From August 25th to 31st, the Silk Road Project’s Global Musicians Workshop, hosted by Zhejiang Conservatory of Music and the Silk Road Project, Inc., was held at Zhejiang Conservatory of Music. Over the course of a week, six world-renowned artists from the Silk Road Project, Inc., embarked on a musical "adventure" of exploration, exchange, fusion, and innovation alongside over 30 young musicians from both China and abroad.

"All-Star" Mentors' Participation

In 2000, renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma founded the Silk Road Project, transplanting the concept of the "Silk Road" as a vehicle for cultural exchange and promoting cross-border communication into the contemporary music scene. This resulted in a touring ensemble comprising top musicians from diverse nations. The musical belief that transcends cultural barriers and embodies an "adventurous" spirit has gradually gained momentum, exerting a profound influence on young musicians.

In 2005, Yo-Yo Ma engaged cellist and composer Michael Block to establish the Silk Road Project's first educational training camp focused on musical performing arts. Jointly led with renowned pipa artist and Zhejiang Conservatory of Music's Distinguished Professor Wu Man, the camp provides diverse musical style and cultural training for young musicians worldwide. Since its inception, the training camp has encompassed 45 instrument types and vocal specialties, with 465 participants from 38 countries.

This year, the Silk Road Project’s Global Musicians Workshop made its debut in China, officially kicking off in the picturesque city of Hangzhou. The workshop featured six mentors, including Michael Block and Wu Man, who are both members of the Silk Road Project, Inc. and world-class artists. Many of them are Grammy Award winners or nominees. Participants primarily comprised music-background students, professional teachers, and musicians, with some traveling from the United States, Australia, and Ecuador, among others, to attend.

A Cross-Cultural Musical "Adventure"

Unlike other educational workshops, this one adhered to the mission of the Silk Road Project, Inc., emphasizing the exploration of how to "play" with music amidst the collision of diverse national musical traditions and cultural backgrounds. It aimed to ignite cross-cultural, multi-faceted sparks through music, serving as a bridge between different cultures.

The workshop primarily adopted a mentor-led group class format. Under the guidance of mentors, foreign young musicians, armed with banjos, ouds, and kantles, collaborated with Chinese traditional instrumentalists playing pipa, erhu, konghou, and more, transcending language barriers to create and improvise together. Mentors imparted musical knowledge and techniques from various cultural backgrounds, guiding students in learning different musical styles. During mentor-student sharing sessions, mentors and students exchanged face-to-face, sharing their musical stories and experiences. They also collaborated on two concerts, fully demonstrating the fruits of this musical exchange and collision.

The event received widespread praise from participants: "Though we don't speak the same language, we know each other through music." "It opened a door for me. I'm no longer confined to my own musical circle but have tried out more possibilities in playing. I've experienced the joy of freely playing music, which has been incredibly beneficial to my artistic career."

During the workshop, mentors and students built bridges between different cultures through music. They not only acquired musical skills but also gained insights into artistic thinking under various cultural backgrounds, enhancing their cross-cultural communication and improvisation abilities. This further promoted international cooperation in music education and advanced the exchange and development of global musical cultures.