Baku, Azerbaijan – Cultural Exchanges
May 16-20, 2006

In residence in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Silk Road Ensemble collaborated with mugham vocalist Alim Qasimov, a Living National Treasure of Azerbaijan and long-time Ensemble member, and five other leading Azerbaijani artists.

Sharing musical and cultural backgrounds with local musicians and the residents of Baku was the goal of the residency. Yo-Yo Ma, Qazimov and the Silk Road Ensemble rehearsed and performed in the newly renovated Philharmonia Hall. The musicians also conducted workshops at three local conservatories, affording additional opportunities for cultural exchange and musical inspiration.

This concert was supported in part by the American Embassy in Azerbaijan through a grant from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, United States Department of State. The grant also supports cultural exchange workshops offered by the Silk Road Ensemble to students at participating music schools in Baku.

May 17: Baku Music Academy

The Silk Road Ensemble’s May 17 cultural-exchange workshop in Baku attracted a standing-room-only audience. The Azerbaijani musicians participating in the 2006 exchange and concert include old and new friends.

May 18: Bul Bul School of Music and National Music Academy

Shane Shanahan, playing an Arabic tambourine called a ric, Mark Suter, with shakers and cajón (a Peruvian box drum), and Natig Shirinov on nagara brought down the house with their on-stage improvisation during a workshop held at the Bul Bul School of Music. The trio lacked a common spoken language, but their rhythms spoke perfectly to one another and united them in friendship.

"I have played with many different world-famous percussionists, including jam sessions with Brazilian, Indian, and other concert performers," Natig said afterward. "The highest level I have ever experienced was with Mark and Shane today. Few people feel rhythm spiritually like this. It's like magic. "

Silk Road Ensemble member Ko Umezaki and Azeri balaban player Rafael Asfarov met for the first time on May 17. The next morning, they performed together publicly at a workshop - an experience Rafael described as "one hundred percent new and different." "This wasn't just music - it was something extraordinary," Rafael said. "I was amazed that Ko could understand what I was saying with the balaban."

May 19: Concert at the Philharmonia

The elegant dome of the packed Philharmonia Hall echoed with music from along the Silk Road including, of course, Azerbaijan. After the dramatic Mugam-Sayagy for String Quartet, the audience inundated Baku-born composer Franghiz Ali-Zadeh with applause and flowers. Later, a half-hour mugam performance by vocalists Alim Qasimov and his daughter Fargana mesmerized the crowd. Rafael Asfarov, Rauf Islamov, Ali Asgar Mammadov and Natig Shirinov accompanied the Qasimovs on balaban, kamancheh and tar.

Reflections on the Exchange

For Ensemble violist Nick Cords, one of the best things about the Silk Road Project is meeting other musicians who - like Silk Road Ensemble members - are a "musical fraternity." In Nick's view, "playing at an individual level only goes so far. The next level is finding those people that you click with. Then you've found both a safety zone and a place where you can push yourself." Nick added, "The specifics of a tradition are learnable. What really connects is the passion - sharing similar feelings about the music."

Shane Shanahan concurred. "Every new encounter is like that. It's expanding our community."

Ali Asgar Mammadov, new to the Ensemble, commented on the way the group "doesn't just play music, but puts their souls into it." He was especially surprised by the pipa, which he heard live for the first time, and by Wu Man. "The instrument is as beautiful as the player."

Rauf Islamov, who participated in a 2005 residency at the Rhode Island School of Design as well as a tour with vocalist Alim Qasimov and the Ensemble, feels that music bridges language barriers among Ensemble performers. "We understand each other through our music," he said. "I feel we've known each other all our lives."