This compilation is a celebration of the diversity of the music of Asia and Europe, juxtaposing the ancient with the modern, folk traditions with court traditions, and classical art music with contemporary pop fusion.
The producers chose one piece of music for each of the then 25 ASEM partner countries, plus the European Union. They have assembled performances to illustrate mutual interrelationships – performances that suggest continuity, unity, or similarity in musical style, composition, and instrumentation. The CD celebrates difference and distrinctiveness to illustrate the sense of uniqueness in the music of each ASEM country.