2010 Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient - Yo-Yo Ma

February 16, 2011 | 2:22

Yo-Yo Ma is considered the world's greatest living cello player, a professional musician since the age of 5 whose celebrity transcends the world of classical music. Born in Paris, Ma was a child prodigy on the cello and began serious study in New York in the early 1960s. He made his Carnegie Hall debut at age nine. He has won more than a dozen Grammy awards and is known especially for his interpretations of Bach and Beethoven, and for his ability to play many different styles of music, including tango and bluegrass. He is currently serving on the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities.