Sandeep Das

And I think a lot of the people that end up in Silk Road are on the side of more experience.

But even within that, there are people whose entire lives and practices are based on it, like Sandeep Das, who is coming from North Indian style of classical music.

In this particular setting, taking all of that into consideration and figuring out how to channel it through me, like as a conductor, for sure, that's what I'm doing.

But also even as a player, if we're all just doing a free improvisational work, moment to take all of that in and try and process it in my own way and then give to the group and allow folks to be inspired and to be surprised by each other and themselves.

And I was able to study with Mike Block and the members of the Silk Road Ensemble.

We brought Sandeep Das here, Tabla, and the orchestra played with him last year.

And so that group taught me a lot about myself.

It just opened up my perceptions of different cultures and worlds and people.