A Message from the Executive Director Dear Friends,
It has been particularly gratifying to see how the Silk Road Ensemble’s performances, educational workshops and multimedia projects have inspired new initiatives and cross-disciplinary approaches. Often audience members tell me they had an “eye-opening” experience. I think that is part of the magic of Yo-Yo Ma’s vision – as he has said, “we are the best teachers when we are active learners.” This year we plan to visit several Silk Road Ensemble musicians in their home countries and create new works drawn from our friends’ rich artistic traditions. In October, Yo-Yo and the Ensemble travel to China to perform with sheng player Wu Tong in his hometown, Beijing, as well as in Hong Kong and Shanghai, on a concert tour that will include workshops for young musicians and a performance at the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics. Our November residency at Harvard University will develop music inspired by Layla and Majnun, a classic folktale well known in Central Asia. Mugam singer Alim Qasimov will join us in developing and performing a chamber work for the Ensemble based on the 1908 opera by Azerbaijani composer Uzeir Hajibeyov. In early 2008, the Ensemble heads to India for a concert in Delhi and to visit tabla player Sandeep Das, who is helping us plan workshops with local musicians in Rajasthan. To sustain these dynamic programs, the Silk Road Project depends on the generosity of friends, foundations and corporate contributions. We are very grateful to the Ford Motor Fund, our Global Corporate Partner, and to Mikimoto for sponsoring our museum residencies. The U.S. Department of State supports our cultural exchange workshops with India, China and Azerbaijan. We are fortunate that so many of you have invested time, talent and funding to help us connect the world’s neighborhoods by bringing together artists and audiences around the globe. Like travelers along the historic Silk Road, you have helped to enrich and broaden our understanding of the world; your support enables us to continue to serve as a catalyst promoting innovation and learning through the arts. Warm regards, |
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For all of us here at the Silk Road Project, the ancient Silk Road trade route is a means of exploring history and geography as well as a metaphor for the ongoing interchange among cultures throughout the world.
