Summary
Yo-Yo Ma and a cello…a combination that’s music to our ears! In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby hit all the right notes to bring you the life story of the world-famous cellist. See how the Chinese-American prodigy grew up with music in his blood in Paris and New York City. You’ll discover how a switch from violin to cello launched Ma on the path to classical music stardom. You’ll also follow all the major milestones of his career, as he went from the classrooms of Juilliard and Harvard to performing with the world’s greatest musicians and orchestras. Finally, you’ll learn just what it is that has earned Ma a reputation as the world’s greatest living cellist! Sound good? With Yo-Yo Ma, it always does!
Viewer safety
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
A few questions to talk through after watching Yo-Yo Ma:
- What is one new thing you learned about yo-yo ma?
- Can you explain it to a partner in your own words?
- Where might you see this in the real world?
- What is one question you still have?
Quick work-a-long
Try it:
- Write one sentence explaining yo-yo ma.
- Draw or give one example of your own.


