Silkroad Presents: American Railroad

Returning for their second of three years as a Mason Artist-in-Residence, Silkroad Ensemble presents American Railroad, an initiative that maps American music through the various immigrant communities involved in building the late-1800s Transcontinental Railroad. Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens joins the ensemble for this performance, which is told through the stories and sounds of African American, Chinese, Irish, Mexican, and Native American communities. Traditional instruments—such as the guzheng, pipa, erhu, and qinqin—cross paths with fiddles, bones, tambo, and banjo to remind audiences of America’s intricately interwoven history.

Silkroad Ensemble is a GRAMMY Award-winning music collective founded by Yo-Yo Ma and now led by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Giddens. Its artists continue to drive social impact initiatives and educational programming alongside the creation of new music that celebrates the exchange of ideas, tradition, and innovation across borders. During their residency, Silkroad Ensemble will engage the community through a variety of events, classes, and discussions.