World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma set to perform in Kalispell in 2024
World-renowned US cellist Yo-Yo Ma plays a solo at the Music School of the National Conservatory in Lisbon on March 29, 2022.(AP Photo/Armando Franca)
Tickets to see world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma in a highly anticipated August 2024 performance at the Wachholz College Center in Kalispell go on sale at 10 a.m. Sept. 1.
“This is a rare opportunity to witness the artistry of Yo-Yo Ma right here in Montana,” Wachholz Director Matt Laughlin said in a press release. “His return after such a long hiatus is an extraordinary moment for the state's music scene, and we are honored that this performance will take place at the Wachholz College Center in Kalispell.”
Having captivated hearts and souls with his virtuoso talent for over four decades, Yo-Yo Ma is celebrated as one of the greatest cellists of our time. His mastery of the cello, coupled with his deep musicality and passion, has earned him numerous accolades, including 19 Grammy Awards, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Arts.
Ma’s performance with the Great Falls Symphony Orchestra in May 2004 is thought to be the last time he played a show in Montana, making his performance “a truly momentous occasion for music enthusiasts across the state.”
“I am thrilled to return to Montana and share my music with the people of this beautiful state once again,” Ma said in the release. “Music has the power to transcend boundaries and bring communities together, and I look forward to creating a magical musical experience in the new Wachholz College Center.”
Ticket to the 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3, 2024, Kalispell performance may be purchased online at wachholzcollegecenter.org or by calling the ticket office at 756-1400. Tickets range in price from $180 to $300. Ticket service fees may apply.
The Wachholz is located on the Flathead Valley Community College Campus, 777 Grandview Drive.
Born in 1955 to Chinese parents living in Paris, the child prodigy began studying cello with his father at 4 years old. Three years later, his family moved to New York City where Ma continued studying the stringed instrument at Juilliard School before pursuing a liberal arts education at Harvard, according to his biography.
Ma went on to record more than 120 albums. His latest album, “Beethoven for Three: Symphony No. 6 and Op. 1, No. 3,” is the second in a new series of Beethoven recordings with pianist Emanuel Ax and violinist Leonidas Kavakos. He plays three instruments — a 2003 instrument made by Moes & Moes, a 1733 Montagnana cello from Venice, and the 1712 Davidoff Stradivarius.