Yo Yo Ma

Feel the magic and soul of music through wonderful performances by musical maestro Yo Yo Ma. He is undoubtedly one of the most famous cellists the world has ever seen. He is indeed a NUMERO UNO Chinese-American cellist who has over 75 hit albums to his credit. He has won the hearts of millions of people through his wonderful compositions and his voluntary services. Here, we take a look at the glorious musical journey of Yo Yo Ma and his important achievements in the field.

Born in 1955, Yo Yo Ma was destined to be an instrumentalist. He was born to Chinese parents living in Paris. He started to learn cello at the very young age of four. When his family moved to New York after some years, he started taking his musical inclinations very seriously. After completing his early education from Juilliard School, he joined Harvard University and completed his liberal arts graduation in 1976.

The first major performance of Yo Yo Ma was at the age of seven before John F. Kennedy. This was just the start of his magnificent musical career as later; he surprised many with his instrumental abilities and knack for experiments. He achieved ample fame as a soloist while graduating from Trinity School, New York and also participated in Harvard Radcliffe Orchestra. His recordings created a buzz in the industry, while his concerts garnered gates shattering response.

As a Sony Classical artist, Yo Yo Ma has delivered over 75 albums that make him one of the most prolific instrumentalists of our times. Fifteen of his albums won the prestigious Grammy while he earned many other honors for his selfless services in music and arts. Among his major recordings; Hush, Appalachia Waltz and Appalachian Journey, Obrigado Brazil and Obrigado Brazil - Live in Concert, Bach: The Unaccompanied Cello Suites, The New York Album, Stephen Albert: Cello Concerto, Paris: La Belle Epoque, Soul of the Tango, New Impossibilities, Yo-Yo Ma Premieres and Songs of Joy & Peace are distinguished as the musical masterpieces.

Yo Yo Ma has won Grammy Awards in many different categories; such as Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance, Best Chamber Music Performance, Best Classical Album, Best Classical Contemporary Composition, Best Classical Crossover Album, and Latin Grammy for Best Instrumental Album that he won for Obrigado Brazil in 2004. The music he delivered and the awards he earned defy categorization and reflect his wide-ranging interests. However, his standard classical repertoire made him a legend and one of the best-selling recording artists in the classical field.

Continuing with the awards galore, Yo Yo Ma has achieved every possible honor including the National Medal of the Arts, Avery Fisher Prize, Dan David Prize, Glenn Gould Prize, Sonning Prize and the World Economic Forum's Crystal Award. He became the recipient of Doctor of Musical Arts in 2005 by Princeton University and got an Award of Distinction in the International Cello Festival in 2007. He was also appointed a CultureConnect Ambassador by the United States Department of State in 2002; and U.N. Messenger of Peace in 2006.

As a cultural ambassador, Yo Yo Ma trained thousands of students in regions such as Lebanon, Lithuania, Korea, China and Azerbaijan. He also collaborated with Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra and conducted master classes for them. Perhaps, his most ambitious project is the Silk Road Project that has wonderfully enhanced cross-cultural exchange between the West and lands of the Silk Road. Starting in 1998, the Silk Road Project has illuminated millions of music lovers and aspirants through an array of concerts, exhibitions, festivals, recordings and publications. Partner City Festivals were held under its umbrella in major cities of Europe, Central and East Asia, and North America.

The magic of Yo Yo Ma has not only benefitted the world of live and recording industry but he has also contributed in movie soundtracks and theater productions. Specifically noteworthy is his connection with young audiences through appearances on Sesame Street, Arthur and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Besides this, he encouraged many new artists through his educational programs and his work has inspired a whole new generation of classical musicians.

Yo-Yo Ma's diversified approach to music and instruments is translated into a huge variety of music that will be cherished for a long long time. The audiences can't get enough of him creating wonderful tunes from his trademark 1733 Montagnana cello. At times, he also plays the Davidoff Stradivarius from 1712 and other period instruments. From traditional Chinese melodies to American bluegrass music and from Brazilian music to Argentinean tangos, he explores a whole world of music before his audience. You can enjoy exclusive concerts and presentations of this virtuoso cellist and composer by booking Yo Yo Ma tickets. He is the face of classical music around the world, so make sure you enjoy his brand of music!