Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma ({{zh-cp|c=馬友友|p=Mǎ Yǒuyǒu}}) (born October 7, 1955) is a world-famous French-Chinese-American cellist. He is considered one of the best cellists in the world.

Related Topics:
October 7 - 1955 - French - Chinese-American - Cellist

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He was born in Paris to Chinese parents and had a musical upbringing. His mother, Marina Lu (盧雅文), was a singer, while his father, Hiao-Tsiun Ma (馬孝駿), was a conductor and composer. Ma began to study the violin, then the viola, before taking up the cello. His family moved to New York when he was seven years old.

Related Topics:
Paris - Chinese - Singer - Conductor - Composer - Violin - Viola - Cello - New York

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Ma was a child prodigy, appearing on American television at the age of eight in a concert conducted by Leonard Bernstein. He entered the Juilliard School, and then went to Harvard University (where he was in the Currier House dormitory), but was questioning whether he should continue his studies until, in the 1970s, Pablo Casals's performing inspired him.

Related Topics:
Child prodigy - American - Television - Leonard Bernstein - Juilliard School - Harvard University - Currier House - 1970s - Pablo Casals

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Since that time, he has steadily gained in fame, and has performed with most of the world's major orchestras. His recordings and performances of Johann Sebastian Bach's suites for unaccompanied cello are particularly acclaimed, and he has also played a good deal of chamber music, often with the pianist Emanuel Ax.

Related Topics:
Orchestra - Johann Sebastian Bach - Suite - Chamber music - Emanuel Ax

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His main performance instrument is a very fine Montagnana cello from Venice, made in 1733. One of his other cellos, the "Davidov Stradivarius", was previously played regularly by Jacqueline du Pré and left to him upon her death. It is currently set up in a Baroque manner, since Ma exclusively plays Baroque music on it. He also owns a cello made by the American luthier firm Moes & Moes, as well as a carbon-fiber cello made by Boston company Luis & Clark.

Related Topics:
Montagnana - Venice - 1733 - Davidov Stradivarius - Jacqueline du Pré - Baroque manner - Baroque - Luthier - Moes & Moes - Carbon-fiber - Boston - Luis & Clark

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Yo-Yo Ma has been called "the most omnivorous of all cellists" by critics and indeed possesses a far more eclectic repertoire than typical for a classical player. He has performed and recorded Baroque pieces on period instruments, American bluegrass music, traditional Chinese melodies, the Argentinian tangos of Astor Piazzolla, Brazilian music, the soundtrack to the film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and Philip Glass's minimalist score of Naqoyqatsi in addition to numerous recordings of the standard classical repertoire.

Related Topics:
Bluegrass music - Chinese melodies - Tangos - Astor Piazzolla - Brazil - Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon - Philip Glass's - Minimalist - Naqoyqatsi

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He currently plays in his own project, The Silk Road Ensemble, and records on the Sony Classical label.

Related Topics:
The Silk Road Ensemble - Sony Classical

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Ma married his long-time girlfriend, Jill Hornor, a violinist, in 1978. They have two children, Nicholas and Emily.

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Ma's elder sister, Yeou-Cheng Ma (馬友乘), also born in Paris, is a violinist, married to Michael Dadap, a New York guitarist.

Related Topics:
Yeou-Cheng Ma - New York - Guitar

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Ma has appeared in an episode of the animated children's television series, Arthur, as well as on The West Wing, Sesame Street and Mister Rogers Neighborhood.

Related Topics:
Arthur - The West Wing - Sesame Street - Mister Rogers Neighborhood

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