Beginning as a percussionist and ending up as a clarinetist has been Calvin Lai’s journey within the Middle Eastern and Balkan music diaspora. Calvin started studying the rhythms of this genre and eventually evolved to learning songs from Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Lebanon, Armenia, and a number of other countries influenced by the Middle Eastern musical system. Calvin balances this incredible rich musical tradition with the knowledge that he is coming at it from an outside perspective. His deep appreciation of Middle Eastern and Balkan music, paired with his drive for unique self expression, has made Calvin the musician he is today.