The Silkroad Ensemble, a music collective comprising around 60 musicians, composers, storytellers, and other artists, grew out of a project and organization founded by Yo-Yo Ma in 1998. His idea was to bring together musicians from diverse cultures to share ideas, collaborate in performance, and ultimately broaden the experiences of audiences. Initially, musicians explored the cultural roots and styles of music in the countries along the ancient trade route using native instruments. Since then, the music has expanded its horizons globally, just as it has come to include newly crafted pieces in addition to new interpretations of older music. ~ Patsy Morita