The quest for common ground
Asked to define the concept of “cultural citizenship” at a panel convened to explore that question, Yo-Yo Ma ’76, cellist and artistic director of the Silk Road Ensemble, pointed to an unexpected answer: guest pianist Tania Rivers-Moore ’15. Rivers-Moore had met with Ma and two other ensemble members for the first time that morning to rehearse a piece by Brahms, which the quartet performed for the symposium’s audience right before the panel began. “What you just heard, in some way, reflects what cultural citizenship is,” Ma said. “She was given this piece of music just a week ago, but here’s the thing. She was ready to jump in, and we were ready to jump in also. So part of cultural citizenship is that readiness, starting that leap from the inside, and combining with other forces to make it work.” Yo-Yo Ma (center), Tania Rivers-Moore ’15 (left), and members of the Silk Road Ensemble...