“It’s a two-hour series of musical selections, each one more surprising and beautiful than the one before, in which you can hear divisions of genre and style wash away in real time like the ramparts of a crumbling sandcastle.”—San Francisco Chronicle

Conceived by Yo-Yo Ma, the genre-defying Silkroad Ensemble is comprised of world-class musicians from all over the globe. Now led by Grammy Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and multi-instrumentalist Rhiannon Giddens, the group’s latest project illuminates the impact of immigrant communities on the creation of the U.S. transcontinental railroad, and its impact on the Native people of North America. The performance uses the music and instruments of African American, Chinese, Indigenous, Irish, and other peoples to explore the dissemination of cultures across the country. The result unveils a rich tapestry of untold stories about the origins of the American Empire and the formation of our multifaceted American identities, and their costs.

Download information about the American Railroad project here (PDF).

PERFORMANCE TALK
Join us for a free pre-performance talk by Alicia Reese, Silkroad’s Director of Strategic Partnerships & Impact, in Ramsey Concert Hall from 6:15-6:45 pm.