Emanuel Ax, piano, and Yo-Yo Ma, cello
Special Event
June 9, 2021
Monday, March 29, 2027, 7:30 PM
Street and Davis Performance Hall, Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre
"A sense of quiet magnificence radiates from two master musicians."
— The Strad
Two legendary artists. One extraordinary musical kinship. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Emanuel Ax return to the Center for the Arts, this time sharing the Fife stage in one of classical music’s most celebrated collaborations.
Friends and musical partners for more than 40 years — most recently collaborating for their Beethoven for Three series with Leonidas Kavakos — Ax and Ma bring their extraordinary musical connection to the recital stage. The duo enjoys a rare artistic rapport, the kind that grows only through decades of listening, collaboration, and trust.
When Ma’s searching cello meets Ax’s luminous piano, the result is music-making of extraordinary depth. Don’t miss an experience of a lifetime, defined by masterful artistry, enduring camaraderie, and the joy of discovery in every phrase.
About Emanuel Ax
Born to Polish parents in what is today Lviv, Ukraine, Emanuel Ax moved to Winnipeg, Canada, with his family when he was a young boy. Ax made his New York debut in the Young Concert Artists Series and in 1974 won the first Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition in Tel Aviv. In 1975 he won the Michaels Award of Young Concert Artists, followed by the Avery Fisher Prize, and was named the Musical America Artist of the Year for 2026.
His 2025-2026 season highlights included performing with the Philadelphia Orchestra in Carnegie Hall and a tour to Tokyo, Seoul, and Hong Kong. Following the world premiere at Tanglewood in summer 2025, the concerto written for him by John Williams had its Boston Symphony subscription debut in January, followed by the New York premiere with New York Philharmonic. He returned to orchestras in Dallas, St. Louis, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Charleston, Madison, Naples, and New Jersey. In recital he was heard in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Santa Barbara, Des Moines, Cedar Falls, Schenectady, and Princeton. A European tour included concerts in Munich, Prague, Berlin, Rome, and Torino.
Ax has been a Sony Classical exclusive recording artist since 1987. He launched a multiyear project with violinist Leonidas Kavakos and cellist Yo-Yo Ma to record all the Beethoven Trios and Symphonies, of which the first four discs have been released. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and holds honorary doctorates of music from Skidmore College, New England Conservatory of Music, Yale University, and Columbia University.
About Yo-Yo Ma
Yo-Yo Ma’s multifaceted career is testament to his belief in culture’s power to generate trust and understanding. Whether performing new or familiar works for cello, bringing communities together to explore culture’s role in society, or engaging unexpected musical forms, Ma strives to foster connections that stimulate the imagination and reinforce our humanity. Most recently, Ma began Our Common Nature, a cultural journey to celebrate the ways that nature can reunite us in pursuit of a shared future.
Our Common Nature follows the Bach Project, a 36-community, six-continent tour of J. S. Bach’s cello suites paired with local cultural programming. Both endeavors reflect Ma’s lifelong commitment to stretching the boundaries of genre and tradition to understand how music helps us to imagine and build a stronger society.
Ma was born in 1955 to Chinese parents living in Paris, where he began studying the cello with his father at age four. When he was seven, he moved with his family to New York City, where he continued his cello studies before pursuing a liberal arts education. He has recorded more than 120 albums, is the winner of 20 Grammy Awards, and has performed for nine American presidents, most recently on the occasion of President Biden’s inauguration. He has received numerous awards, including the National Medal of the Arts, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Birgit Nilsson Prize. He has been a UN Messenger of Peace since 2006, and was recognized as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020.
This performance is supported in part by gifts from Tom Tillar, Dr. James Shuler and Mrs. Margaret F. Shuler, and the Easels.
Ma first performed at the center in 2017, while Ax first performed in 2016.
Photo by Nigel Parry
FAQs
About This Event
Not at all. Whether you're a lifelong classical music fan or attending your first recital, Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax are known for performances that are both technically brilliant and deeply engaging.
No. This is a chamber music recital featuring cello and piano. Without an orchestra, audiences experience the close musical conversation between the two performers.
Chamber music is classical music performed by a small group of musicians, with one performer playing each part. Unlike an orchestra, chamber music creates a more intimate listening experience, allowing audiences to hear the musical conversation between the performers. Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax's recital is a chamber music performance featuring cello and piano.
Yes, but not together. This marks the first time Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax have performed together at the Center for the Arts. Ma previously appeared at the center in 2017, and Ax performed here in 2016.
Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax met as students at Juilliard in the early 1970s and have been performing together for more than five decades. Their enduring friendship has become one of the most celebrated artistic partnerships in classical music.
Absolutely. Yo-Yo Ma, in particular, is known for welcoming new audiences to classical music through engaging performances and a genuine belief in music's ability to bring people together.
Attending a Performance at the Center
The most important thing is that you're comfortable. There is no dress code, so do what feels right for you. Do you want to get dressed to the nines for a special night out? You won't be the only one. Do you feel like keeping things casual? You won't be alone there, either.
All campus parking, including along Alumni Mall, requires a parking permit from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted by signage.
Parking is available in the North End Parking Garage on Turner Street at 300 Turner Street NW.
- For many Center for the Arts performances and large events, this garage will be staffed by an attendant and payment ($10, cash only) must be made at the time of entry. This event parking price is $2 higher than the garage’s daily rate to allow us to provide staffing to make both entering and exiting the garage more efficient for larger numbers of cars. You may exit at the Turner Street gate.
- All other times, visitors can take a ticket upon entrance and pay the $8 daily rate using Visa or Mastercard when exiting.
Convenient parking is also located in downtown Blacksburg. Town parking is free every day after 5:00 p.m.
Patrons are always welcome to drop off and pick up guests directly at the main doors of the Center for the Arts on Alumni Mall and Turner Street.
Allowing yourself extra time improves the experience for everyone! We recommend arriving at least 45 minutes prior to the start of the performance so you have plenty of time for the safety screening and to get settled in your seats. Our lobbies and galleries open 90 minutes before performances, and the theatre doors open 30 minutes before the performance start time. Ushers will direct you to your seat and are happy to answer any questions.
For the safety of our guests and performers, all patrons may be required to pass through a walk-through metal detector before entering the theatre. The process is quick and touchless, and you may keep your personal belongings with you. If you need an alternate screening method, please speak with a member of our security team.
A small or clutch-size purse or clear bag is recommended. Oversized bags, luggage, and backpacks will not be permitted inside the theatre. Coat check will be available to check these items.
Concessions from Blacksburg Wine Lab are available for most performances. Concessions availability and locations will be included in the What to Know email for ticket holders. Concessions are available beginning an hour before the performance, so arrive early to avoid the lines and enjoy a drink before the show.
Cameras and recording equipment are not permitted inside the theatre during performances. To avoid distracting the artists and those around you, please turn off or silence your cell phone and put away all electronic devices before the performance begins. Photography, video recording, and audio recording are not permitted unless otherwise announced.
If you’re late, you may hear the beginning of the performance from the lobby while you wait to take your seat — either until intermission or an appropriate break in the program as requested and advised by the artists. Admitting late arrivals into the theatre is timed to cause as little disruption as possible to other guests and the performers on stage. In some cases, you may be seated in an alternate location in the theatre.
You will receive a “What to Know” email approximately 48 hours before the performance with helpful information on approximate runtimes, pre- and post-show activities, and any other information you will need to know before you head out the door.
We are committed to being fully accessible to all patrons and their companions and strive to make our patrons’ experiences convenient and comfortable. In addition to our venue’s universal design features, we offer services and accommodations for parking, seating, listening, sensory support, courtesy wheelchair, elevators, restrooms, service animals, sign language, and visual aids. Find out more.
No. Mobile tickets displayed on your smartphone are welcome, though printed tickets are also accepted.
While all sales are final, tickets to most events may be exchanged for another Center for the Arts performance within the current season. Please contact the box office at artscenter@vt.edu or by phone at 540-231-5300 at least one hour in advance of the scheduled performance to request an exchange. Refunds may be offered in extenuating circumstances at the discretion of the box office manager.