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The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble

Original title: The Music of Strangers
  • 20152015
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
736
YOUR RATING
The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (2015)
Trailer for The Music of Strangers
Play trailer2:30
1 Video
18 Photos
DocumentaryMusic
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and other international artists of The Silk Road Project discuss their philosophies on music and culture.Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and other international artists of The Silk Road Project discuss their philosophies on music and culture.Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and other international artists of The Silk Road Project discuss their philosophies on music and culture.
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
736
YOUR RATING
    • Morgan Neville
  • Stars
    • Yo-Yo Ma
    • Kinan Azmeh
    • Kayhan Kalhor
    • Morgan Neville
  • Stars
    • Yo-Yo Ma
    • Kinan Azmeh
    • Kayhan Kalhor
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 7User reviews
    • 42Critic reviews
    • 70Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos1

    The Music of Strangers
    Trailer 2:30
    Watch The Music of Strangers

    Photos18

    Kayhan Kalhor in The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (2015)
    Cristina Pato in The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (2015)
    Yo-Yo Ma in The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (2015)
    Kinan Azmeh in The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (2015)
    Man Wu in The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (2015)
    Cristina Pato at an event for The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (2015)
    Kayhan Kalhor at an event for The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (2015)
    Kinan Azmeh at an event for The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (2015)
    Yo-Yo Ma and Morgan Neville at an event for The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (2015)
    Nancy Abraham and Yo-Yo Ma at an event for The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (2015)
    Yo-Yo Ma at an event for The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (2015)
    Man Wu at an event for The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (2015)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Yo-Yo Ma
    Yo-Yo Ma
    • Self
    Kinan Azmeh
    Kinan Azmeh
    • Self
    Kayhan Kalhor
    Kayhan Kalhor
    • Self
    Cristina Pato
    Cristina Pato
    • Self
    Man Wu
    Man Wu
    • Self
    Johnny Gandelsman
    • Self
    • (as Jonathan Gandelsman)
    Osvaldo Golijov
    Osvaldo Golijov
    • Self
    Nicholas Ma
    Nicholas Ma
    • Self
    Bobby McFerrin
    Bobby McFerrin
    • Self
    Kevork Mourad
    • Self
    Dun Tan
    Dun Tan
    • Self
    Kojiro Umezaki
    • Self
    Tong Wu
    • Self
      • Morgan Neville
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      A poster for this film can be seen in The Line Substitution Solution (2016) when the guys are waiting in line at the theater.
    • Connections
      Edited from From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China (1979)

    User reviews7

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    charming
    The subjects of this documentary are the renowned cellist Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, an international orchestra which he created. Some of the other members, renowned in their respective countries and regions, are also interviewed. They include Kinan Azmeh (from Syria), Kayhan Kalhor (a Kurdish Iranian living in exile), Wu Man (from the Chinese province of Zhejiang), and Cristina Pato (from the Celtic region of Galicia in northwestern Spain).

    This film ably juxtaposes the spiritual beauty in discussions of music and culture against the troubles of the world including histories that are current (Syria), recent (Iran), and distant (the cultural revolution in China in the 1960s). These discussions also include the difficulty in maintaining culture and music during such difficult times. Similarly, modern economics is also a challenge to maintaining cultural history which is most important as many musical instruments are unique to certain countries and regions.

    As the main interviewee, Ma is inspirational due to his modesty, his intelligence, and his ability to articulate the spirituality he sees in his art. It is also refreshing to witness someone who is world famous but who also seems resistant to the trashy and vulgar sides of fame.

    One of the most gripping scenes is where Azmeh visits Syrian refugee camps in Syria and teaches basic music to a group of young girls. An aerial view of the camps is heart-wrenching.

    With such a great collective of music, I was expecting a grand finale. The finale was pleasant though it could have been more emotional. While this film takes on great principles, it occasionally seems a bit too earnest. But when it covers so much beautiful music, art, architecture, and spiritual values, how can one not like it? It's no surprise that its director, Morgan Neville, directed another musical documentary "20 Feet from Stardom" which was one of the best movies of 2013.
    helpful•1
    0
    • proud_luddite
    • May 12, 2018

    Details

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    • Release date
      • November 18, 2016 (United Kingdom)
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • BBC Four (United Kingdom)
      • Official site
      • English
      • Mandarin
      • Persian
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Istanbul, Turkey
    • Production companies
      • Tremolo Productions
      • Participant
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 36 minutes
      • Color
      • Stereo

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