World-famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma calmed the jittery nerves of people at a Massachusetts COVID-19 vaccination site when he surprised them with an impromptu concert after he received his second dose.
While waiting 15 minutes in observation at the Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield after his second shot, Ma said he “wanted to give something back,” Richard Hall of the Berkshire COVID-19 Vaccine Collaborative told The Berkshire Eagle.
Planting himself in a socially-distanced chair in the observation area, a masked Ma played his cello, much to the delight of his small but grateful audience. The college shared some of the mini-concert — which included “Ave Maria” and Bach’s Prelude in G Major — on its Facebook page and Instagram account.
https://t.co/m09uAtlQT4 (via @BerkshireCC)
— Frankie Paris (@fparises) March 13, 2021
One year ago to the day, he posted a tweet about his project #SongsOfComfort in hopes of relaxing and reassuring an anxious public in lockdown.
In these days of anxiety, I wanted to find a way to continue to share some of the music that gives me comfort. The first of my #SongsOfComfort: Dvořák – “Going Home”
Stay safe. pic.twitter.com/S28w6OlXiZ
— Yo-Yo Ma (@YoYo_Ma) March 13, 2020