He is without question the greatest living cellist and one of the most recognized classical musicians on the planet.
And on Saturday night, Yo-Yo Ma will share the stage with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra in what is easily Tucson's biggest classical music event in years.
Here are five reasons why the TSO is this weekend's hottest ticket in town:
Seeing a master at work: "Yo-Yo has a wonderful, outgoing, expressive approach to the cello," says TSO Conductor George Hanson. "Not everybody has that. His style is open and expressive, and yet he is also capable of the greatest intimacy."
Dvorák Cello Concerto: The piece is written more like a symphony with the cellist as protagonist. "Calling it a concerto is sort of understating it," Hanson says. "It's the ultimate cello concerto and the ultimate cellist. ... He's the greatest proponent of this piece possibly since it was written."
Treasured star turn: It's not often that Yo-Yo Ma hangs out with orchestras as small as Tucson, Hanson says. This will be his first guest shot with the TSO. His last two Tucson appearances, both presented by UApresents, were a solo recital in 2000 and a gala benefit with celebrated pianist Emanuel Ax in 2004.
He's played for presidents: Ma shared a frigid stage last January with violinist Itzhak Perlman, clarinetist Anthony McGill and pianist Gabriella Montero for President Obama's inauguration. (OK, so we later found out that the performance of John Williams' "Air and Simple Gifts" that we heard on our TVs was pre-recorded amid fears that the cold would ruin the performance. The quartet did play live, but they were unaided by amplification, so the only ones who heard them were members of the presidential party on the platform.)
He's also had command performances for Presidents Kennedy (Ma was 7) and Reagan (in 1987). (Epilogue: Early last month, Obama tapped Ma to join the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.)
A Fifth of Beethoven: It's billed as the opening act, so to speak, which is like having the Rolling Stones and U2 on the same bill: Who's opening for whom? Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 is the most popular piece in Western music, and it all starts with those jolting, booming four notes: da, da, da, dun. (Yeah, we know. We planted the seed, and now you're fighting every urge to hum out loud.)
