Yo-Yo Ma returns to Florence

On June 14th he will be in concert in the Sala Mehta of the Teatro del Maggio, a co-production between the Friends of Music of Florence and the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and the Amici della Musica di Firenze announce the extraordinary concert of the cellist Yo-Yo Ma, included in the program of the 87th Maggio Musicale Festival, on Saturday June 14th 2025, at 6 pm, in the Zubin Mehta Hall.

Tickets for the concert will be on sale starting from May 8th at 12 pm through the usual channels of the Amici della Musica di Firenze and the Teatro del Maggio.

Considered one of the greatest cellists of all time, Yo-Yo Ma last performed in a solo cello recital in Florence over twenty years ago, on 13 November 2004 at the Teatro della Pergola, during the Amici della Musica season. He then returned in 2008, in a duo with the pianist Kathryn Stott.

The program includes the performance of three of the six Suites for solo cello by J.S.Bach, No. 1 in G major BWV 1007, No. 6 in D major BWV 1012 and No. 3 in C major BWV 1009, iconic works in the cellist's repertoire. Yo-Yo Ma recorded them in three different versions, in 1983, 1997 and 2018, becoming a point of reference for their interpretation. The proposed pieces are completed by Summer in the High Grassland by the Chinese composer Zhao Jiping, the Partita op.31 by the Turkish Ahmed Adnan Saygun, written in 1954 for the 150th anniversary of the death of the German philosopher Friedrich Schiller and the Sonata for solo cello by the American George Crumb, written in 1955 and influenced by the style of Hindemith and Bartók.

Yo-Yo Ma’s multifaceted career is a testament to his belief in the power of culture to build trust and understanding. Whether performing new and familiar cello pieces, bringing communities together to explore the role of culture in society, or exploring unexpected musical forms, Yo-Yo Ma is committed to creating connections that spark imagination and strengthen our humanity.

Recently, Yo-Yo Ma launched Our Common Nature, a cultural journey to celebrate the ways nature can bring us together to build a shared future. Our Common Nature follows the Bach Project, a tour of J. S. Bach’s cello suites in 36 communities across six continents, accompanied by local cultural activities. Both initiatives reflect Yo-Yo’s lifelong commitment to transcending genres and traditions to understand how music can help us imagine and build a stronger society.

Yo-Yo is an advocate for a future driven by humanity, trust, and understanding. Among his many roles, he is a United Nations Messenger of Peace, the first artist appointed to the board of directors of the World Economic Forum, a board member of Nia Tero — a U.S. nonprofit working in solidarity with indigenous peoples and movements around the world — and the founder of the global music collective Silkroad.

His discography includes over 120 albums (including 19 Grammy Award winners), ranging from iconic interpretations of Western classical repertoire to recordings that defy classification, such as Hush with Bobby McFerrin and The Goat Rodeo Sessions with Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile. His most recent releases include Six Evolutions, his third recording of Bach’s cello suites, and Beethoven for Three: Symphony No. 4 and Op. 97 “Archduke” the third volume in a new Beethoven series, in collaboration with pianist Emanuel Ax and violinist Leonidas Kavakos. His latest album, Merci, with pianist Kathryn Stott, is dedicated to the music of Gabriel Fauré, tracing the French composer’s inspiration and influence in a deeply personal expression of gratitude for the bonds that make music magical.

Yo-Yo was born in 1955 to Chinese parents in Paris. He began studying cello with his father at the age of four, and three years later moved with his family to New York, where he continued his studies at the Juilliard School before pursuing a degree in the humanities at Harvard. He has received numerous awards, including the Avery Fisher Prize (1978), the National Medal of the Arts (2001), the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2010), the Kennedy Center Honors (2011), the Polar Music Prize (2012), and the Birgit Nilsson Prize (2022). He has performed for nine U.S. presidents, most recently at President Biden’s inauguration.

Yo-Yo and his wife have two children. He plays three instruments: a cello made in 2003 by Moes & Moes, a 1733 Montagnana from Venice, and a 1712 Davidoff Stradivarius.