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© JENNIFER TAYLOR

Tales of Wonder
In June 2012 at the New York Hall of Science in Queens, middle-school students in our Silk Road Connect program not only performed with members of the Silk Road Ensemble—they also developed their own scripts, created their own props and costumes, and wrote their own music, all to celebrate a year of passion-driven learning with "Tales of Wonder."


Silk Road Ensemble members at Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School in December 2012

© HEIDI KOELZ

Silk Road Connect Outreach

To share the impact of Silk Road Connect more broadly, the Silk Road Project is conducting an outreach program during the 2012-2013 school year at Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The Silk Road Connect Outreach program at Orchard Gardens is designed to extend the school's arts-rich culture by providing support for arts-integrated work in the classrooms.

Our work with Orchard Gardens began on December 6, 2012, with a visit by Yo-Yo Ma, former New York City Ballet star Damian Woetzel, and nine professional musicians from the Silk Road Ensemble. This visit took place as part of the Turnaround Arts initiative of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. 

The Ensemble gave a musical presentation, "Music Travels the Silk Road," in an assembly for third- through eighth-graders, and visited several classes to interact with students.

News Stories from the Event

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma inspires students at Roxbury school
December 7, 2012 – Boston Globe

With arts designation, Orchard Gardens school welcomes famous mentors
December 7, 2012 – WBUR

Support this Program

Your donation to the Silk Road Project will support innovative arts education outreach programs such as our work at Orchard Gardens.

Future Plans

Led by cellist Mike Block, Silk Road Ensemble members will return to Orchard Gardens throughout the spring for a series of visits designed in collaboration with classroom teachers Suzie McGlone and Erica Pastor. Once a month, from February through April, artists will work with students on interactive lessons that address learning goals such as identity, traditions, journeys and reflections on learning.

Lessons will connect to topics being studied in the classrooms and will culminate in a performance as part of the school's Spring Art Fair in late May.

Through a combination of teaching artist visits, performance residencies and professional development, Silk Road Connect Outreach activities will support and augment work already underway at the school, helping build capacity for teaching and learning through an arts-integrated approach.

"The message is given in so many different ways, but you need to participate, respond, connect, and be constantly curious."
 – Yo-Yo Ma to students at Orchard Gardens