Yo-Yo Ma Quotes

A collection of quotes by Yo-Yo Ma.

Yo-Yo Ma is a renowned cellist who has captivated audiences worldwide with his extraordinary talent and versatility. He was born on October 7, 1955, in Paris, France, to Chinese parents. At the age of four, he began playing the cello and exhibited prodigious ability from a young age.

Ma attended the Juilliard School in New York City, where he studied under the renowned cellist Leonard Rose. He made his Carnegie Hall debut at just 16 years old and gained recognition for his technically impeccable and emotionally expressive performances.

Over the course of his career, Yo-Yo Ma has collaborated with numerous distinguished musicians and orchestras, while continuously pushing the boundaries of classical music. He has explored a wide range of genres, from classical to folk and world music, displaying his versatility and commitment to cultural exchange through the universal language of music.

Ma has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career, including more than 20 Grammy Awards. Beyond his musical achievements, he is known for his philanthropic work and commitment to education. He founded the Silk Road Ensemble, which aims to promote multicultural dialogue and understanding through music.

With his masterful technique and ability to connect deeply with audiences, Yo-Yo Ma has become one of the most celebrated and beloved musicians of our time, leaving an indelible mark on the world of classical music and beyond.

I learn something not because I have to, but because I reall

I learn something not because I have to, but because I really want to. That's the same view I have for performing. I'm performing because I really want to, not because I have to bring bread back home.

Home

The role of the musician is to go from concept to full execu

The role of the musician is to go from concept to full execution. Put another way, it's to go from understanding the content of something to really learning how to communicate it and make sure it's well-received and lives in somebody else.

Learning

I think there are so many ways to become interested in music

I think there are so many ways to become interested in music. I believe signs of sustained interest gives a sense of the right time. Music, if thought of as a language, would perhaps indicate that as early as possible is not so bad. I do believe that a really nurturing first teacher that makes the child love something is crucial.

Teacher

Good things happen when you meet strangers.

Good things happen when you meet strangers.

Good

My teacher, my great cello teacher Leonard Rose, was such a

My teacher, my great cello teacher Leonard Rose, was such a great cellist, and nurturing man, very patient. But I grew up not only admiring him, but obviously Casals, Rostrotovich, Jacqueline du Pre, and many others, including many of my peers and contemporaries.

Teacher

Things can fall apart, or threaten to, for many reasons, and

Things can fall apart, or threaten to, for many reasons, and then there's got to be a leap of faith. Ultimately, when you're at the edge, you have to go forward or backward if you go forward, you have to jump together.

Faith

The thing that I've always been slightly frustrated with, wa

The thing that I've always been slightly frustrated with, was that the idea of a CD is kind of confined to a material possession that you can put on a shelf. And the idea of music, for me, is always about both the communication and the sharing of content. And so the interactive part is missing.

Communication

I love grocery shopping when I'm home. That's what makes me

I love grocery shopping when I'm home. That's what makes me feel totally normal. I love both the idea of home as in being with my family and friends, and also the idea of exploration. I think those two are probably my great interests.

Home

One is that you have to take time, lots of time, to let an i

One is that you have to take time, lots of time, to let an idea grow from within. The second is that when you sign on to something, there will be issues of trust, deep trust, the way the members of a string quartet have to trust one another.

Trust