Cristina Pato, who recently performed in Ruby Diamond Concert Hall with Silkroad Ensemble, founded by Yo-Yo Ma, is an internationally acclaimed Galician bagpiper master, classical pianist and passionate educator. She devotes her career to cultural exchange and creating new paths for her unique instrument. In 1999, Pato became the first female gaita player to release a solo album and since then she has collaborated with world music, jazz, classical and experimental artists—including Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Yo-Yo Ma, New York Philharmonic and dancers Damian Woetzel and Lil’ Buck. She fuses the influences of Latin music, jazz, pop and contemporary music, and uses her artistry and unprecedented virtuosic skill to bring her musical vision to life. She serves as Learning Advisor for Silkroad and has been an artist-in residence at a number of universities, including Harvard and the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she develops interdisciplinary learning projects on the role of arts in society.