Yo-Yo Ma to Be CSO's Creative Consultant

World famous cellist to be on side of Riccardo Muti for next three years

When Italian director Riccardo Muti comes to Chicago next September, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra wants to make sure he has the best team around him.

So here comes Yo-Yo Ma.

The world-famous cellist will being work as the CSO's creativity consultant in January and will stay on the job for three years, the Chicago Tribune reports.

“The responsible thing to do is to work organically and listen carefully to all the constituents,” Ma told the Tribune. “We are going to start slowly in the beginning. We want to look very carefully at the best practices already in place elsewhere, because nobody is interested in reinventing the wheel.”

Ma and Muti will come together to realize the director’s plan of reinforcing the ties between the orchestra and the broader Chicago community.

Numerous workshops and projects involving Chicago’s youth will be put under Ma’s supervision as he will assume the title of Judson and Joyce Green creative consultant. The name comes from the position’s funders: CSO Trustee Joyce Green and former president and CEO of Navteq Judson Green.

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