ABOUT THE PROGRAM

As a social-impact organization and home to a Grammy Award-winning musical ensemble, Silkroad works to inspire collaboration in innovative ways that add more equity and justice into the world through the power of the arts. Today, under the leadership of Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens, Silkroad reaches new heights through a commitment to new music, a re-sparked mission towards cultural collaboration, and a reinvigorated focus to high-quality arts education that both reflects its mission and the times in which we live. Phoenix Risingtakes a cross-section of Silkroad’s award-winning compositions andarrangements and re-imagines them for today. Keeping an eye on the past, Silkroad andGiddens have also collaborated on new works that coalesce her unique worldview withthe Ensemble’s collective experience during the pandemic. As such,Phoenix Risingwillunveil four major new commissions by an amazing amalgamation of Silkroad artists:Shawn Conley, Sandeep Das, Maeve Gilchrist, and Kaoru Watanabe. The program willalso include new arrangements by Rhiannon Giddens, Colin Jacobsen, Edward Pérez, andMazz Swift.

NOTE FROM ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, RHIANNON GIDDENS

From its ancient Greek origins to its indigenous roots in America, the phoenix is a global symbol for rebirth and renewal. Known for its fiery purple, orange, and gold feathers and crimson red breast, this mythical bird perishes in flames after setting itself on fire and then rises from the ashes after being born anew. We, as Silkroad, have been undergoing a SILKROAD.ORG transformation in our own right that will propel us to new heights of leveraging our music to create a more hopeful and inclusive world. As we prepare to emerge from multiple pandemics that have caused devastating loss, we vision a peaceful and just future while still honoring the central tenets of our past; we offer to you Phoenix Rising: a collective grieving song and clarion call, uniting audiences through varied cultural experiences and challenging each of us to reflect on, celebrate, and activate our unique talents to effect change. This is the first of many new and exciting projects from Silkroad, and I cannot wait to share it with you. Together we rise and fall, speaking our truths, honoring our forgotten histories, and looking to our collective future as we investigate this new chapter and uncover the world within American music. —Rhiannon Giddens