On Thursday, March 2nd Jamie Clark performed on a Gala Concert with Yo Yo Ma.  She had the opportunity to play his Stradivarius that was once played by Jacqueline du Pré as well. 

She shares the following about the experience:  

Yesterday was one of those days I found myself wishing I could bottle up every moment in a memory/sensory bank, ready to be replayed at any age.

I am convinced the world would be a better place if everyone was born with a drop of Yo Yo Ma magic in their soul.

From the moment he set foot on stage in the first rehearsal, to the final moments after the concert, he was radiating radical kindness, love, enthusiasm, selflessness, passion, and imagination. 

It is as if he holds the generosity of spirit and youthful joy of all our nations in his one human body.
I’ve never experienced an individual able to completely transform the atmosphere of an group in only seconds of making music together. He plays as if every moment is an opportunity to communicate love and life with a dear loved one. And in many cases, he only just met his collaborators.

Growing up as a young girl passionate about the cello without really knowing why, I found myself renting the VHS Tape of Jacqueline du Pré’s Elgar Concerto from the local movie store. As soon as my rental expired, I would return (with the help of my Dad) to renew it, over and over again. 

Yesterday at break, Yo Yo Ma asked if I wanted to play his Stradivarius, the instrument that had been played by Jacqueline du Pré in that video. The power of this gesture and the history behind it was enough to move me to tears. I’ve never touched a sound like that in my life. It is as if the cello sings, spins, and melts the moment you breathe any amount of life into the bow. Each string is a universe of its own, spectacular, soulful, and rich with variety that could never be completely explored.

Last night, as we sat in a completely packed Van Wezel Hall in anticipation of the concert, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude that we are all alive together at this time and that we have the opportunity to experience collective and collaborative beauty together.

As Yo Yo says, Music Heals.