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Yo-Yo Ma | Kathryn Stott

Comfort and Hope

Sony Classical
Release Date: December 11, 2021

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New Classical Tracks
1 Amazing Grace, Prelude  
2 Ol' Man River  
3 Shenandoah  
4 Goin' Home  
5 Jewish Song  
6 Zdes' khorosho, Op. 21, No. 7  
7 Moscow Nights  
8 Over the Rainbow  
9 Rain Falling from the Roof  
10 Song Without Words, Op. 109  
11 Fantasia on Waltzing Matilda  
12 Scarborough Fair  
13 Solveig's Song  
14 Les Chemins de l'Amour  
15 Marietta's Lied  
16 Thula Baba  
17 The Last Rose of Summer  
18 Londonderry Air (Danny Boy)  
19 Gracias a la Vida  
20 We'll Meet Again  
21 Amazing Grace, Postlude  
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Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott come together again, this time for Songs of Comfort and Hope, set for release on December 11, 2020 on Sony Classical. Available now for preorder, Songs of Comfort and Hope is inspired by the series of recorded-at-home musical offerings that Ma began sharing in the first days of the COVID-19 lockdown in the United States. Throughout the spring and summer, Yo-Yo Ma's #SongsofComfort grew from a self-shot video of Antonín Dvorák's "Goin' Home" into a worldwide effort that has reached more than 18 million people.

Ma and Stott mark the next chapter in the project with this new album, offering consolation and connection in the face of fear and isolation. The album includes 21 new recordings, which span modern arrangements of traditional folk tunes, canonical pop songs, jazz standards, and mainstays from the western classical repertoire. "Songs are little time capsules of emotions: they can contain long-lost dreams and desires, and feelings of great spirit, optimism, and unity," Ma and Stott write of Songs of Comfort and Hope.

"Songs bring a sense of community, identity, and purpose, crossing boundaries and binding us together in thanks, consolation, and encouragement. It had long been our wish to explore this medium further, but we could never have imagined that the catalyst would be a pandemic that fundamentally rearranged our ways of living. This is music that tells stories, that marks occasions private and public, that gives voice to celebrations, remembrances, and all of life's mysteries. These are songs that pay tribute to musical champions of social justice - like Paul Robeson and Violeta Parra - and to the troubadours of our joy, imagination, and sorrow - like Francis Poulenc, Wu Tong, and Benjamin Britten."

  • 'Yo-Yo Ma + Katherine Stott at 'Krannert Center for the Performing Arts' makes Smile Politely - BEST classical flex
    Posted At: December 10, 2024
    Yo-Yo Ma and longtime collaborator Kathryn Stott release their newest album, Merci, via Sony Classical. Merci is a deeply personal expression of gratitude, a celebration of the powerful relationships that keep music alive. This effervescent recording is rooted in the compositions of Gabriel Fauré, whom Stott calls her “musical soulmate,” and follows the arcs of his inspiration and influence, from the creati...

  • Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott soothe the soul at the Barbican / bachtrack
    Posted At: December 5, 2024
    bachtrack's David Karlin writes…….Among their many other musical activities, Kathryn Stott  and Yo-Yo Ma have been playing concerts as a duo for 46 years. In last night's recital, the extent of the intimacy between them was clear for all to see: here were two people with complete musical knowledge of each other being simply happy to be in a room playing for their friends – the Platonic ideal of chamber...

  • Yo-Yo Ma, Kathryn Stott's elegant collaboration elucidates, illuminates Davies Symphony Hall / The Daily Californian
    Posted At: April 15, 2024
    The Daily Californian's Alyssa Chen writes……On April 7, world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott kicked off their night at Davies Symphony Hall with “Berceuse, Opus 16” — a short piece composed by Gabriel Fauré, originally written around 1879 for violin and piano. While Ma’s cascading fingers traversed down the fingerboard, dark tones became rich as Ma arpeggio-ed up to a touching harmonic ...

  • YoYo Ma, Kathryn Stott heartwarming camaraderie felt magnetic at Stanford Live concert / The Stanford Daily
    Posted At: April 4, 2023
    The Stanford Daily's Peyton Lee writes…..Imagine you’ve just finished family dinner when your aunt and uncle, perhaps under peer pressure, announce they’ve got some music to share. With full bellies and fuller hearts, you turn to hear them spin a lifetime of stories into your family’s own personal concert.With close to 1,000 patrons in attendance, Monday’s Stanford Live concert, featuring celebrated cellist...

  • Yo-Yo Ma tells 'People' that 'it's not about winning, but about sharing'
    Posted At: December 16, 2020

    For decades Yo-Yo Ma has been hailed as the greatest cellist in the world. But at the mention of his long list of accolades - which includes 18 Grammy Awards and a Presidential Medal of Freedom - the virtuoso wrinkles his brow. "I really think that living lightly is very good," Ma, whose modesty has received as much praise over the years as his musical prowess, tells PEOPLE in its latest issue. "The ...

  • Yo-Yo Ma, Kathryn Stott - Songs of Comfort and Hope is the WFMT: 'Featured New Release'
    Posted At: December 14, 2020

    Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott's newest collaboration, Songs of Comfort and Hope, is inspired by the series of recorded-at-home musical offerings that Ma began sharing in the first days of the COVID-19 lockdown in the United States. The album includes 21 new recordings, which span modern arrangements of traditional folk tunes, canonical pop songs, jazz standards, and mainstays from the wester...

  • Australian composer Harry Sdraulig pens a song of comfort and hope for Kathryn Stott and Yo-Yo Ma / LIMELIGHT
    Posted At: December 11, 2020

    Back in June, I received an unexpected message from British pianist Kathryn Stott. I'd long been a great admirer of her musicianship and was familiar with many of her outstanding recordings but, until that point, our paths had barely crossed – we were yet to meet in person or even have a spoken conversation. Kathy's enquiry itself was quite unusual: would I be interested in doing a ‘spin'...

  • Cal Performances at Home Concert presents - Yo-Yo Ma & Kathryn Stott: Songs of Comfort and Hope makes 91.7KALW 'Sights & Sounds Thanksgiving Picks'
    Posted At: November 26, 2020

    Cal Performances at Home Concert presents this online concert by the legendary cellist and acclaimed pianist. The show was filmed this month during their performance at Taiwan's National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts Concert Hall. The songs are inspired by music that Yo-Yo Ma recorded at his home during the beginning of the pandemic lockdown. Stream it until December 12th. Yo-Yo Ma's new album, which deb...

  • Mindful vibrato from Yo-Yo Ma / Premier Guitar
    Posted At: August 18, 2018

    Liberation from muscle-memory habits is a major goal of this column. And is any aspect of guitar playing more susceptible to mindless auto-pilot than vibrato? This lesson will help you truly listen to your vibrato. You'll get better at applying the effect mindfully to heighten your musical ideas, as opposed to automatically wiggling your fretting hand whenever you reach a sustained note. We'll look at vi...

  • Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott set to play Omaha's Holland Center / KIOS Radio
    Posted At: May 16, 2016

    World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma and internationally recognized pianist Kathryn Stott perform in recital at the Holland Center tomorrow evening at 7:30. The duo have known one another for years and have performed and traveled together extensively around the world. Ma says Tuesday night's concert features music that represents snapshots of life. He says he and Stott had an idea of marking the memories ...

  • Yo Yo Ma | Kathryn Stott play Arc of Life Suite@Davies Hall / The Berkeley Daily Planet review
    Posted At: May 13, 2016

    In an eclectic program, cellist Yo Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott gave a concert Thursday evening, May 12, at Davies Hall. Longtime collaborators in both live performances and recordings, Yo Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott have a wonderful feel for each other's musicianship. They opened this program with five pieces from something they term the "Arc of Life Suite," which they recorded in 2015. However, as with ...

  • Yo-Yo Ma & Kathryn Stott - Songs From The Arc Of Life / / WRTI: Featured release for 2015
    Posted At: December 3, 2015

    WRTI's Mark Pinto, host of the Classical New Releases show, fills you in on the latest and greatest classical music CDs every Saturday at 5 pm. Here are five newly released recordings he recommends. Almost since the day Kathryn Stott laid eyes on Yo-Yo Ma in his underwear while practicing the cello in her London flat, the two have been making beautiful music together.  Actually, the two real...

  • Yo-Yo Ma & Kathryn Stott - Songs From The Arc Of Life / WCRB: CD Of the Week
    Posted At: November 9, 2015

    Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott have created a unique classical music experience with their new Sony Classical recording Songs from the Arc of Life. This all-new recording also celebrates thirty years of friendship and collaboration in concerts and recordings for Ma and Stott. The album includes pieces they have frequently performed but never recorded, as well as a handful of discove...

  • Yo-Yo Ma plays Saint-Saens - 'The Swan' for PBS: NewsHour
    Posted At: October 19, 2015

    Yo-Yo Ma began dazzling audiences when he was five. Now, his new album "Songs from the Arc of Life," which came out just before his 60th birthday, focuses on the ups and downs of the human experience. PBS: NewsHour Chief arts and culture correspondent Jeffrey Brown recently visited Ma at a recording studio in New York. The cellist told him the album, which he recorded with his longtime collabor...

  • Yo-Yo Ma opens Charleston Gaillard Center / WCBD: News 2
    Posted At: October 18, 2015

    The moment has come to share the exiting news of The Charleston Gaillard Center's pending completion and Grand Opening Gala! The inaugural concert of the Martha & John Rivers Performance Hall on October 18, 2015 will feature world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, accompanied by the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and its new Music Director, Ken Lam. In recordings, Ma has recently teamed with pia...

  • Music and the Arc of Life: Exclusive Interview with Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott
    Posted At: October 13, 2015

    Crossover Media is proud to launch its Medium existence presenting an exclusive interview with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott, discussing their new Sony Classical recording - Songs from the Arc of Life.  Celebrating thirty years of friendship and collaboration in concerts and recordings, Ma and Stott share pieces they have frequently performed but have never recorded.  In the in...

  • The Diverse World Of Yo-Yo Ma / NPR
    Posted At: October 8, 2015

    Few musicians possess an appetite for diversity as voracious as Yo-Yo Ma's. The renowned cellist, who turns 60 today, calls himself a "venture culturalist." His collaborations include making music for dancers (including Monday night's collaboration with American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer Misty Copeland on Stephen Colbert's Late Show), filmmakers, garden designers, architects, Kabuki art...

  • Happy Birthday Yo-Yo Ma / Global Village celebrates with the rest of us
    Posted At: October 7, 2015

    One of the world's most adventurous musician's - Yo-Yo Ma, turns 60 today - Wednesday October 7. From the solo suites of Bach to his "Silk Road" collaborations with artists from around the world, he has covered more musical ground than anyone just about any of us can think of. Syndicated Global Village celebrates the acclaimed cellist's birthday with selections from his world music proj...

  • TUNE IN TONIGHT to see Yo-Yo Ma on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
    Posted At: October 5, 2015

    Tune in tonight to see Cellist Yo-Yo Ma on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS at 1135pm EST / 1035 CST. Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott have created a unique classical music experience with their new Sony Classical recording - Songs from the Arc of Life. Released on September 18, this all-new recording also celebrates thirty years of friendship and collaboration in concerts and rec...

  • Yo-Yo Ma On Intonation, Practice, and the Role of Music in Our Lives / Strings
    Posted At: September 29, 2015

    After 55 years of playing, yes, even Yo-Yo Ma needs to practice. "What all string players have in common is that if we don't play for awhile, we actually start from ground zero," Ma says. Ma was four when he started the cello. At seven, he was performing with his big sister for an audience that included two US presidents. Now nearing his milestone birthday, he's ever youthful, always learning, asking que...

  • Yo-Yo Ma | Kathryn Stott - Songs from the Arc of Life / KDFC: CD of the Week
    Posted At: September 28, 2015

    Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott have created a unique classical music experience with their new Sony Classical recording - Songs from the Arc of Life. This all-new recording celebrates thirty years of friendship and collaboration in concerts and recordings for the duo, and the album includes pieces they have frequently performed but never recorded, as well as a handful of discoveries. "I l...

  • Yo Yo Ma - Performs The Swan on ABC's Live with Kelly & Michael
    Posted At: September 21, 2015

    Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott create a unique classical music experience with their new Sony Classical recording Songs from the Arc of Life available September 18, 2015. This all-new recording also celebrates thirty years of friendship and collaboration in concerts and recordings for Ma and Stott. The album includes pieces they have frequently performed but never recorded, as well as a handf...

  • Yo-Yo Ma | Kathryn Stott - Songs From The Arc Of Life / WFMT: New Release Of the Week
    Posted At: September 20, 2015

    Longtime friends cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott offer pieces they have frequently performed but never recorded, as well as a handful of discoveries. ‘Songs from the Arc of Life' begins and ends with two, much-beloved settings of the traditional Ave Maria. In between is a remarkable spectrum of music that includes favorites by Brahms, Elgar, Saint-Saëns, Debussy and many others. Ma ...

  • Yo-Yo Ma & Kathryn Stott on - TODAY
    Posted At: September 20, 2015

    Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott have created a unique classical music experience with their new Sony Classical recording - Songs from the Arc of Life which celebrates thirty years of friendship and collaboration in concerts and recordings for Ma and Stott. The album includes pieces they have frequently performed but never recorded, as well as a handful of discoveries. "I like to think of S...

  • Yo-Yo Ma & Kathryn Stott - Songs From The Arc Of Life / NPR: First Listen
    Posted At: September 10, 2015

    When it comes to artistic partnerships, there's a lot to be said for the fireworks of musicians joining together for the first time. But there's another kind of collaboration that can yield profound pleasure: a recording with two artists who know each other deeply, in a relationship that has unfolded over years or even decades. That's the case with world-famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianis...

  • Yo-Yo Ma & Kathryn Stott debut Saint-Saens - The Swan from Songs From the Arc of Life / Yahoo Music
    Posted At: August 6, 2015

    Reknowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma will be celebrating his 60th birthday this Fall, and as part of the celebration, he, along with pianist Kathryn Stott, will release a new album, Songs From the Arc of Life, on September 18. The record also celebrates 30 years of friendship and collaboration in concerts and recordings for Ma and Stott, and includes pieces they have frequently performed but never recorded, as wel...
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