Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma

Inspired by his curiosity about the world and eager to forge connections across cultures, disciplines, and generations, cellist Yo-Yo Ma founded the nonprofit organization Silkroad in 1998. The Silk Road Ensemble was formed in 2000 as a way of bringing together innovative performers and composers representing traditions from around the world.

Silkroad is a collective of rooted explorers, inclusive independents, storytelling musicians, passionate learners, connected nomads, and cultural entrepreneurs. We believe that exploring our differences enriches our humanity. We seek the edge where education, business, and the arts come together to spark new ways of looking at the world. We strive to create unexpected connections, collaborations, and communities in pursuit of meaningful change.

Through performances and the creation of new music, cultural partnerships, education programs, and cross-disciplinary collaborations, Silkroad seeks to create meaningful change at the intersection of the arts, education, and business.

VISION & MISSION

SilkRoad is the world where exploring our difference enriches our humanity

SilkRoad is the edge where education, business, and the arts come together to transform the world

SilkRoad is the collective of rooted explorers, inclusive independents, storytelling musicians, passionate learners, connected nomads, and cultural entrepreneurs

SilkRoad is the movement to create unexpected connections, collaborations, and communities in pursuit of meaningful change

AT HARVARD

Silkroad has been affiliated with Harvard University since 2005, with offices on Harvard’s Allston campus since 2010. At the University, Silkroad encourages dialogue among artists and musicians, educators and entrepreneurs. Through mentorships and workshops, Silkroad acts as a working laboratory at the intersection of the arts and academics, collaborating across disciplines with Harvard faculty and students.

Partnerships are ongoing with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Office for the Arts, Graduate School of Education, Harvard Business School, the Harvard Innovation Lab, among others. Each summer, Silkroad and Harvard Graduate School of Education co-present an institute for artists and educators from around the world on The Arts and Passion-Driven Learning.

PARTNERS

The Silk Road Project, Inc. (Silkroad) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization supported by individuals, foundations, and corporations. We are deeply grateful to the institutional partners whose

Founding Member, Associate Artistic Director