Silkroad

Featuring:
Mike Block, cello
Edward Pérez, bass
Balla Kouyaté, balafon

Silkroad presents Train Station Trio, a series generating new music as part of Silkroad’s multi-year American Railroad project, an initiative led by Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens that illuminates the impact the African American, Chinese, Indigenous, Irish, and other immigrant communities had on the creation of the U.S. Transcontinental Railroad and connecting railways in North America. In this one-of-a-kind Boston event, a trio of Silkroad artists will explore untold stories from these communities, contextualizing the railroad through music and reminding us of America’s intricately rich history.

After completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, a trip from coast to coast that used to take months was shortened to just under a week, allowing for the transport of goods and ideas across the continent. Profit-seeking corporations and the American government financed it, but the people who actually built it—Indigenous and African Americans as well Irish, Chinese, Japanese, and other immigrant laborers—are the focus of Silkroad’s American Railroad. The ambitious project highlights untold stories and amplifies unheard voices from these communities, addressing past injustices and providing a more truthful account of global diasporic contributions to the creation of the American Empire. This in-depth exploration began in 2020 with artist retreats and site visits throughout the nation, as well as the creation of new compositions and a broad range of educational resources and community-building activities.

During this event, we will also hear from Boston-based Latin Baroque ensemble Rumbarroco, who will tell a critical part of the American Railroad story that was missing in our narrative from the Mexican community.

Those who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the historical context, the origins of the music being performed, and the partnerships formed through the project, can do so by accessing the American Railroad booklet available on Silkroad’s website. Developed in 2023, this educational resource has been viewed by more than 10,000 people around the world.

ArtsThursdays is a university-wide initiative sponsored by Harvard University Committee on the Arts (HUCA).