And it can also be a source of renewal for those seeking new directions, like the students we just heard at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.

My name is Maz Swift.

I am a violinist and singer with the Silk Road Ensemble.

The way I like to make music is I've always been kind of omnivorous.

All of the things I do kind of bleeds its way into my creative process, which means I'm very interested in folk music, particularly.

I mean, I've spent a lot of time playing Irish music because it's really fun.

I'm really interested in the role that the fiddle has played in the African-American experience.

They also take their performances outside of the concert hall and into the community, putting on shows in schools, senior centers, domestic violence shelters, and hospitals.