Cellist Yo-Yo Ma was born in Paris, France, in 1955. He began his cello studies with his father at the age of four and gave his first public recital when he was five. After moving with his family to New York City, he continued cello studies with Janos Scholz, beginning in 1962, followed by lessons with Leonard Rose from 1964 to 1971 at the Juilliard School of Music. He attended Harvard University, where he studied the humanities and played cello in his spare time. His active performing career began after graduation from Harvard in 1976, at which time he was already being compared to two of the twentieth century’s best-known cellists, Mstislav Rostropovich and the legendary Pablo Casals (d. 1973). In 1978, Ma was awarded the Avery Fisher Prize.
Ma made his first recordings in 1979, for the Lyrita label. In 1980, he formed an exclusive relationship with the Sony Classical recording company (at that time, CBS Masterworks), for which he has produced well over fifty issues. His recordings include most of the standard cello repertoire--solo, concerto, and chamber--as well as less-known works and contemporary compositions written especially for him. In the 1980s he developed a performing rapport with pianist Emanuel Ax, violinist Isaac Stern, and violinist/violist Jaime Laredo. Their recordings together are still hailed as among the best of the genre. More recently, Ma has made recordings on a Baroque-period cello.
Ma has also performed and made recordings of the music of the crossover and world genres. Among these are a collaboration with singer/composer Bobby McFerrin; two recordings of Japanese melodies; the "Appalachian" series, with violinist/bluegrass fiddler Marc O'Connor and composer/double bass player Edgar Meyer; tango recordings with--and in tribute to--Argentinian music pioneer Astor Piazzolla; the Silk Road Project recordings; and Ma's recent work with Brazilian musicians, featuring sambas, bossa novas, and other Brazilian music. Ma has currently won fifteen Grammy Awards.
Throughout his career, Yo-Yo Ma has been an avid supporter of music and arts education. While on tour, he regularly conducts master classes for aspiring musicians as well as more informal music appreciation programs for general audiences.
Yo-Yo Ma - Japanese melodies