(b. 1955 in France to Chinese parents, United States)

"Every time I open a newspaper, I am reminded that we live in a world where we can no longer afford not to know our neighbors. The Silk Road Project is a musical way to get to know our neighbors."

Yo-Yo Ma, cellist, has recorded nearly 50 albums and won 14 Grammy Awards. In classical performances, as in his exploration of musical forms outside of the Western classical tradition, Ma strives to find connections that stimulate the imagination. One of Ma’s goals is the exploration of music as a means of communication and as a vehicle for the migration of ideas across a range of cultures throughout the world. He established the Silk Road Project to promote the study of cultural, artistic and intellectual traditions along the ancient Silk Road trade routes. Ma was born in Paris to Chinese parents who later moved the family to New York. He began to study cello at the age of four, and is a graduate of the Juilliard School and Harvard University.

Yo-Yo Ma founded and serves as the Artistic Director for the Silk Road Project. He performs with the Silk Road Ensemble, appears on the album Silk Road Journeys: When Strangers Meet and was featured in the photo exhibit entitled The Silk Road Ensemble: Portraits and Places. Ma sometimes performs on the morin khuur [MOO rin HOOR] (Mongolian horsehead fiddle). Visit Yo-Yo Ma's official site (www.yo-yoma.com) to learn more about his recordings.