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World Famous Cellist - Mr. Yo-Yo Ma (USA)- will visit Lithuania on 15-17 June 2003 as a "CultureConnect Ambassador"

June 12, 2003

June 12, 2003 -- Vilnius, Lithuania. Mr. Yo-Yo Ma, world-famous cellist, is coming to Vilnius for a two-day visit. Mr. Ma is coming to Lithuania as an American cultural ambassador via the CultureConnect program, a new initiative by the United States Department of State that is intended to create a two-way dialogue between the United States and other countries around the world that will enhance our mutual appreciation of the rich and varied cultures of mankind. CultureConnect Ambassadors, like Yo-Yo Ma, have agreed to help link the best of American culture to young people in other countries, through master classes, performances, workshops, and other activities. The program will also provide distance learning via the Internet. Mr. Brian Sexton, Senior Adviser of the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs--and one of the initiators of the CultureConnect program--will escort the famous performer and provide further information on the CultureConnect concept.

Mr. Yo-Yo Ma will visit Vilnius between scheduled appearances in London and Cologne, Germany. Mr. Ma will travel from London to Vilnius on Sunday, 15 June, and will be greeted at Vilnius airport at 21.05h.

On Monday, 16 June, Mr. Ma will visit the Lithuanian Music Academy and will conduct master classes for cello students, which will be the highlight of his visit. A Press Conference together with Ambassador John F. Tefft and Mr. Brian Sexton is scheduled to take place at the Baltic News Service (Jogailos 9/1) at 14.30h.

CNN television "Business Unusual" program will be making a short documentary about Mr. Ma's visit to Lithuania. They will be meeting him at the Vilnius Airport as he arrives and will travel with him throughout the visit.

Mr. Ma is an exclusive Sony Classical artist, and his discography of over 50 albums (including 14 Grammy award winners) reflects his wide-ranging interests. In addition to the standard concerto repertoire, Mr. Ma has recorded many of the large body of works that he has commissioned or premiered. He has also made several successful recordings that defy categorization, among them "Hush" with Bobby McFerrin, "Appalachia Waltz" and Grammy-winner "Appalachian Journey" with Mark O’Connor and Edgar Meyer, and "Piazzolla: Soul of the Tango." Mr. Ma’s most recent Sony Classical releases include "Silk Road Journeys: When Strangers Meet," "Yo-Yo Ma Plays the Music of John Williams," and "Classic Yo-Yo." Across the full range of releases Mr. Ma remains one of the best-selling recording artists in the classical field.

Short Biography

Yo-Yo Ma was born in 1955 to Chinese parents living in Paris. He began to study the cello with his father at age 4 and soon came with his family to New York, where he spent most of his formative years. Later, his principal teacher was Leonard Rose at the Juilliard School. He sought out a traditional liberal arts education to expand upon his conservatory training, graduating from Harvard University in 1976. Mr. Ma and his wife have two children.

More information can be found at http://www.yo-yoma.com/