Ma - Meyer - O'Connor -- Memorable Gig

Chicago Tribune

Wednesday, January 3, 2001

Arts Watch

Memorable Gigs

This week, the Arts Watch page is

featuring the best and worst concerts of the year as

chosen by Tribune freelancers and staff writers.

Today's listing is by David Royko. To find the rest of

the best and worst lists, go to

metromix.com/go/criticsreviews.

Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Mark O'Connor at Symphony Center on April 3

Bassist Edgar Meyer's ability to maintain richness, fluidity and a range of expression while pulling upper register notes that were never intended-or imagined-from his instrument elicits goose bumps. As he introduced a composition by the bassist, cellist Yo-Yo Ma's slip of the tongue inadvertently paid tribute to Meyer's brilliance on his behemoth: "Edgar will play an unaccompanied piece on his cello..." After the audience's chuckling had subsided, Ma drew a bigger laugh when he explained, "With Edgar, it's so easy to get confused!"

David Royko

[Photo: "Mark O'Connor (from left), Edgar Meyer and Yo-Yo Ma join in a collaborative fusion in April at Symphony Center." File photo for the Tribune, not reproduced here, by Eric Unger.]