Famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma will perform a 15-minute excerpt from Bach’s Cello Suites on the border between United States and Mexico. He will be joined by city leadership from both Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.
The performance, part of Ma’s The Bach Project, is free of charge and open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. Ma will perform on the Gateway bridge before crossing to Nuevo Laredo, where he’ll meet with music students and encourage conversation in Laredo Center for the Arts about culture and connection.
Ma hopes his performance will emphasise the similarities between the two countries during a time when tension between America and Mexico is at an all-time high.
“The shared understanding that culture generates in these divisive times can bind us together as one world, and guide us to political and economic decisions that benefit the entire species,” said Ma.
Laredo will also host music, dance, and spoken word performances by students and community groups. Ma will join the Laredo Philharmonic and local mariachi musicians in a live performance of local composer Colin Campbell’s Rhapsody.
Last August, Ma set out on his two-year journey to perform all six Cello Suites by Bach in 36 cities on six different continents. At each tour stop, Ma includes a ‘Day of Action’, during which he meets with community leaders and artists to host public conversations and creative experiences.
Ma has performed in Montreal, Mumbai, Leipzig, San Juan and several locations across the US.