ORCAS CENTER |||

Internationally acclaimed Tibetan singer Yungchen Lhamo, recipient of the 2026 Distinguished Artist Award from the City of Kingston Arts Commission and the Department of Arts & Cultural Affairs, will make her first-ever visit to Orcas Island this fall. She will perform in concert at Orcas Center on Saturday, Oct. 3, with Rafe Pearlman as the opening artist.

Yungchen will sing some songs a cappella, others accompanied by guitarist John Alevizakis, producer of her seventh and most recent album, “One Drop of Kindness,” and some with audience participation! Rafe will be accompanied by musician Bluetech and guitarist Chris Haugen. Tickets are available at www.orcascenter.org.

“This is a special event not to be missed! I first heard the incredible voice of Yungchen Lhamo when Peter Gabriel’s WOMAD Festival came to Seattle many years ago,” Pearlman said. “I had never heard anyone like her before (or since). It was like hearing a Tibetan goddess incarnate on earth. When I heard recently that she was touring the Pacific Northwest, 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.”

Lhamo has performed in more than 80 countries on all five continents. Her first album, “Tibetan Prayer,” won the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Award for Best World Music Album. She 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. In addition to her ARIA Award and a UNESCO Music Prize, Yungchen received the city of Silanus esteemed “Funtana Elighe” award in Italy and was
recognized by the province of Genoa as a “Messenger of Peace,” earning the title “Ambassador of Culture.” In France, she received the Golden Voice Award from the Dijon Bourgogne Festival, and in the UK, “One Drop of Kindness,” her most recent album, won the Asia & Pacific category at the Songlines Music Awards.

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, which plays the world’s largest stringed instrument. In Málaga, Spain, he performed with a full orchestra at MOSMA, the international festival of film
composers, alongside Hollywood composer Tyler Bates.

Pearlman’s voice is featured on soundtracks for Netflix, DIRECTV, NBC and Thunder Road Films, and on Sony’s top video games. He will be a new voice on the upcoming season of “Motherland: Fort Salem,” creating vocal spells for the cast. He was awarded an artist residency at Orcas Center to create a new evening-length show, “KANU,” inspired by his childhood in Alaska and featuring his music and visual art. Pearlman is a performer, composer, speaker and creative vocal coach.