Yo-Yo Ma to perform with Chattanooga Symphony & Opera

Monday, November 18, 2013

photo Yo-Yo Ma. Contributed photo by Michael O'Neill and Chattanooga Symphony & Opera

World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma will perform with the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera on Thursday, Oct 2, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. at the Tivoli Theatre, it was announced today. The exact programming is to be determined, but what is known is that Ma will perform with the CSO for half of the evening.

This special fund-raising concert is partially funded by the Robert Bernhardt Guest Artist Fund and will be conducted by CSO Music Director Kayoko Dan.

"We are beyond thrilled to welcome Yo-Yo Ma to Chattanooga next season," Dan said.

"He is one of the most prominent soloists in the world, and it is a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to collaborate with him. He is one of my heroes in the music world, and I still cannot believe that I get to conduct a concerto with him as the soloist. Not only he is an amazing musician, he is a very warm person and an educator. It will be amazing to witness what kind of energy and spirit he will bring to Chattanooga."

Yo-Yo Ma was born in Paris in 1955 to Chinese parents. He began to study the cello with his father at age 4. His principal teacher was Leonard Rose at The Juilliard School. He has received numerous awards, including the Avery Fisher Prize (1978), the Glenn Gould Prize (1999), the National Medal of the Arts (2001), the Dan David Prize (2006), the Sonning Prize (2006), the World Economic Forum's Crystal Award (2008), the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2010), the Polar Music Prize (2012), and the Vilcek Prize in Contemporary Music (2013). In 2011, Mr. Ma was recognized as a Kennedy Center Honoree.