I was privileged to see a private recital by Yo-Yo Ma last Wednesday evening in Geneva. He was invited by World Economic Forum Chairman and Founder Klaus Schwab to perform for a group of 100 executives who were helping to plan the 2025 Annual Meeting.
Ma is a consummate performer. I had seen him twice before — once when we were both undergraduates at Harvard and he played alongside jazz great Eubie Blake, another time at a Centennial Celebration in Chicago as he was honored alongside former President Barack Obama.
He played American folk music, followed by a cello concerto by Bach, which he told us he had played at both weddings and funerals. Please listen to the two short clips that I have attached here.
Schwab and Ma then engaged in a 10-minute conversation on the value of the humanities. They concluded that music can be a binding force between civilizations at a time of huge geopolitical friction. Ma told his own story, parents of Chinese origin, born in Paris, educated in New York City at Juilliard, going on to Harvard and Columbia. He is a living symbol of cross-cultural exchange.
His life has been a continuing pursuit of excellence. He played on Wednesday not with his usual instrument, a cello from 1712, but with one borrowed from a local musician. He was bothered not one bit; it was simply a challenge to achieve his usual brilliance from a pedestrian instrument.
I walked up to him at the airport as we waited in line for customs. I told him that I had been in his class at Harvard. He said that he was looking forward to our 50th reunion in 2026 because so many of our classmates had achieved extraordinary things. His humility and warmth were stunning.
Yo-Yo MA has reached the pinnacle of artistic achievement yet he climbs higher. He is not satisfied with what has been, he sees more and better days ahead through art that unifies us all. He is a role model for all who are determined to be the best.
Richard Edelman is CEO.
