with Rhiannon Giddens
July 24, 2022
“This multinational ensemble of more than a dozen acclaimed musicians draws on a rich tapestry of styles and instruments to create music contemporary and ancient, familiar and foreign.”
The Silkroad Ensemble took the audience on a trip around the world in 75 minutes. These world class musicians captured the charm and nuance in music from Great Britain to India and beyond. Individually these pieces were completely different but when brought together they made a cohesive concert that took audience members on a journey like no other.
"Phoenix Rising takes a cross-section of Silkroad’s award-winning compositions and arrangements and re-imagines them for today. Keeping an eye on the past, Silkroad and Giddens have also collaborated on new works that coalesce her unique worldview with the Ensemble’s collective experience during the pandemic."
The Silkroad Ensemble was created by cellist Yo-Yo Ma in 1998 to initiate a collaborative safe-space where musicians from different backgrounds, cultures, heritage, and traditions could envision and produce musical works. The group does not feature a set lineup of musicians. Instead they have artists on rotation keeping the music and performances fresh. As of 2020 Rhiannon Giddens has taken over as Artistic Director of the Silkroad Ensemble.
General Information
Run Time: 75 minutes, no intermission
Silkroad Artists
Jeffery Beecher, Bass
Sandeep Das, Tabla
Haruka Fujii, Percussion
Rhiannon Giddens, Banjo, Voice
Maeve Gilchrist, Celtic Harp
Mario Gotoh, Viola
Joseph Gramley, Percussion
Wu Man, Pipa
Karen Ouzounian, Cello
Mazz Swift, Violin, Voice
Francesco Turrisi, Accordion, Frame Drums
Kaoru Watanabe, Japanese Flute, Percussion
Reylon Yount, Yangqin
The Program
“The Call” — Maeve Gilchrist*
“O, Death” — Traditional, arr. by Rhiannon Giddens**
“Ascending Bird” — Traditional, arr. by Colin Jacobsen and Siamak Aghaei**
“Sacred Cloud Music” — Zhao Jiping
“Goin’ Home” (from the Grammy Award-winning album, Sing Me Home) — Antonin Dvořák, arr. by Rhiannon Giddens and Mazz Swift**
“Ho-oh” — Kaoru Watanabe
“Ekla Cholo Re” — Sandeep Das, Lyrics by Rabindranath Tagore***
“St. James Infirmary Blues” — Traditional; arr. Michael Ward-Bergeman
“New Ritual” — Traditional, arranged by member of Silkroad**
“Cut the Rug: IV. Wake the Dead” — David Bruce, arr. by Edward Pérez**
*World Premiere, Commissioned by Silkroad for Phoenix Rising
**New Arrangement, Commissioned by Silkroad for Phoenix Rising
***Commissioned by Silkroad for Phoenix Rising
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