He has explored Argentine tangos and Appalachian fiddle ditties, along with Mozart and Bach. On his newest--and 88th!--album, Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon, the world-renowned cellist collaborates with musicians along the ancient trade route that linked China and the West. Yo-Yo Ma spoke with TIME's Josh Tyrangiel from his home in Cambridge, Mass.
WHEN YOU MIX CULTURES, THERE'S A RISK OF CREATING SOCIALLY WORTHY ELEVATOR MUSIC. HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE IT SYNTHESIZES INTO SOMETHING INTERESTING?
You have to give yourself over to your collaborators and be willing to forget what you know. On this album, we were doing a...
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