Flushing Town Hall Will Host Mini-Global Mashup Festival Along the Silk Road

On December 5 from 6:00 to 10:00 PM, Flushing Town Hall invites audiences to journey across continents with its Mini-Global Mashup Festival: Flying Horses/Sonic Threads, an immersive evening of music, dance, food, and culture.

Inspired by the ancient trade route known as the Silk Road, which ran through Asiatic, Middle Eastern, and North African landscapes, the Flying Horses/Sonic Threads festival will feature musical traditions from along the route, celebrating the spirit of cultural exchange and offering audiences the chance to experience a wide range of rhythms and music. Bringing artists and instruments from China, India, Iran, Palestine, Syria, and Turkmenistan together, Flying Horses/Sonic Threads will amplify the sonic and historical connections of the Silk Road.

“This isn't just a concert—it's a living dialogue with history,” says Ellen Kodadek, Flushing Town Hall's Executive and Artistic Director. “We're amplifying the musical threads that connect these cultures and fostering a creative exchange that's as vital today as it was centuries ago. Come and dance, listen and enjoy!”

Curated by Roshni Samlal, Flying Horses/Sonic Threads will feature three, short performance sets before all the artists come together on stage for a collaborative, global jam session. The evening Will Close with an open dance floor, DJ'd by Yalla! Party Project, an arts collective centering “brown girls and their besties” from New York City and around the world. Their international and local DJs spin a variety of world dance music and diasporic sounds spotlighting North African beats, Arabic pop, South Asian, Afro, Baile Funk, and diverse global grooves.

Performance Lineup:

• Set 1: Jingwen Zhang (erhu), Oghlan Bakshi (dutar), and Cheng Jin Koh (yangkin)

• Set 2: Mehrnam Rastegari (kemenche), Roshni Samlal (tabla), and Camila Celin (sarod, guitar)

• Set 3: ZZafer Tawil (percussion, violin, oud), Faraj Abyad, and accompanist TBD

• Global Jam: All musicians unite for a cross-cultural collaboration

• Yalla! Party Project spins global beats in a DJ set