The Silk Road Ensemble and Yo-Yo Ma Present Concert at Heinz Hall, 2/25

The ancient Silk Road takes a new route through Heinz Hall on February 25 when cello superstar Yo-Yo Ma and his music collective bring their unique program to Pittsburgh.

Making their Heinz Hall debut, the world renowned Silk Road Ensemble with cellist Yo-Yo Ma brings together performers and composers from more than 20 countries for a thrilling experience. Formed in 2000 under the artistic direction of Ma, the group blends instrumental and vocal virtuosity with Eastern and Western musical traditions, creating music that responds to our multicultural society. Described by the Boston Globe as "a kind of roving musical laboratory without walls," Silk Road celebrates 15 years of performances with this tour.

The group's members include Kinan Azmeh, clarinet; Mike Block, cello; Shawn Conley, bass; Nicholas Cords, viola; Sandeep Das, table; Johnny Gandelsman, violin; Joseph Gramley, percussion; Colin Jacobsen, violin; Kayhan Kalhor, kamancheh; Yo-Yo Ma, cello; Cristina Pato, gaita, piano; Shane Shanahan, percussion; Mark Suter, percussion; Kojiro Umezaki, shakuhachi; Wu Tong, sheng; and Yang Wei, pipa. Ma, who serves as the group's artistic director, will be performing at this concert.

The performance will feature pieces commissioned by Silk Road, "Side In Side Out" by Kojiro Umezaki of the ensemble and "Taranta Project" by Giovanni Sollima, and two premieres, a new work by ensemble member Christina Pato and "Paramita" by Zhao Lin, as well as other works.

Please note that this concert does not feature the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets, ranging in price from $55 to $150, are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Heinz Hall box office, on the phone at 412-392-4900 or online atpittsburghsymphony.org

Since 2000, the Silk Road Ensemble has been redefining classical music for 21st-century audiences. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma established the nonprofit organization Silkroad and the Ensemble to explore the role of the arts in fostering cross-cultural understanding, deepening learning and promoting innovation. Under the artistic direction of Ma, the Silk Road Ensemble draws on the rich array of traditions that make up our shared cultural heritage to create a new musical language - a uniquely engaging and accessible encounter between the foreign and the familiar that reflects our many-layered contemporary identities. The group has performed throughout Asia, Europe and North America, and has recorded five albums, including the most recent CD, "A Playlist Without Borders," and "Live From Tanglewood" DVD.

In 1998, cellist Yo-Yo Ma established Silkroad to expand on his interest in exploring music as a means of communication and a vehicle for the migration of ideas from across the world's cultures. Under his artistic direction and with his participation, playing both cello and morin khuur, Silkroad presents performances by the acclaimed Silk Road Ensemble; engages in cross cultural exchanges and residencies; leads workshops for students; and partners with leading cultural institutions, including its ongoing affiliation with Harvard University, to create educational materials and programs that stimulate the imagination and promote innovation and learning through the arts.

Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts is owned and operated by Pittsburgh Symphony, Inc., a non-profit organization, and is the year-round home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The cornerstone of Pittsburgh's Cultural District, Heinz Hall also hosts many other events that do not feature its world-renowned orchestra, including Broadway shows, comedians, speakers and much more. For a full calendar of upcoming non-symphony events at the hall, visit heinzhall.org.