Yo-Yo Ma Plays as He Waits at Vaccination Site

Yo-Yo Ma had a little time to kill Saturday, as he waited out the 15-minute observation period after receiving his second shot of COVID-19 vaccine. So he took his cello to a spot against the wall at Berkshire Community College, away from everyone, and played. "The folks waiting for 15 minutes in observation were graced with the musical talents of the one and only Yo-Yo Ma," the Massachusetts school posted, complete with a photo of the masked cellist. His concert closed out the day of vaccinations, the Berkshire Eagle reports. "What a way to end the clinic," an official said.

As word of the performance spread, a state lawmaker praised the musician, who lives part time in the Berkshires, for "bringing hope and optimism through his beautiful music." The concert included "Ave Maria" and Bach’s Prelude in G Major, per the New York Times. Along with classical pianist Emanuel Ax, Ma played several pop-up concerts last year for essential workers in the Berkshires, including bus drivers, firefighters, and health care workers. "People need each other for support beyond the immediate staples of life," Ma said last fall. "They need music." (More uplifting news stories.)