Ma, Yo-Yo (1955-…), is one of the world’s greatest and most popular cello players. Ma has been an international star on his instrument since he was a teenager. He has won praise for the warmth and sensitivity of his performances. Ma performs equally well playing solo cello, as part of chamber groups, and as a soloist with orchestras. He plays a broad repertoire that includes music from the 1600’s as well as the works of modern composers. In his live performances and recordings, he has united the Western classical music tradition with the music of non-Western cultures.
Ma was born in Paris on Oct. 5, 1955, to Chinese -born parents. He moved to the United States with his family at the age of 7. He studied with the famous cellist Leonard Rose from 1964 to 1971. Ma gained his first major exposure at the age of 15 when conductor Leonard Bernstein presented him on a television program. After studying at Harvard University from 1972 to 1976, Ma began his career as a soloist. Since then, he has appeared with the world’s major symphony orchestras and played chamber music with many distinguished musicians. In 2009, Ma became a creative consultant with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the country’s highest civilian honors, in 2011. That year, Ma also became a Kennedy Center Honoree.
