London Silk Road collective
The London Silk Road Collective, founded in 2018, works to encourage collaboration among musicians from different cultures along the Silk Road, and celebrate their shared cultural heritage.
The core group of professional Uzbek and Uyghur musicians perform maqam, songs and instrumental pieces on traditional instruments, ranging widely across Turkish, Azeri, Iranian, Afghan, Uzbek, and especially Uyghur musical traditions.
In this era of cultural erasure in the Uyghur homeland, the group is committed to promoting the rich musical culture and history of the Uyghurs.
In November 2021, the Tarim Network partnered with Good Faith Productions to host a concert of Uyghur and Uzbek music in London.
This concert video showcases the performances from that night alongside notes on the songs' meanings and history.
The London Silk Road Collective:
Singer: Rahima Mahmut
Dutar: Rachel Harris
Violin: Imogen Faux
Kashgar Rubab: Sardor Mirzakhojaev
Ghijek: Li Cheong
Joined by:
Percussionist: Abbos Kosimov
Dancer: Rashid Shadat
Ney: Mirzakarimov Dostonbek
The London Silk Road Collective kindly welcomed the Tarim Network behind the scenes as they rehearsed for November's concert. In this video we take a look at how the ensemble transforms traditional pieces to new contexts, and carries meaning to different audiences.
This is the first video in the Tarim Network's new Our Canvas project, excavating the creative journeys often hidden behind great works of art.
If you would be interested in excavating your own artistic process with Our Canvas, let us know.