As a child, you respond physically, tactically. You're delighted by sound, you're delighted by recognizing something. It's like hide and seek. Is it there? Is it not there? Is it this note? Is it not this note? It's one fantastic game.
Yo-Yo MaRead
As you begin to realize that every different type of music, everybody's individual music, has its own rhythm, life, language and heritage, you realize how life changes, and you learn how to be more open and adaptive to what is around us.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of appreciating diverse forms of music and how they reflect life's complexities, encouraging openness to change.
Yo-Yo Ma's quote highlights the beauty and diversity found in individual expressions of music, each carrying its unique rhythm, language, and cultural significance. As we embrace this variety, we become more receptive to the changes in life and gain a deeper understanding of our surroundings, fostering adaptability and openness to new experiences.
Themes
MusicLifeDiversityHeritageOpennessAdaptability
In practice
Example use cases
During a TED Talk about cultural diversity, you can use the quote to illustrate the importance of understanding different backgrounds.
More from Yo-Yo Ma
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I think anybody who goes away finds you appreciate home more when you return.
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When we enlarge our view of the world, we deepen our understanding of our own lives.
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I learn something not because I have to, but because I really want to. That's the same view I have for performing. I'm performing because I really want to, not because I have to bring bread back home.
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