Question 1

True or false: Yo-Yo Ma began playing the cello at age two to strengthen his fingers.

Accepted Answer

False. He started cello at age four, and his early practice was encouraged by his musician parents, not for finger strength.

Question 2

True or false: Yo-Yo Ma studied anthropology before committing to a full-time music career.

Accepted Answer

True. He earned a degree in anthropology from Harvard in 1976, alongside his music studies at Juilliard.

Question 3

True or false: Yo-Yo Ma has won over 20 Grammy Awards across multiple genres.

Accepted Answer

True. He has won 19 Grammys as of 2024, spanning classical, folk, and world music categories.

Question 4

True or false: Yo-Yo Ma was banned from performing in China for criticizing the government.

Accepted Answer

False. He frequently performs in China and has never been banned; he is celebrated there as a cultural ambassador.

Question 5

True or false: Yo-Yo Ma’s first public performance was at the White House for President Kennedy.

Accepted Answer

False. He performed for President Eisenhower at age seven, not Kennedy, though he later played for many presidents.

Question 6

True or false: Yo-Yo Ma owns a Stradivarius cello made from wood salvaged from a shipwreck.

Accepted Answer

True. His 1712 Davidoff Stradivarius is made from maple and spruce, but the shipwreck claim is a myth; it was actually crafted normally.

Question 7

True or false: Yo-Yo Ma once collaborated with a DJ to create a classical-electronic fusion album.

Accepted Answer

False. Though he has worked with diverse artists, no full DJ-collaboration album exists; his Silk Road Ensemble blends acoustic traditions.

Question 8

True or false: Yo-Yo Ma once performed while suspended from a crane above a concert hall.

Accepted Answer

True. In 2015, Ma played Bach on a cello while dangling from a crane at the opening of the Montreal International Musical Competition.

Yo-Yo Ma Trivia Questions