Internationally acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma used the time while waiting to get his COVID-19 vaccination to perform an impromptu concert. He brought his cello because, “I simply wanted to give back.” So he treated healthcare workers and the others waiting to be vaccinated to a virtuoso performance of selections by Bach and Schubert. Medical staff said that a hush fell over the clinic as Ma began to play. “It was amazing how peaceful the whole building became.”

Yo-Yo Ma has recorded more than 90 albums and received 18 Grammy Awards. He has been a United Nations Messenger of Peace since 2006 and was awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011. This mini-concert wasn’t the first time Yo-Yo Ma has employed his music as a calming force during the pandemic. He previously joined with classical pianist Emanuel Ax to perform a string of spontaneous concerts for essential workers at several hospitals and clinics. “In these days of anxiety I want to share some of the music that gives me comfort.”