The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center will present “An Intimate Evening with Yo-Yo Ma” on Friday, Dec. 6, 2013.
Photo by Michael O'Neill“An Intimate Evening with Yo-Yo Ma” will take place at 8 p.m. in the ASC’s Jemison Concert Hall, 1200 10th Ave., South. A VIP package is available; for more information call 205-934-6196. Tickets are $85.50, $65.50 and $45.50. For tickets, visit www.alysstephens.org or call 205-975-2787.
On the program is Adnan Saygun’s “Partita,” Bach’s Suite No. 1, “Appalachia Waltz” by Mark O’Connor, Bach’s Suite No. 2, George Crumb’s Solo Sonata and Bach’s Suite No. 3.
A world-acclaimed virtuoso on cello, Ma strives to find connections that stimulate the imagination. Whether he is 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, his multifaceted career is a testament to his continual search for new ways to communicate with audiences, as well as his personal desire for artistic growth and renewal. His discography of more than 75 albums — including more than 15 Grammy Award-winners — reflects his wide-ranging interests.
Ma plays two instruments: a 1733 Montagnana cello from Venice and the 1712 Davidoff Stradivarius. His successful recordings defy categorization; across his full range of releases, he remains one of the best-selling recording artists in the classical field. In fall 2009, Sony Classical released a 90-disc box set to commemorate Ma’s 30 years as a Sony recording artist.
In 1998, Ma established the Silk Road Project, a nonprofit arts and educational organization that takes its inspiration from the historic Silk Road trading routes as a modern metaphor for multicultural and interdisciplinary exchange. Juilliard-trained and Harvard-educated, Ma was born in 1955 to Chinese parents living in Paris. Ma began to study the cello with his father at age 4, and he soon came with his family to New York, where he spent most of his formative years.
“Providing access to the arts through culturally engaging programs is vital, which is why we have committed to sponsoring ‘An Intimate Evening with Yo-Yo Ma,’” said Jim Hansen, regional president, PNC. “UAB’s Alys Stephens Center has a longstanding reputation for offering exquisite arts programming here in Birmingham. The opportunity to host a world-renowned artist in the Magic City helps to sustain Birmingham as a great place to live, work and play and ultimately contributes to the region’s economic growth.”
Other sponsors for this performance include Jemison Investment Co. Inc., UAB and VIVA Health.