Cellist Yo-Yo Ma launches youth music programme in China

Youth Music Culture Guangdong (YMCG) is an annual two-week training programme for young musicians in Guangzhou, China, spearheaded by Ma

Leading cellist Yo-Yo Ma is to launch Youth Music Culture Guangdong (YMCG) on 7 January 2017 – an annual two-week training programme for young musicians in Guangzhou, China. The new event is the brainchild of Ma, who will serve as its artistic director.

Presented by the Department of Culture of Guangdong Province and organised by the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra and Xinghai Concert Hall, the programme will include concerts, masterclasses, workshops and cultural exchange events, culminating in a performance on 15 January by the YMCG Orchestra and Ma. Included on the faculty will be Michael Stern of the Kansas City Symphony, who will serve as conductor and music director.

Open to musicians between the ages of 18 and 35 from China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, YMCG is designed to promote ‘virtuosity and musicality, cultural awareness and personal artistic development’. All selected students will receive a full scholarship covering tuition and expenses.

‘I believe that any musician or artist should not only be technically proficient, but also be mindful of the power of their art and the need for it in the world,’ said Ma.