Soon after, Leonard Slatkin joined us. Mr. Ma put on an arm brace and I asked him what had happened. All that playing really puts a lot of strain on my arm. By the time I left the backstage area, the concert hall was empty and most of the cars in the parking lot were gone. I am glad I patiently waited, for I will never forget my own personal encounter with Mr. Ma.
Some celebrities appear wonderful and kind on TV, but in real life, they can be cold and mean.
This was not the case with Mr. Ma. He shared a warmth with everyone that night that I will never be able to describe in words. I think that if Mr. Ma wasn't a cellist, I wouldn't be playing the cello anymore. His inspiration, to people of all backgrounds is very powerful. What he has done to make classical music popular, surpasses what dozens of other musicians combined have done.