Silkroad unveiled Sanctuary: The Power of Resonance and Ritual, its next flagship touring program under artistic director Rhiannon Giddens. The Silkroad Ensemble will tour March 10–28, 2026, across eight U.S. cities.
The program centers on communal music-making as a path to comfort, understanding, and community rebuilding, emphasizing cross-cultural collaboration, improvisation, and audience participation. Many stops add free public events to expand access and deepen local ties.
“This is a very exciting program for Silkroad, and it feels relevant for this time in our world… In Sanctuary, we’re digging into various traditions where music has a long history of doing just that,” said Giddens, noting work with guest artists alongside Ensemble members.
The touring roster includes artists representing traditions from Congo, India, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Scotland, and the United States: Shawn Conley, Sandeep Das, Haruka Fujii, Maeve Gilchrist, Layale Chaker, Karen Ouzounian, Mazz Swift, Niwel Tsumbu, Francesco Turrisi, and Kaoru Watanabe.
Special guests include Moroccan guembri player Mehdi Nassouli and Italian percussionist Mauro Durante. Thr musical dialogue will feature Sicilian tarantella, Moroccan Gnawa, Indian classical music, American old-time, and related forms.
Performances will evolve in real time through active listening and improvisation, with artists contributing original ideas that reflect personal stories of healing and comfort. Audiences will be invited to engage directly with the Ensemble.
“This program comes out of a desire to know each other better… Our hope is that the concert and the space itself will become a sanctuary for everyone,” Giddens added.
Free public programming accompanies the tour, including:
- Bowling Green, KY — Partnership with The Jar for an evening of art, conversation, and a shared meal.
- Fairfax, VA — Participation in Friends of the Center for the Arts’ Artist-in-Conversation series at George Mason University, where Silkroad serves as a Mason Artist-in-Residence.
- Chicago, IL — Community dance workshop with Old Town School’s Music Moves Initiative, exploring trance-inspired dance traditions.
- Bay Area, CA — Collaborations with the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music as part of its 20th-anniversary celebration.
Silkroad will announce detailed community schedules on a rolling basis. “Our hope is that these activities will be meaningful touchpoints for all involved, and that they will resonate with communities beyond the halls,” said Executive Director Ben Hartley.
2026 Sanctuary Tour
Musicians: Rhiannon Giddens, banjo/vocals; Shawn Conley, bass; Sandeep Das, tabla; Mauro Durante, percussion; Haruka Fujii, marimba, percussion; Maeve Gilchrist, harp; Layale Chaker, violin; Karen Ouzounian, cello; Mazz Swift, violin/vocals; Niwel Tsumbu, guitar; Francesco Turrisi, frame drums, accordion; Kaoru Watanabe, Japanese flutes and percussion; and Mehdi Nassouli, guembri.
March 10, 2026
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH
March 12, 2026
Indiana University Auditorium
Bloomington, IN
March 15, 2026
Harris Theater
Chicago, IL
March 19-20, 2026
Presented by Cal Performances
Zellerbach Hall
Berkeley, CA
March 22, 2026
Center for the Arts at George Mason University
Fairfax, VA
March 26, 2026
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre
Rochester, NY
March 27, 2026
Tilles Center for the Performing Arts
Brookville, NY
March 28, 2026
McCarter Theatre Center
Princeton, NJ
Author: World Music Central News Room
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