Davenport, IA- The Quad City Symphony Orchestra is honored to announce cellist and classical music superstar Yo-Yo Ma will join them for a special concert at the Adler Theatre celebrating their 100th Season on May 14, 2015. "Yo-Yo Ma is probably the most well-known and sought-after classical artist of our generation and we are delighted to have him joining us as a part of our 100th season celebration," said QCSO Board of Trustees President Scott Van Vooren. Additional concert details including repertoire, ticket prices, and the on-sale date will be announced at a later time.
Yo-Yo Ma's multi-faceted career is testament to his continual search for new ways to communicate with audiences, and to his personal desire for artistic growth and renewal. Whether performing new or familiar works from the cello repertoire, coming together with colleagues for chamber music, or exploring cultures and musical forms outside the Western classical tradition, Mr. Ma strives to find connections that stimulate the imagination. "Yo-Yo Ma's importance as an ambassador for classical music as an integral part of our culture cannot be over estimated," said QCSO Music Director Mark Russell Smith. "Whether it is on Sesame Street or the Colbert Report, for many, Yo-Yo Ma is the face of classical music today." As the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Judson and Joyce Green Creative Consultant, Mr. Ma is partnering with Maestro Riccardo Muti to provide collaborative musical leadership and guidance on innovative program development for The Institute for Learning, Access and Training at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and for Chicago Symphony artistic initiatives. Mr. Ma's work focuses on the transformative power music can have in individuals' lives and on increasing the number and variety of opportunities audiences have to experience music in their communities. In 2011, Mr. Ma was recognized as a Kennedy Center Honoree. Appointed a CultureConnect Ambassador by the United States Department of State in 2002, Mr. Ma has met with, trained, and mentored thousands of students worldwide in countries including Lithuania, Korea, Lebanon, Azerbaijan and China. Mr. Ma serves as a UN Messenger of Peace and as a member of the President's Committee on the Arts & the Humanities. He has performed for eight American presidents, most recently at the invitation of President Obama on the occasion of the 56th Inaugural Ceremony.
The Riverboat Development Authority has provided a significant two-year grant to support this performance during our 100th Season. "RDA is thrilled to be able to sponsor an artist the caliber of Yo-Yo Ma who will be coming to Davenport to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of our symphony," said Mary Ellen Chamberlin. "It is a great opportunity for the symphony to shine and to prove once again that Davenport has become a mecca for the Arts." This special concert with Yo-Yo Ma is just one of the many events planned to celebrate the Quad City Symphony Orchestra's 100th season. "We are so grateful to the RDA for providing a portion of the funding that is making this performance possible during our 100th Season," said Benjamin Loeb, Executive Director of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra. "A community-wide celebration like this with a celebrity like Yo-Yo Ma is a great opportunity for a local business to showcase their support for the arts in the Quad Cities. I encourage those interested in sponsorship opportunities for this performance or any of our other 100th Season events to contact me." More details about the 100th season celebration will become available during the coming months. Visit www.qcsymphony.com for regular updates.
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