Silkroad presents a reimagined version of its American Railroad program, featuring the Silkroad Ensemble with pipa virtuoso Wu Man in November 2025. The upcoming tour will encompass five cities in the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.
Originally conceived by Silkroad’s Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens,
American Railroad sheds light on the profound yet often-overlooked contributions of Indigenous and African Americans, as well as Chinese, Irish, Japanese, and other immigrant communities, to the construction of the U.S. Transcontinental Railroad and connecting railways across North America. Just as the ancient Silk Road facilitated cultural exchange between Asia and Europe, the railroad transformed the American landscape—both uniting and dividing the people whose lives it touched.
In a powerful reimagining of this acclaimed program, Silkroad presents an intimate yet dynamic eight-piece ensemble, led by internationally renowned pipa master and longtime founding member of Silkroad Wu Man. The program highlights collaborations of traditional percussion instruments from India, Japan, and Italy, alongside the Chinese pipa, guitar, and string instruments, as well as the Chinese suona and European accordion. Featuring original compositions by Silkroad artists and guest composers, this performance amplifies the voices of those who built the railroads—and those who were displaced by them—painting a richer, more accurate picture of America’s past and its reverberations today.
Beyond the stage, the story of American Railroad is available in a
podcast, an educational curriculum, an
album, and the
PBS series My Music with Rhiannon Giddens (Season 2). From the original podcast, PRX also recently released a
one-hour special with a strong focus on the stories and contributions of Chinese and Japanese immigrants.
2025 AMERICAN RAILROAD TOUR – ROSTER & SCHEDULE: Wu Man, pipa
Niwel Tsumbu, guitar
Shawn Conley, bass
Sandeep Das, tabla
Kaoru Watanabe, Japanese flutes and percussion
Michi Wiancko, violin
Guo Yazhi, Chinese winds and percussion
Francesco Turrisi, accordion and frame drums
November 7, 2025
Quick Center for the Arts
Fairfield, CT
Tickets Educational Activities:
Open rehearsal for area public school students (November 6; not open to the public).
November 8, 2025
Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
Great Barrington, MA
TicketsNovember 9, 2025
Presented by FirstWorks
The VETS
Providence, RI
TicketsEducational/Community Activities:
Virtual discussion with Silkroad artists (October 30; open to the public but registration required)
Student matinee performance (November 9; not open to the public)
November 13, 2025
The Colonial Theatre
Keene, NH
Tickets November 16, 2025
The Music Center at Strathmore
North Bethesda, MD
Tickets
