Yo YoMa brings persona,
music to Lied Center stage
By Josh Nichols
Staff writer
Often, when one has achieved the
sacred superstar status, a person is
seen as, and often is, different than
everyone else.
A common stereotype put on the
famous is that they are people con
stantly surrounded by bodyguards
and assistants and don’t talk to anyone
because they are too busy indulging
in the money that goes along with
superstardom.
But cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who without
a doubt is a superstar in the classical
music world, proves that fame and
adoration don’t have to make a person
untouchable.
Charles Bethea, executive direc
tor of the Lied Center for Performing
Arts, is responsible for bringing Ma
to Lincoln for this evening’s 8 o’clock
performance at the Lied.
Bethea categorized Ma - who has
approximately 50 albums to his credit
(including 13 Grammy wins)- as a
superstar classical musician who is
passionate, accessible and person
able.
This comes through, he said, in
personal interactions with Ma and
also in his performance.
“He makes music real and acces
sible, and the audience is drawn to
him,” Bethea said.
Ann Barnes, a senior lecturer of
music at UNL, had the opportunity to
turn pages for Ma in one of his perfor
mances in the late ’80s when she was
a graduate student at the University of
Indiana.
Barnes said she was able to spend
time with Ma before and after the per
formance.
The young, awe-struck student
was amazed at the famous musician’s
willingness to talk to her and other
students involved in the performance.
“He was very down-to-earth and
appreciative,” she said,* “just like a
normal person.”
>YO Yo Ma
WHERE:
Lied Center for
Performing Arts, 12th
and R streets
WHEN:
Jan. 25, 8 p.m.
COST:
$44, $40, $36,’half price
for students
THE SKINNY:
World-famdus ceflist
makes third Lincoln
Appearance
She also said Ma made a real
impression on her musically. She
described it as a “wonderful experi
ence.”
Considering Bethea’s and Barnes’
descriptions of Ma’s personality and
his rigorous recital and chamber
music schedule, one might conclude
that Ma knows many, many people.
He does.
His wide travels and new acquain
tances have resulted in collaborations
with such artists as Emanuel Ax,
Christoph Eschenbach, Young Uck
Kim and Bobby McFerrin.
The variety of musicians he has
collaborated with is a result of his
belief that he can make music a form
of communication by crossing into
different genres and cultures.
“He’s always looking for new
sounds, which adds to his appeal and
interest,” Bethea said.
One of his most recent undertak
ings is the Silk Road Project, in which
he uses his music to tap into cultural,
artistic and intellectual traditions
alone Silk Road.
Silk Road is an ancient silk-trad
ing route that extends from Asia to
Europe.
Ma is always changing his music
and trying new methods of delivering
his sound. So much so that audiences
never know what he is going to be
doing at any given time.
Bethea recalled the telephone
conversation with Ma’s agent when he
was trying to book the performance at
the Lied Center.
The agent said Ma would per
form, but Bethea must be willing to
accept whatever music Ma is playing
at that given time.
Bethea’s response was,
“Absolutely.”
“We were willing to be flexible in
that situation,” Bethea said.
Tonight’s program at the Lied will
include “Suite Italienne” by
Stravinsky, “Sonata in D Minor” by
Shostakovich and selections from
“Soul of Tango: The Music of Astor
Piazzolla.”
Mark Moore, senior events coor
dinator for the Lied Center, was here
last time Ma came to the Lied and said
he looks forward to hearing Ma’s lat
est musical creations.
He shared everyone else’s senti
ments about Ma’s personality.
“Ma comes across as so darn
warm,” Moore said. “He is one of the
nicest, most intellectual people I’ve
ever met.”
Moore recalled an event that sums
" -M *
up Ma’s personality at his 1995 per
formance at the Lied.
Ma had given a lecture prior to his
performance and had spoken to many
students before and afterward.
At the conclusion of his perfor
mance that evening, many people
were standing around waiting for
autographs.
Ma recognized two of the students
he had spoken to earlier that day and
invited them into his dressing room,
where he kept the cellos he played - a
1733 Montagnana from Venice and a
1712 Davidoff Stradivarius - two
classic, very valuable instruments.
Ma handed both cello players the
instruments and told them to go ahead
and play.
He then left the room and went
back to signing autographs.
In addition to his kindness and
musical talent, Moore said he has
been impressed with Ma’s wisdom
concerning music.
“His knowledge of music is
amazing,” Moore said. “He doesn’t
just play the notes.
“He knows the history of all the
music he plays. For example, he can
—warn
Photo Illustration by Daily Nebraskan
tell students what Mozart was doing
and what the situation was when he
wrote a certain piece. It’s amazing.”
Moore said Ma has been “a plea
sure” to work with during his two pre
vious performances at the Lied and
looks forward to his return.
As of Jan. 18, according to
Bethea, the show was nearly sold out.
Bethea said Ma’s concert should
be a joy for everyone in attendance.
“It will be a warm, engaging expe
rience for everyone who attends, no
matter where they are coming from.
“It will be a treat.”