YOYO MA A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF
ASIAN AMERICAN ARTISTRY!
YOYO MA SYMBOLIZES
the fast-growing influence of Asian/Asian Pacific American artists within the American scene while incorporating various eclectic musical genres. His long established artistry and respect have provided various opportunities to play with many renowned artists. These artists include renowned baroque conductor/composer Ton Koopman, Itzhak Perlman (at the 2001 Academy Awards broadcast), Tan Dun, Edgar Meyer, Mark O'Connor, James Taylor, Alison Krauss, Joshua Bell, Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Mike Marshall, Emanuel Ax, Isaac Stem, Jaime Laredo and Bobby McFerrin
THE MANY-FACTED CAREER
of cellist YoYo Ma is a testament to his search for new ways to communicate with audiences and to his own desire for artistic growth and renewal. Whether performing a new concerto, revisiting a familiar work from the cello repertoire, reaching out to young audiences and student musicians, or exploring cultures and musical forms outside the Western classical tradition, Ma strives to find connections that stimulate the imagination. Sony Classical has been his partner throughout his career, documenting his interpretations of the mainstream repertoire and collaborating in his search for new ways of making music.
IN NOVEMBER 1997,
In November 1997, Ma was named Artist of the Year in the Gramophone Awards. The magazine noted, "In a year of quite extraordinary diversity, the cellist YoYo Ma has shown that the boundaries of 'classical' music need not be restraining as he has vaulted spectacularly from classical cello concertos, to blue-grass music via a disc of tangos to a host of specially composed works featuring his remarkable talent. With Ma, there is only one category of music - the kind he wants to make."
IN HIS PASSION
In his passion to incorporate different artistic mediums to explore other means of communication, he has developed works from people in other disciplines. This was seen in six multimedia films of
Bach's Six Cello Suites that explored the relationship between Bach's music and other artistic disciplines. These films featured Mark Morris' choreography, the work of the renowned Kabuki artist Tamasaburo Bando, the Italian architect Piranesi's designs, Boston-based garden designer Julie Moir Messervy, the Olympic ice-dancing champions Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean, and Canadian film director Atom Egoyan. The films have been released on home video by Sony Classical and have won numerous honors - including two 1998 Emmy Awards and 16 Canadian Gemini nominations.
YOYO MA DRAWS INSPIRATION
from a wide circle of collaborators, having created programs with such artists as Emanuel Ax, Daniel Barenboim, Pamela Frank, Jeffrey Kahane, Young Uck Kim, Jaime Laredo, Bobby McFerrin, Edgar Meyer, Mark O'Connor, Peter Serkin, Isaac Stern, Richard Stoltzman and Kathryn Stott. Each of these collaborations is fueled by the interaction between or among the artists, and often that process produces music that extends beyond the boundaries of a particular genre, classical or otherwise. To that end, he has taken time to immerse himself in projects as diverse as native Chinese music (and distinctive instruments) and the music of the Kalahari bush people in Africa.
AS A RESULT,
YoYo Ma has created "The Silk Road Project," a new initiative aimed at exploring the cross-cultural influences among and between the lands comprising the legendary Silk Road and the West. Beginning in 2001, an ambitious program of concerts, festivals and educational outreach activities in North America, Europe and Asia was initiated with a distinguished team of scholars, musicians and artists from around the world. The Silk Road Project is designed to illuminate the historical contributions of the Silk Road; support innovative collaborations among artists from the East and West; and resituate classical music within a broader global context.
AN EXCLUSIVE
Sony Classical recording artist, YoYo Ma is a ten-time Grammy award winner. Within his fifty (c.d.), his recent releases include the following:
SOUL OF THE TANGO based on the works of Astor Piazolla (awarded the 1999 Grammy for Best Classical Crossover Album) and
IMMORTAL BELOVED (certified Gold), PBS's "Live from Lincoln Center."
NOTE: Click on each "Titles" for more information on each selection
HIS SUPPORT
of contemporary music is evident when he has premiered works by a diverse group of composers, including Stephen Albert, Chen Qigang, John Corigliano, Richard Danielpour, John Harbison, Leon Kirchner, Peter Lieberson, Christopher Rouse, Bright Sheng, Tan Dun and John Williams. Highly acclaimed for his ensemble playing, Mr. Ma regularly performs chamber music with Emanuel Ax, Isaac Stem and Jaime Laredo of Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorak, Fauré, Mozart and Schumann.
The Silk Road Project, an initiative aimed at exploring cross-cultural influences among and between the lands comprising the legendary Silk Road and the West.
They've launched an ambitious program of concerts, festivals and educational outreach activities in North America, Europe and Asia.
Yo-Yo Ma, in coordination with a distinguished team of scholars, musicians and artists from around the world, the Silk Road Project is designed to illuminate the historical contributions of the Silk Road, support innovative collaborations among artists from the East and West, and resituate classical music within a broader global context.
YOYO MA HAS PERFORMED
to complete capacity at many venues throughout the world. They include a sold out the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, the premiere of contemporary music entitled "Heaven, Earth, Mankind: Symphony 1997" celebrating the return of Hong Kong to Chinese Rule.
ALONGSIDE
his extensive performing and recording, YoYo Ma devotes time to work with young musicians in programs such as those at Interlochen and Tanglewood. He seeks to include educational outreach activities in his regular touring schedule as well, through master classes and more informal interaction with student audiences. He is also working to develop concerts for family audiences and appeared with Emanuel Ax on Canegie Hall's family series. He seeks to include educational outreach activities in his regular touring schedule through master classes and more informal interaction with students. He is also working to develop concerts for family audiences, and he appears with Emanuel Ax in Carnegie Hall's family series.
OTHER WORKS
designed for children include the following: Ma's performance on the recent release Lulie the Iceberg (SK 61665), a one-time performance, recorded live at Carnegie Hall, of a musical tale for children about the environment. Based on a children's book by Princess Hisako of Takamodo, Lulie the Iceberg features an exciting original musical score by American composer Jeffrey Stock performed by Ma, violinist Pamela Frank and Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Paul Winter, accompanied by chorus and orchestra.
BORN IN PARIS
in 1955 of Chinese parents, YoYo Ma began his cello studies with his father at age 4. Later, he studied with Janos Scholz and in 1962 he began his studies with Leonard Rose at the Juilliard School. A graduate of Harvard University, he was accorded the special distinction of an honorary doctorate in music in 1991 by his alma mater. He was also the recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize in 1978. Mr. Ma and his wife, Jill, have two children, Nicholas and Emily.
YOYO MA
gave his first public recital at age 5 and by the time he was 19 was being compared with such masters as Rostropovich and Casals.
ONE
of the most sought-after cellists of our time, Mr. Ma has appeared with eminent conductors and orchestras in all the music capitals of the world. He has also earned a distinguished international reputation as an ambassador for classical music and its vital role in society. He currently plays a Montagnana cello from Venice made in 1733 and a Davidoff Stradivarius made in 1712.
