Yo-Yo Ma

I wanted to join the Juilliard Quartet and play cello and be with friends. That was my goal. Did I want to be a cellist? Eh. Did I want to do that? Yes. But you know what really inspired me most was when I was nine, I read a book by Pablo Casals. And he said in his book that I am a human being first, I'm a musician second, and I'm a cellist third.

I wanted to join the Juilliard Quartet and play cello and be with friends. That was my goal. Did I want to be a cellist? Eh. Did I want to do that? Yes. But you know what really inspired me most was when I was nine, I read a book by Pablo Casals. And he said in his book that I am a human being first, I'm a musician second, and I'm a cellist third.

I wanted to join the Juilliard Quartet and play cello and be with friends. That was my goal. Did I want to be a cellist? Eh. Did I want to do that? Yes. But you know what really inspired me most was when I was nine, I read a book by Pablo Casals. And he said in his book that I am a human being first, I'm a musician second, and I'm a cellist third.

And now, coming from my background and reading this from my hero, I thought, that man I like.

And now, coming from my background and reading this from my hero, I thought, that man I like.

And now, coming from my background and reading this from my hero, I thought, that man I like.

Well, it was the opposite. It was the reverse, right? But you're a cellist first? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And the right order for me always, always, is you're a human being first, and then you are a member of that sector of musicians second. And last, I'm a cellist.

Well, it was the opposite. It was the reverse, right? But you're a cellist first? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And the right order for me always, always, is you're a human being first, and then you are a member of that sector of musicians second. And last, I'm a cellist.

Well, it was the opposite. It was the reverse, right? But you're a cellist first? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And the right order for me always, always, is you're a human being first, and then you are a member of that sector of musicians second. And last, I'm a cellist.

That's a very interesting question. It implies that we all have a consistent one voice. And I dare say that all of us of a certain age have multiple voices.

That's a very interesting question. It implies that we all have a consistent one voice. And I dare say that all of us of a certain age have multiple voices.

That's a very interesting question. It implies that we all have a consistent one voice. And I dare say that all of us of a certain age have multiple voices.

You think that's true? Yeah, I think it's literally true. Because we were talking earlier about what you, Terry, and I, Yo-Yo, try to do is to make sure that at every stage in life that we acknowledge that stage and not try and pretend we're another stage, except for me, I'm still living my childhood. But that's different. That's an exception. But I would say that this music...

You think that's true? Yeah, I think it's literally true. Because we were talking earlier about what you, Terry, and I, Yo-Yo, try to do is to make sure that at every stage in life that we acknowledge that stage and not try and pretend we're another stage, except for me, I'm still living my childhood. But that's different. That's an exception. But I would say that this music...

You think that's true? Yeah, I think it's literally true. Because we were talking earlier about what you, Terry, and I, Yo-Yo, try to do is to make sure that at every stage in life that we acknowledge that stage and not try and pretend we're another stage, except for me, I'm still living my childhood. But that's different. That's an exception. But I would say that this music...

This is a sonata by Schubert. When I was 10, I was mesmerized by Schubert. And one of the things about Schubert that was amazing to me, and I think it appealed to me as a 10-year-old, was that in the happiest moments, there's sadness. And in the saddest moments, there's a glimmer of light. And I think it's the gray, right? But it's not constant gray. And I think that's a lot of life.

This is a sonata by Schubert. When I was 10, I was mesmerized by Schubert. And one of the things about Schubert that was amazing to me, and I think it appealed to me as a 10-year-old, was that in the happiest moments, there's sadness. And in the saddest moments, there's a glimmer of light. And I think it's the gray, right? But it's not constant gray. And I think that's a lot of life.

This is a sonata by Schubert. When I was 10, I was mesmerized by Schubert. And one of the things about Schubert that was amazing to me, and I think it appealed to me as a 10-year-old, was that in the happiest moments, there's sadness. And in the saddest moments, there's a glimmer of light. And I think it's the gray, right? But it's not constant gray. And I think that's a lot of life.

And I think as an immigrant, you're always aware of being able to be on the inside and the outside.

And I think as an immigrant, you're always aware of being able to be on the inside and the outside.