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Silkroad names Rhiannon Giddens as new artistic director / THE UNDEFEATED

Folk artist, banjo evangelist, Grammy winner and MacArthur genius grant recipient Rhiannon Giddens will be the new artistic director of Silkroad. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma founded the artistic organization in 1998 to foster multicultural connection and collaboration among music artists across the world, sort of like an ongoing United Nations jam session. Silkroad announced the decision Tuesday morning. Giddens' first official appearance as Silkroad's new artistic director will be July 29 during Tanglewood's virtual "Recitals from the World Stage."

"Rhiannon is an extraordinary human being and musician," Ma said in a statement provided by Silkroad. "She lives Silkroad's values, at once rooted in history and its many musics, and is an advocate for the contemporary voices that can move us to work together for a better world."

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