Live, Video: Find classical music concert, opera, ballet and dance reviews | Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma luxuriates in warm Saint-Saëns at Tanglewood Festival

By Kevin Wells, 10 August 2025

Two Camille’s anchor the first half of Samy Rachid’s Tanglewood program: Saint-Saëns and Pépin.

****1

Loading image...

****1

Lenox

10 Aug 2025

Yo-Yo Ma luxuriates in warm Saint-Saëns at Tanglewood

By Kevin Wells

Loading image...

Pittsburgh

Ma and Honeck offer definitive Dvořák on festive Pittsburgh Symphony program

By Sam Jacobson, 04 June 2025

Yo-Yo Ma returns to Pittsburgh for searing performance of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto. The enjoyable program also includes a tribute to Fred Rogers.

****1

Loading image...

****1

Pittsburgh

04 Jun 2025

Definitive Dvořák from Ma and Honeck on festive Pittsburgh program

By Sam Jacobson

Loading image...

Splendid Shostakovich from Yo-Yo Ma and the Boston Symphony at Carnegie Hall

By Susan Stempleski, 24 April 2025

A haunting account of Shostakovich’s First Cello Concerto is paired with a vivid rendition of his Eleventh Symphony.

****1

Loading image...

****1

New York City

24 Apr 2025

Splendid Shostakovich from Yo-Yo Ma and the Boston Symphony

By Susan Stempleski

Loading image...

Saanen

A masterclass in concert form: Yo-Yo Ma inspires in Gstaad

By David Karlin, 31 January 2025

Watching Ma inspire younger musicians is an extraordinary experience. Renaud Capuçon conducts an entertaining if imperfect Eroica.

****1

Loading image...

****1

Saanen

31 Jan 2025

A masterclass in concert form: Yo-Yo Ma inspires in Gstaad

By David Karlin

Loading image...

Inspired Dvořák and vibrant Smetana from the Czech Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall

By Susan Stempleski, 03 December 2024

Semyon Bychkov and the much-lauded ensemble are joined at Carnegie Hall by Yo-Yo Ma in dazzling performances from the Czech repertoire.

*****

Loading image...

*****

New York City

03 Dec 2024

Inspired Dvořák and vibrant Smetana from the Czech Philharmonic

By Susan Stempleski

Loading image...

Try a little tenderness: Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott soothe the soul at the Barbican

By David Karlin, 02 November 2024

The long standing duo sound give impeccable sound and balance in a recital full of charm, whose musicianship and energy belies this being their farewell tour.

****1

Loading image...

****1

London

02 Nov 2024

Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott soothe the soul at the Barbican

By David Karlin

Loading image...

Brahms and Beethoven for (5000 and) Three

By Rohan Shotton, 31 August 2024

Yo-Yo Ma, Emmanuel Ax and Leonidas Kavakos hold a sold-out Royal Albert Hall to rapt attention for some astonishing chamber music.

*****

Loading image...

*****

London

31 Aug 2024

Brahms and Beethoven for (5000 and) Three

By Rohan Shotton

Loading image...

Celebrating collaboration: Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott at Carnegie Hall

By Susan Stempleski, 11 April 2024

In a luminous recital, the cellist and pianist commemorate four decades of collaboration and pay tribute to Isaac Stern, the master violinist who saved Carnegie Hall from destruction.

****1

Loading image...

****1

New York City

11 Apr 2024

Celebrating collaboration: Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott at Carnegie Hall

By Susan Stempleski

Loading image...

San Francisco

A winning evening from Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott in San Francisco

By Lois Silverstein, 02 April 2024

Dexterity, beauty, technical prowess and mastery, most expectations were met: most expectations were met in this duo recital in Davies Symphony Hall.

****1

Loading image...

****1

San Francisco

02 Apr 2024

A winning evening from Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott in San Francisco

By Lois Silverstein

Loading image...

Cleveland

Ax, Kavakos and Ma band together for life-affirming Beethoven

By Sam Jacobson, 01 February 2024

Three leading performers join forces for a Beethoven program in Cleveland, all cultivating the highest level of playing from their respective instrument, but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

****1

Loading image...

****1

Cleveland

01 Feb 2024

Ax, Kavakos and Ma band together for life-affirming Beethoven

By Sam Jacobson

Loading image...

Philadelphia

Philadelphia Orchestra season opens amid tense contract negotiation

By Cameron Kelsall, 28 September 2023

With a potential strike looming, Yo-Yo Ma joins Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin for a surprisingly tame performance of Shostakovich's psychologically dense Cello Concerto no. 1.

***11

Loading image...

***11

Philadelphia

28 Sep 2023

Philadelphia Orchestra season opens amid tense contract negotiation

By Cameron Kelsall

Loading image...

Stockholm

Birgit Nilsson Prize: dazzling Dvořák from the ever-smiling Yo-Yo Ma

By Stephen Pritchard, 16 October 2022

Yo-Yo Ma's beatific serenity speaks volumes about his approach to life and music as he gives a performance in Stockholm's Konserthuset ahead of receiving the Birgit Nilsson Prize later in the week.

****1

Loading image...

****1

Stockholm

16 Oct 2022

Birgit Nilsson Prize: dazzling Dvořák from the ever-smiling Yo-Yo Ma

By Stephen Pritchard

Loading image...

Cristian Măcelaru makes Boston Symphony debut at Tanglewood

By Edward Sava-Segal, 14 August 2022

In Elgar's Cello Concerto, Yo-Yo Ma displays his gentle expressiveness and magnificent “singing” tone.

****1

Loading image...

****1

Lenox

14 Aug 2022

Cristian Măcelaru makes Boston Symphony debut at Tanglewood

By Edward Sava-Segal

Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Orchestra comes home with Saint-Saëns, Ravel and Valerie Coleman

By Cameron Kelsall, 05 October 2021

Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin and soloist Yo-Yo Ma stuck to the tried and true while ushering in a season "transformed and informed" by the pandemic's impact.

***11

***11

Philadelphia

05 Oct 2021

Opening night with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Yo-Yo Ma

By Cameron Kelsall

Remarkable Boston Symphony debut by Karina Canellakis at Tanglewood

By Edward Sava-Segal, 08 August 2021

Yo-Yo Ma's beauty of tone was as remarkable as always in Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations.

****1

****1

Lenox

08 Aug 2021

Remarkable Boston Symphony debut by Karina Canellakis at Tanglewood

By Edward Sava-Segal

“Amid tears and sorrow”: Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax at Tanglewood

By Kevin Wells, 04 August 2020

The two friends dedicate their recital to “the people we've lost”.

*****

*****

Lenox

04 Aug 2020

“Amid tears and sorrow”: Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax at Tanglewood

By Kevin Wells

At Carnegie Hall, Emanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos and Yo-Yo Ma celebrate Beethoven and Stern

By Edward Sava-Segal, 06 March 2020

For a group of instrumentalists that seldom play together, the level of rhythmic, timbral and, most important, conceptual coordination was amazing.

*****

*****

New York City

06 Mar 2020

At Carnegie Hall Ax, Kavakos and Ma celebrate Beethoven and Stern

By Edward Sava-Segal

An afternoon of fully-fledged Schumann and Brahms at Tanglewood

By Edward Sava-Segal, 18 August 2019

Yo-Yo Ma again displayed his wonderful expressiveness, his unsurpassed talent to project over his accompaniment.

****1

****1

Lenox

18 Aug 2019

An afternoon of fully-fledged Schumann and Brahms at Tanglewood

By Edward Sava-Segal

Ax/Kavakos/Ma: An all-star afternoon of Brahms at the Barbican

By Olivia Bell, 09 September 2018

All three of these musicians are virtuosic soloists in their own right, but here they became far more than the sum of their parts – graceful, poised, and sensitive.

*****

*****

London

09 Sep 2018

Ax/Kavakos/Ma: An all-star afternoon of Brahms

By Olivia Bell

Cleveland

Captivating Bach from Yo-Yo Ma in Cleveland

By Frank Kuznik, 12 August 2018

Yo-Yo Ma revisits the cello suites with a message for modern times and the polish of a showbiz pro.

*****

*****

Cleveland

12 Aug 2018

Captivating Bach from Yo-Yo Ma in Cleveland

By Frank Kuznik

Boston

An irascible Don and a Widmann première in Boston

By Kevin Wells, 30 March 2018

The US première of Jörg Widmann's Partita featured alongside Mozart and Strauss in Andris Nelsons' carefully chosen program.

****1

****1

Boston

30 Mar 2018

An irascible Don and a Widmann première in Boston

By Kevin Wells

Los Angeles

A portrait of a world drawn closer, as depicted by Esa-Pekka Salonen

By Néstor Castiglione, 08 February 2018

The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s spotlight on Salonen the creative artist also imparted thoughts on our interconnected world.

****1

****1

Los Angeles

08 Feb 2018

A portrait of a world drawn closer, as depicted by Esa-Pekka Salonen

By Néstor Castiglione

Yo-Yo Ma fascinates in Salonen's new concerto, while the NY Phil powers through Adams

By David Karlin, 02 April 2017

Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic somewhat overpower the hall for the music of John Adams, Esa-Pekka Salonen's concerto fascinates on a first hearing.

***11

***11

London

02 Apr 2017

NY Phil powers through Adams

By David Karlin

Yo-Yo Ma champions Salonen's new Cello Concerto with the New York Philharmonic

By Jacob Slattery, 16 March 2017

Maestro Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic gave the New York première of Esa-Pekka Salonen's Cello Concerto with soloist Yo-Yo Ma.

****1

****1

New York City

16 Mar 2017

Yo-Yo Ma champions Salonen in New York

By Jacob Slattery

Yo-Yo Ma and Chicago Symphony bring Salonen’s new Cello Concerto to life

By Sam Jacobson, 09 March 2017

Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Cello Concerto received a successful world première with Yo-Yo Ma and the Chicago Symphony, the composer conducting, richly complemented by works of Adams and Stravinsky.

****1

****1

Chicago

09 Mar 2017

Yo-Yo Ma brings Salonen’s new concerto to life

By Sam Jacobson

Houston

Yo-Yo Ma dazzles Houston with Dvořák

By Sydney Boyd, 04 February 2017

While passion, supreme technical mastery, and inspiration all come to mind watching a celebrity like Ma perform, camaraderie, perhaps, is the best word for this concert.

*****

*****

Houston

04 Feb 2017

Yo-Yo Ma dazzles Houston with Dvořák

By Sydney Boyd

Vail ReMix Brings New Life to the Summer Festival Concept

By Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, 03 November 2016

Damian Woetzel puts together programs, musicians and dancers with a creative curator’s eye and gets the most out of the new combinations. This show was great.

****1

****1

New York City

03 Nov 2016

Vail dance, a remix, at City Center

By Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn

Boston

Rule Britannia! Walton, Elgar and Holst from the Boston Symphony

By Kevin Wells, 21 October 2016

Charles Dutoit, who recently turned 80, brought energy and engagement to a vigorous and stimulating program of works by British composers.

****1

****1

Boston

21 Oct 2016

Rule Britannia! Walton, Elgar and Holst in Boston

By Kevin Wells

Seattle

Impeccable Haydn from Yo-Yo Ma and Seattle Symphony

By Erica Miner, 14 October 2016

It is a testament to Ma’s power as a musical force that, despite the typhoon-related weather raging outside, the auditorium was packed to capacity.

*****

*****

Seattle

14 Oct 2016

Impeccable Haydn from Yo-Yo Ma and Seattle Symphony

By Erica Miner

Musical stars power Carnegie Hall's 125th Anniversary Gala

By Courtney Smith, 05 May 2016

Affable host Richard Gere united a starry musical cast to celebrate Carnegie Hall’s 125th Anniversary Gala.

***11

***11

New York City

05 May 2016

Carnegie Hall's 125th Anniversary Gala

By Courtney Smith

Salonen and Ma lead the CSO to the end of the millennium

By Sam Jacobson, 01 March 2016

An eclectic program under Esa-Pekka Salonen's baton, highlighted by Lutosławski’s watershed Third Symphony and a Shostakovich concerto with Yo-Yo Ma.

****1

****1

Chicago

01 Mar 2016

Salonen and Ma lead the CSO to the end of the millennium

By Sam Jacobson

Seattle

A chair and a cello: Yo-Yo Ma shows what matters in Seattle

By Thomas May, 08 December 2015

In his solo recital, cellist Yo-Yo Ma interpolates three Bach suites with folk-inspired music from around the globe, gifting his listeners with an unforgettable evening of musical insights.

*****

*****

Seattle

08 Dec 2015

A chair and a cello: Yo-Yo Ma shows what matters

By Thomas May

Prom 68: Infinite variety with minimal resources as Yo-Yo Ma plays Bach

By David Karlin, 05 September 2015

Playing all of Bach's unaccompanied cello suites at a single sitting is a huge task. Yo-Yo Ma proves himself up to the challenge.

*****

*****

London

05 Sep 2015

Infinite variety with minimal resources

By David Karlin

Bravura and bonhomie on display in Chicago chamber concert

By Graham Emberton, 17 May 2015

Yo-Yo Ma joined forces with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in an afternoon of French chamber music

*****

*****

Chicago

17 May 2015

Bravura and bonhomie in Chicago

By Graham Emberton

Amsterdam

Silk Road Ensemble brings joy to the Concertgebouw

By Sanne Thierens, 10 September 2014

The Silk Road Ensemble together with Yo-Yo Ma brings music by composers and performers from all over the world to The Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

****1

****1

Amsterdam

10 Sep 2014

Silk Road Ensemble brings joy to the Concertgebouw

By Sanne Thierens

Paris

Oriental adventure with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble

By Leopold Tobisch, 08 September 2014

The Silk Road Ensemble is not one musical tradition, not one culture, but rather one single point where a multitude of cultures and musical heritages are united and combined.

*****

*****

Paris

08 Sep 2014

Oriental adventure with Yo-Yo Ma

By Leopold Tobisch

Cleveland

Yo-Yo Ma packs Blossom Festival for Elgar concerto with Cleveland Orchestra

By Timothy Robson, 16 August 2014

Guest conductor Jahja Ling also leads refined performances of Smetana's Bartered Bride overture and Dvořák's Sixth Symphony.

****1

****1

Cleveland

16 Aug 2014

Yo-Yo Ma plays Elgar in Cleveland

By Timothy Robson

Montreal

It takes two to tango: Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott in Montreal

By Marc Wieser, 19 March 2014

Considering the sheer wattage of Yo-Yo Ma’s name, it was not his playing alone that stole the show; rather, the magic of this performance existed in the act of collaboration between two artists.

****1

****1

Montreal

19 Mar 2014

It takes two to tango: Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott in Montreal

By Marc Wieser

CSO: Muti Conducts Schubert, Sollima

By John Dorhauer, 31 January 2014

CSO and Riccardo Muti première a newly commissioned piece by cellist Giovanni Sollima that features himself and Yo Yo Ma, with Schubert's Third and Fourth Symphonies also included.

****1

****1

Chicago

31 Jan 2014

Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Muti and Ma

By John Dorhauer

Silk Road Ensemble explores modern-day cultural crossroads at Carnegie Hall

By Kay Kempin, 16 October 2013

Formed under the artistic direction of Yo-Yo Ma, the Silk Road Ensemble, a collective of distinguished performers and composers from more than 20 countries in Asia, Europe and the Americas, took to the stage at Carnegie Hall Wednesday evening. Looking up at Perelman stage, you'd never guess the group was no more than a small ensemble.

*****

*****

New York City

16 Oct 2013

Silk Road Ensemble explores modern-day cultural crossroads at Carnegie Hall

By Kay Kempin

A Spanish-themed opening night at the New York Philharmonic with Yo-Yo Ma

By David Allen, 25 September 2013

“Opening Night” at the New York Philharmonic is a gala affair, although it’s rarely the actual opening night of the season. The gala isn’t as gaudy as the one that takes place across the plaza at the Metropolitan Opera, but it’s an auspicious occasion nonetheless, filmed for broadcast on public television and usually featuring a soloist with the appropriate star wattage.

***11

***11

New York City

25 Sep 2013

A Spanish-themed opening night at the New York Philharmonic with Yo-Yo Ma

By David Allen

MTT and Yo-Yo Ma with the LSO at the Barbican

By Renée Reitsma, 12 June 2013

Concluding their concert run in the Barbican, Michael Tilson Thomas, Yo-Yo Ma and the London Symphony Orchestra presented a programme of works by Copland, Shostakovich and Britten. The musicians’ partnership was undoubtedly a successful one, with a completely sold-out Barbican.

****1

****1

London

12 Jun 2013

MTT and Yo-Yo Ma with the LSO at the Barbican

By Renée Reitsma

Yo-Yo Ma and company entertain at Chicago Symphony Center

By Dan Wang, 15 May 2013

Yo-Yo Ma, currently the Judson and Joyce Green Creative Consultant for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, along with members from the same orchestra and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, took the stage at Symphony Center for a single night last Wednesday.

***11

***11

Chicago

15 May 2013

Yo-Yo Ma and company entertain at Chicago Symphony Center

By Dan Wang

Yo-Yo Ma and Esa-Pekka Salonen bring Lutosławski to the CSO

By Dan Wang, 28 February 2013

This past Thursday and Friday, Yo-Yo Ma (the CSO’s Judson and Joyce Green Creative Consultant), Finnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra tackled the immensely challenging Lutosławski Cello Concerto.

****1

****1

Chicago

28 Feb 2013

Yo-Yo Ma and Esa-Pekka Salonen bring Lutosławski to the CSO

By Dan Wang

Hong Kong

Yo-Yo Ma celebrates Hong Kong City Hall's birthday

By Alan Yu, 02 March 2012

To celebrate the 50th birthday of the City Hall Concert Hall on March 2nd, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra chose a programme of short but diverse works with undulating emotional appeal. Star soloist for the evening was cellist Yo-Yo Ma, returning three and a half decades after his debut here.Under the baton of Lan Shui, the evening began with Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture.

****1

****1

Hong Kong

02 Mar 2012

Yo-Yo Ma celebrates Hong Kong City Hall's birthday

By Alan Yu

A tailor-made cello concerto for Yo-Yo Ma

By Nahoko Gotoh, 31 August 2011

It is always exciting to witness the birth of a new piece of composition, all the more so when the soloist is the inimitable Yo-Yo Ma.

London

31 Aug 2011

A tailor-made cello concerto for Yo-Yo Ma

By Nahoko Gotoh