President Paul Kagame on Saturday, June 10, received leading classical cellist and 19-time Grammy Award winner, Yo-yo Ma, his wife Jill Hornor, and Partners in Health (PIH) Co-Founder Ophelia Dahl, at Village Urugwiro.
Ma and his delegation are all in Rwanda to visit PIH projects.
Among his many roles, Ma is a UN messenger of peace, the first artist ever appointed to the World Economic Forum's board of trustees.
"They discussed Rwanda’s journey of reconciliation, the country’s transformation as well as principles of leadership in the face of global challenges," noted a tweet by the President’s Office.
Ma's illustrious career as a cellist has been marked by numerous accomplishments and accolades, including the Avery Fisher Prize (1978), the National Medal of the Arts (2001), the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2010), Kennedy Center Honors (2011), the Polar Music Prize (2012), and the Birgit Nilsson Prize (2022).
He has received the prestigious Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance multiple times, including for his captivating performances of Brahms' Cello and Piano Sonatas and Beethoven's Cello and Piano Sonata. Additionally, his instrumental solo performances have earned him Grammy Awards for Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance and Best Instrumental Soloist Performance.
In addition to his Grammy successes, Ma has been granted honorary doctorates from esteemed institutions such as Harvard University, Princeton University, and the University of Oxford.
He was appointed as Peace Ambassador by then-UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in January 2006. Additionally, he is a founding member of the influential Chinese-American Committee of 100, which addresses the concerns of Americans of Chinese heritage.
In recognition of his artistic contributions, President Barack Obama appointed Ma to serve on the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities on November 3, 2009.
Ma's musical endeavors have transcended borders and genres, demonstrating his versatility and passion for exploration. His collaboration with The Silk Road Ensemble on the album "Sing Me Home" led to a Grammy Award for Best World Music Album.
Furthermore, his chamber music and small ensemble performances garnered acclaim, most notably with his interpretation of Beethoven's Cello Sonatas alongside pianist Emanuel Ax, which earned him a Grammy Award in 2022.