Those lucky enough to get tickets will be treated to tonight's performance by world-famous cellist and Montgomery Fellow Yo-Yo Ma, whose sold-out concert will provide a glimpse of the forthcoming Silk Road Project.
In addition to his highly celebrated musical talents, Yo-Yo Ma is the artistic director of the Silk Road Project, which hopes to bring together a diverse group of artists, musicians and scholars from around the world to explore cross-cultural influences in music from the Asian lands comprising the legendary Silk Road.
Tonight's performance in Spaulding Auditorium is a special preview concert that will feature a sampling of five pieces of music, which reflect the theme of the Eastern-Western musical exchange as well as a discussion between Yo-Yo Ma and members of the accompanying Ensemble.
The Project will involve both contemporary and traditional music and instruments in an effort to evoke enthusiasm for classical music.
Ma said that, "We are striving to bring new ideas, talent and energy into the world of classical music."
The two-year Project, to be officially launched in August 2001, will include concerts, festivals and educational outreach activities in North America, Europe and Asia.
Professor Theodore Levin, musical ethnographer and Central Asia specialist at Dartmouth, is the executive director of the Silk Road Project.
While on a three year leave from the College, Levin said that he hopes the project will "help musicians and artists from these [Silk Road] lands integrate themselves into the global circulation of culture."
Ma has always been interested in the cross cultural collaboration of music artists.
He stated, "I believe that when we enlarge our view of the world we also deepen our understanding of our own lives and culture." He continued, "The Silk Road Project hopes to plant the seeds of new artistic and cultural growth, and to celebrate living traditions and musical voices throughout the world."
The original Silk Road route was used for trading and extended from Japan and China, through central Asia, and on into Persia, Turkey, Italy and Greece. The historic route linked diverse cultures and helped transport information and materials between the East and the West.
Similarly, the Silk Road Project aims to spread the musical culture of these areas around the world.
The Silk Road Ensemble will perform their newly composed works, which include Eastern and Western instruments and traditional musical from the respective lands, around the world.
As an artist, Ma has established himself as one of the foremost cellists today. He has produced nearly 50 albums, which reflect his wide range of interests, 12 of which won Grammy Awards.
Ma began playing the cello at the early age of four under the tutelage of his father. When the Chinese family moved to the United States from Paris shortly afterwards, he attended the Julliard School. Eventually he went on to pursue a liberal arts education and graduated from Harvard in 1976.
Ma is also devoted to educational programs that allow young audiences to be in contact with and participate in music. His goal is to connect music to their daily lives that will in turn make music and creativity a vital part of life at a young age.
As a result, the Project's goal "to promote an interdisciplinary study of the cultural, intellectual and artistic traditions of the regions connected by the historic Silk Road" will be achieved through the various festivals and performances around the world as well as several additional programs.
The project has commissioned almost 30 composers from the Silk Road countries to create new works for Ma and his ensemble to perform.
Additionally, the project is developing educational programs including a website, teacher kits, recordings and multimedia projects that will be available beginning within the next two years.
Tomorrow at 4 p.m., Ma will lead a discussion in Spaulding focused on the topic "Does Music Still Have an East and a West?" Music professor and executive director of the Project Ted Levin will also be present. The event is at the open and free to the College community.
World-famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma talks about his life and work in Wednesday's issue of The Dartmouth.
