George Lernis – Blue Heron

Born and raised in Nicosia, Cyprus, George Lernis is a world percussionist, drummer, and educator who currently resides in the U.S. Having grown up with the musical traditions of the Middle East/Eastern Mediterranean regions and later on receiving formal training as a Jazz drummer at the Berklee College of Music, George is considered to be bimusical. He has recorded and collaborated with prominent figures such as John Patitucci, Antonio Sanchez, Dave Liebman, and Anat Cohen, to name just a few. In 2021 George graduated from the Berklee College of Music’s prestigious Global Jazz Institute with his second master’s degree in Jazz performance. His latest album, Between Two Worlds, featuring the master bassist John Patitucci, received rave reviews from critics. Currently he is working with master pianist Danilo Pérez on several projects.

Blue Heron is engaged in the exploration of Renaissance and medieval vocal music, putting the study of original sources in the service of vivid live performance. Widely regarded as the finest ensemble of its type in North America, Blue Heron presents a subscription series in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a catalog of exceptional recordings is available on the Blue Heron label. The ensemble’s accolades include the 2018 Gramophone Classical Music Award for Early Music, making Blue Heron the first group from outside Europe to receive the award; the Noah Greenberg Award from the American Musicological Society; and the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik. Touring engagements have taken the group across the United States, Canada, England, and Europe.

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