Yo Yo Ma at New York's American Museum of Natural History

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma has been a pioneer in using music to provide a bridge to other cultures. Ma formed the Silk Road Ensemble to show how musicians from different countries could play together and find their common ground. What might have appeared a gimmick at first is still going strong. Yo-Yo Ma still devotes much of his time to the Silk Road Ensemble and with this group he has undoubtedly inspired people all over the world. 

In this video Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble perform Ascending Bird, a traditional Persian folk melody.

Paul E. Robinson