So I just need to come right out and say it: I love Yo-Yo Ma. I've followed his musical career for decades and he just continues to fascinate me as a musician and as a human being. I've had the privilege to see him perform live a handful of times (and if you haven't, that should be added to your bucket list NOW), and those performances were all moving and magical. I've also heard him speak on several occasions and have been struck by his poise, passion, humor, and humility. But what truly impresses me about Ma is his relentless thirst for knowledge and his insatiable curiosity about music, culture, and life. This man is the epitome of a life-long learner. His optimism is also contagious, which I learned first-hand when I attended the Arts & Passion-Driven Learning Institute at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He sat in on one of my seminars and smiled, laughed, and learned right along with us. At one point we even high-fived. That's right: I high-fived Yo-Yo Ma. Unreal.
Anyway, I could continue gushing about the man, but below is a recent interview he did that speaks to all the reasons why he's so beloved. Ma, at his core, is thoughtful, humble, and grateful...which makes him worth admiring as a person, in addition to being inspired by his incredible artistic talent.
