Yo-Yo Ma and his ensemble performed at the School of Global and International Studies in a special concert in Bloomington, IN., Wednesday, November 11, 2015. Chris Howell | Herald-Times
In a mixture of music and lecture, famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma captured the attention of a small audience Wednesday morning as he spoke about the connection between understanding cultures and solving the world's problems.
Ma performed for about 150 people in the auditorium of IU's School of Global and International Studies. He joked that after a performance, young children will often approach him and say that when they grow up, they want to be musicians. Ma said he will often shake his head before saying, "I'm sorry, my friend, but you can't do both."
Ma said his joke illustrates how keeping a childlike approach to new things is essential to being a working musician.
"You need the same kind of unfettered imagination," he said.
As people age, they often lose their openness, Ma said. "We grow afraid of being exposed, being judged or being ridiculed."
The power of culture is what keeps your sense of wonder, according to Ma.
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