Ma was a child prodigy, and began performing with his instrument at the age of five. He’s now arguably the most famous cello player on the planet. He first appeared on American television at the age of eight, and went onto graduate from both the prestigious Juilliard School - one of the world’s most prestigious music schools - and, later, Harvard University. over the course of a sparkling career, he’s recorded no fewer than seventy-five albums, and has garnered fifteen Grammy Awards in that time, too.
Ma has been involved with several high-profile film soundtracks, too, including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Seven Years in Tibet and Once Upon a Time in America. He performed ‘Air and Simple Gifts’, a John Williams composition, at the inauguration ceremony of President Barack Obama in January 2009, cementing his status of something of a national institution in America, in musical terms. He was a friend of the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs, and would often perform at press events for the tech company at Jobs’ request. He continues to have a huge influence on American culture, and won the inaugural Fred Rogers Legacy Award in 2014, which he called “perhaps the greatest honor I’ve ever received.”
We all witnessed something very special. what an amazing voice and a very talented group of musicians. it was lovely to see how much they enjoyed playing their music together. this was one of if not the best concert I have ever been to.i really hope they all come back-regularly!!!! many thanks Rhiannon & co
Incomparable... the combined musical talent of this ensemble is beyond compare. In a single evening we experienced music inspired by America, Spain, Eastern Europe, Syria, Iran, China, Japan and more. Performers from many different backgrounds, playing instruments both familiar and strange, come together in a unique and unforgettable way. With up to 17 performers playing at once, a live show is the best way to enjoy their rich and complex sound.
Yo-Yo Ma is one of a kind. There is no one who can quite reach the standard of musical ability and technique that Yo-Yo Ma has achieved. To hear his bow strum across the strings of his cello and create that deep resonance that sinks right into out hearts is phenomenal to see in a live setting.
When Yo-Yo Ma walks on the stage everyone is silent and eyes are fixated on him and ears are attentively engrossed in the music. Yo-Yo Ma seems to sell out his shows every time he comes through town and there is a good reason that he does. He is one of the best cello players in the world and his musical repertoire is vast and diverse. Yo-Yo Ma is a master at playing the great classical pieces and Bach’s beloved Baroque pieces, but he also is well versed at playing jazz, blue grass, and Chinese traditional music.
With Yo-Yo Ma being one of the best cello players in the world it makes sense that he would be playing one of the best cellos. He plays a 2.5 million dollar cello that was built in 1733 by the well regarded, Domenico Montagnana. With this cello Yo-Yo Ma is able to get a deep, warm tone that sounds incredible live. When attending a Yo-Yo Ma concert you can be sure you are going to get a diverse setlist. Yo-Yo Ma has an incredibly large catalog of music to play from having already released 75 albums.
Yo-Yo Ma is guaranteed to be an absolute treat to see live. If his 15 Grammy awards isn’t reason enough to convince you to go see him, then I don’t know what is. Yo-Yo Ma is already regarded as a legendary performer and if you get a chance to see him live you should definitely jump on the opportunity.