Yo-Yo Ma Wins $1-million Dan David Prize

In mid-May, Yo-Yo Ma traveled to Tel Aviv to receive one of three Dan David Prizes, awards presented annually to people whose achievements have had an outstanding scientific, technological, cultural or social impact.

The prize was presented to Ma “for venturing beyond the traditional realms of musicianship, transforming himself, through his intellect as well as his artistry, into an educator and cultural explorer,” according to the Dan David Foundation. “In particular, through the Silk Road Project… he has opened up the study of the ebb and flow of ideas and traditions among different cultures along the Silk Road.” Ma contributed $900,000 of the $1-million prize to the Silk Road Project to help fund Silk Road Chicago. The remaining $100,000 is designated for scholarships.

The other recipients of the awards were journalists Magdi Allam of Italy, Mónica González of Chile, Adam Michnik of Poland and Goenawan Mohamad of Indonesia for their “exceptional reporting and commitment to press freedom,” and cancer researchers John Mendelssohn and Joseph Schlessinger for the recent breakthroughs in their research.

Tel Aviv University, where the award is headquartered, was the site of three days of activities: the award ceremony itself; a symposium on the history, culture and music of the historic and contemporary Silk Road; and a Silk Road Ensemble concert that filled the 1,150-seat Smolarz Auditorium.

While in Tel Aviv, Ma led a master class for members of the university’s orchestra.“He makes you think not just about what is written in the notes but the overall feeling of the music,” one student said. “That is the fun part of music that… sometimes gets lost.”