Yo Yo Ma on the Silk Road
Chinese-American Cellist Takes Project to China
The Silk Road Project
The cellist known for mellow resonance and delicate expression is on the road again: the Silk Road, that is. But instead of trading in tea or fabric, Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble are touring China in order to explore the interplay between Eastern and Western classical music.
As an American of Chinese origin, Ma is used to balancing two worlds. Ma conceived of the project to help others bridge the gap between cultures and to raise awareness and tolerance of cultural difference. He has worked with the Chicago Symphony to celebrate Chinese music and history, and his current Silk Road project will bring Muslim music to China. Ma hopes that despite the Chinese reservations about Islam, the music itself will transcend cultural barriers. He argues that all classical music strives for transcendence, whether it is a Beethoven violin concerto or Islamic Mugham music.
Yo Yo Ma: Cultural Cellist
Born in Paris, Yo Yo Ma began music lessons at the age of four and by five was performing professionally. When he was nine, he began lessons in the preparatory division of Juilliard School of Music. Despite his early successes in music, he studied anthropology at Harvard, which may explain his interest in world cultures.
Discography
Given that Yo Yo Ma’s recordings cover everything from Bach to film music to folk music, it’s hard to choose a few albums for an introduction. But the following CDs offer a brief taste of Ma’s musical diversity:
- Bach: The Cello Suites: This album features music by one of the Baroque masters performed by one of today’s best cellists.
- Appassionato: This album is a nice mix of several different classical and folk works, mostly of a poignant (“passionate”) nature. There’s the slow movement from Winter (Vivaldi’s Four Seasons) and the Swan from Carnival of the Animals.
- Yo Yo Ma Plays the Music of John Williams: If you were expecting to hear Star Wars or Indiana Jones, this is the wrong album for you. However, this album does include an exciting concerto for cello and orchestra.
- Naqoyqatsi: This is the second of a trio of Philip Glass soundtracks scored for films by Godfrey Reggio.
- Heartland: An Appalachian Anthology: Yo Yo Ma partners with the likes of fellow string player Joshua Bell and bluegrass musician Allison Kraus to bring you some fun folk songs and reels from the mountains of the South.
- New Impossibilities: Yo Yo Ma works with the Chicago Symphony to explore Chinese music and history.
To discover more about the Silk Road Project, please visit the Silk Road Project or read the CBC Silk Road Story.
