First, who really cares about a cello? And why is this guy named after a child’s toy? And third, he is actually a French and American cellist. Yes, tonight at the fabulous Greek Theater on the UC Berkeley campus, the world renown cellist, Yo-Yo Ma will perform. A child prodigy, he started performing at the ripe old age of FIVE!
His 75 albums have produced 15 Grammy Awards. He has performed classical music, as well as blue grass, traditional Chinese, Argentinian tangoes, Brazilian, and some obvious fusion. He has won numerous prizes for his virtuosity, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.
He was born in Paris to Chinese parents, and played several string instruments, before settling on the cello. He has studied at Julliard. Columbia, and Harvard, and played for Presidents. His most famous recordings are Bach’s Cello Suites in 1983, and again in 1994-1997. You can read about his many accomplishments on the web.
One of his passions these days in the Silk Road Project, which we saw a few years back. Silk Road seemed like a sad collection of rather obscure and strange looking musical instruments. It reminds me of the old wash board and water tub instruments of the old south, back in the last century. The venue tonight is U.C. Berkeley’s Greek Theater. And I am going with an old high school friend, who I have not seen in over 50 years!!! I am certain I will be happier to see her than the Yo-Yo!!! First dinner, then some Yo-Yo.
PS: Perhaps some of us from the old “Burg” have a little more culture than yogurt!
