Music was combined with history, humor, and life lessons at the Civic Orchestra of Chicago concert featuring Yo Yo Ma in the Lane auditorium.

On Monday, Jan. 12,  students, teachers, alumni, and music enthusiasts buzzed with excitement while waiting in a line from doors A to D.

The Civic Orchestra of Chicago is an orchestra for emerging professional musicians and Ma is the current Creative Consultant. Ma, who began performing cello at age five, mentors orchestra members and performs with them at the free concerts the Civic Orchestra offers in schools and community locations around Chicago

Throughout the concert Cliff Colton, conductor, turned to Ma asking him to offer advice to both the Civic Orchestra members and the audience.

When asked about how to respond to fear, Ma replied, “You have to do it and make mistakes. Make mistakes and find out what’s special about you, what’s different.”

Ma does not claim to be perfect either. He admitted that with the amount of practice he had he would probably get the notes right 80 percent of the time. However, he said with confidence he could  do well 100 percent of the time.

“One of the ways to increase your confidence is to just do it,” Ma said.

When asked how much personality should be put into a piece he joked about the inability to make anything the same twice. An orchestra member asked how closely to follow an original piece when trying to play it.

“Can you repeat exactly what you said?” Ma responded.

When the orchestra member was unable to do so, Ma said, “We cannot repeat ourselves — we just kind of respond the way we like to.”

Colton also asked Ma, “How do you deal with the general sense of ‘I’m not good enough’?”

“I don’t have room for doubt because I’m in the midst of saying how fantastic it is,” Ma said referring to performing music.

Ma keeps a mindset of: “This is so great, it doesn’t matter if I fail, it’s still fantastic.”

This allows him to use his passion to do the best he can.

Ma’s undeniable passion for the cello became apparent through his vivid facial expressions and literal rocking. 

Originally put in the back with the rest of the cello section, Ma was brought forward for the second song to perform a cello solo.

He moved with his instrument, often looking over to the violins on his right and moving with their music as well as his own. He smiled and laughed as he made his way through the piece.

The concert featured pieces by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, a famous 19th century Russian composer. The pieces played told different stories of Tchaikovsky’s life.

“In Imperial Russia, Tchaikovsky was a gay man and it was illegal for him to express his true loves openly,” Colton said.

By the end of the piece it was clear that the Chicago Civic Orchestra had played their hearts out.

“I think we are all pretty dead,” Ma said when asked if he wanted to add anything else.

As everyone began filing out of the auditorium, there was a gentle lull in the air and people were ringing with amazement.