Lucian Ban is a New York-based pianist and composer internationally recognized for creating a distinctive musical language that brings together Transylvanian folk traditions, jazz improvisation, and European modern classical music. Raised in northwest Transylvania, he studied at the National University of Music in Bucharest before continuing his education at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York.
As the recipient of the 2026 Tulipán Art & Culture Award, Lucian will create Retracing Bartók: Reimagining the Béla Bartók Field Recordings with violist Mat Maneri. Drawing on jazz, improvisation, archival recordings, and anthropological research, the project explores the enduring relevance of the folk traditions Béla Bartók documented and reimagines them through the lens of contemporary jazz and chamber improvisation.
The project will be brought to life through a series of six live performances featuring video projections of rare archival footage alongside audio from Bartók's original wax cylinder recordings. Beyond the concerts, Lucian and Mat will lead post-performance discussions and master classes, inviting audiences and students to explore cultural memory, Bartók's legacy, and the role of artistic innovation in keeping traditional music alive.
