The ancient Silk Road was not one, but a series of trade

routes, whose nexus was the desert oasis of Kashgar, in

Xin Jiang, northwest China. A marketplace, rest stop

and meeting place, Kashgar was an important gateway

into China, through which passed the trade goods and

rich cultural influences of India, Persia, Central Asia,

and the Mediterranean. The Silk Road, as an ancient

symbol of cultural exchange, has inspired Orchid

Ensemble to explore the wealth of these traditional

musics, and to create this collection of traditional works

and new compositions expressing the rhythms, modes

and character of these exotic lands.