Yo-Yo Ma News

Long Yu will return to the New York Philharmonic to conduct the US Premiere of Zhao Lin's A Happy Excursion, Concerto for Pipa and Cello, with Yo-Yo Ma and Wu Man as soloists; the concerto is a New York Philharmonic co-commission with the Beijing Music Festival and Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at the University of British Columbia presents the dazzling multimedia work No Blue Memories: The Life of Gwendolyn Brooks on February 24, 2019, at 7pm in the Chan Shun Concert Hall as part of the Beyond Words series. The late poet was a radical and disruptive presence within the national literary scene, becoming the first African-American to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1950. In this ambitious creation, innovative art-collective Manual Cinema collaborates with Chicago-based poets Eve L. Ewing and Nate Marshall to craft an inspiring biographical narrative, featuring a live six-piece band and original score by Jamila Woods and Ayanna Woods.

The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, returns to Carnegie Hall for four concerts in March in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage. The first two programs, conducted by Ádam Fischer, include Bartok's Two Pictures and Beethoven's Leonore Overture No. 3 and Symphony No. 3, "Eroica" on Saturday, March 2 at 8:00 p.m. Maestro Fisher returns the following afternoon, Sunday, March 3 at 2:00 p.m. with Haydn's Symphony No. 97 and Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5, 'Turkish' featuring Leonidas Kavakos along with Mozart's Symphony No. 41, "Jupiter."

After nine rigorous, yet creative days packed with orchestra and chamber music rehearsals, masterclasses, workshops, and more, the third annual Youth Music Culture Guangdong (YMCG) drew to a victorious close on January 19 with a six-hour marathon concert 'From Brahms and Sibelius to the Unexpected.' The young musicians performed original arrangements and 16 chamber and symphonic works culminating in Brahms's Concerto for Violin and Cello in A minor with YMCG Artistic Director Yo-Yo Ma and violinist Johnny Gandelsman in the spotlight and Sibelius's illustrious Symphony No. 5 in E-flat Major, both under the baton of YMCG Music Director Michael Stern.

American Classical Orchestra's (ACO) 34th season continues on Thursday, March 7, 2019 at 8:00pm with Joyous Bach, a celebration of Johann Sebastian Bach, led by Artistic Director and Founder Thomas Crawford, at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center.

On February 7 at 7:30pm, Kinan Azmeh returns to The Broad Stage with his CityBand for a fusion of Arabic, jazz, world and classical influences. A GRAMMY Award-winner as a member of the Silk Road Ensemble, Azmeh has been hailed as a "virtuoso" and "intensely soulful" by The New York Times. His utterly distinctive sound across different musical genres has gained him international recognition as a clarinetist and composer.

The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at the University of British Columbia presents the inimitable, genre-defiant music of Bobby McFerrin on February 17, 2019, at 7pm in the Chan Shun Concert Hall. The concert will feature Gimme5 - McFerrin's newest band comprised of veterans from his a cappella Voicestra group Joey Blake, Dave Worm, Rhiannon, and Judi Vinar - and local choral ensemble musica intima. The program will be based on Circlesinging, a musical practice and philosophy that McFerrin has been honing since he began as a solo a cappella performer, assigning vocal parts to his onstage collaborators and audience members - transforming sold-out houses into glorious impromptu choirs.

The groundbreaking Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to the Kennedy Center for its annual engagement with seven performances on the Opera House stage from February 5 10. Celebrating its 60th Anniversary season, the company has had a long-standing impact on modern dance and uniqueness in promoting the African American cultural experience. Led by Artistic Director Robert Battle, the company's performances include Lazarus, the newest work by choreographer Rennie Harris co-commissioned by the Kennedy Center and premiered to acclaim during the company's recent New York season; three D.C. debuts; one new production; and a special Timeless Ailey classics program. Alvin Ailey's American masterpiece Revelations will be performed as the finale for all seven programs.

Internationally-acclaimed pianist Yuja Wang continues her season-long Perspectives series this February, launching into performances that offer creative collaborations, reunions with recital partners and artists who have influenced her career, and a night of classical music comedy-all displaying the pianist's eclectic interests and musical versatility.

Highland Park Strings, under the direction of Principal Conductor Dr. Robert G. Hasty, continues its 40th anniversary season with its annual Gala Benefit Concert BEETHOVEN SPECTACULAR on Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 3 pm at Ravinia's Bennett Gordon Hall, 201 St. Johns Ave in Highland Park.

Thao Nguyen of the band Thao & The Get Down Stay Down debuts as the new guest host of Song Exploder today. Her first episode as host features Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Hozier and legendary gospel singer Mavis Staples. In the episode, Hozier breaks down his hit song “Take Me to Church,” and Staples tells the story of how she got involved with Hozier's 2018 song “Nina Cried Power”—listen here. 

The international musicians of Grammy Award-winning super group Silkroad Ensemble will perform their genre-defying music in Brisbane for the first time at Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) on Thursday 7 March 2019.

The American Symphony Orchestra will present Sounds of the American Century, the next concert in its Vanguard series at Carnegie Hall, on Friday, January 25 at 8 pm. The program illustrates how New York City composers of the mid-20th century sought to define a new American sensibility in orchestral music, and will be highlighted by the New York premiere of Vivian Fine's Concertante for Piano and Orchestra.

Concertmaster Joanna Frankel makes her solo debut with the Columbus Symphony, performing Beethoven's spiritual Violin Concerto. The epic Eroica Symphony completes this program devoted to the great German composer.

Ronald K. Brown's joyous mix of modern and African dance-seen previously in Grace, Open Door, and other works-fits the Ailey dancers perfectly, and his themes of spiritual awakening and redemption never fail to inspire.

Critically lauded, Indian born world musician Falu (aka Falguni Shah) has scored her first GRAMMY® nomination in Best Children's Album for her latest album, Falu's Bazaar. Falu's Bazaar was inspired by her desire to address her son's fascination with their cultural values and customs, exploring Indian culture through song, and celebrating the instruments, languages, sights, and humanity of a diverse world. A true family affair, Falu's husband plays on the record, while three generations comprise its voice with vocals performed by Falu, her mother, and her son Nishaad.  Falu's Bazaar is a trilingual album sung in English, Hindi, and Gujarati, with lush traditional instrumentation, gorgeous production, and delicate delivery. 

Isabel Leonard and Jessica Vosk sing "A Boy Like That/I Have A Love" from "West Side Story" also performed by Tony Yazbeck and other Broadway artists on Great Performances: The Bernstein Centennial Celebration at Tanglewood. Watch the performance below!

The celebration of Russian composers continues as CSO Music Director Rossen Milanov and the musicians of the Columbus Symphony present a program that juxtaposes Tchaikovsky's passionate, romantic music against Prokofiev's bold symphonic tableaux. The program includes the Suite from Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty as well as his Piano Concerto No. 1 featuring special guest pianist Sergei Babayan. The performance will conclude with Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5.

Yo-Yo Ma to lead young musicians in a music marathon featuring music 'From Brahms and Sibelius to the Unexpected'

On Saturday, January 19, 2019 at 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., three vibrant New York City-based artists will perform in Zankel Hall as part of My City, My Song, an interactive Family Concert celebrating music from around the world. The performance features Greek folk from Magda Giannikou, Malian traditional music from Yacouba Sissoko, and Indian classical music from Falu Shah. Free pre-concert activities are offered one hour prior to each performance, preparing parents and children to sing and dance along with the artists.