FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Nick Dobreff, Communications and Creative Director
616.485.3913 (m) – 303.308.2477 (o)
ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org
ANNOUNCING YO-YO MA WITH THE COLORADO SYMPHONY AND PETER OUNDJIAN AT RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE AND FORD AMPHITHEATER
Beloved cellist joins the orchestra for two unforgettable outdoor performances, June 3 at Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre and June 5 at Ford Amphitheater in Colorado Springs.
Jan. 20, 2026 – Denver, CO – The Colorado Symphony, led by Music Director Peter Oundjian, is thrilled to announce that iconic cellist Yo-Yo Ma will join the orchestra for two spectacular outdoor performances this summer: June 3, 2026, at Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre and June 5, 2026, at Ford Amphitheater in Colorado Springs. Set against the backdrop of two of Colorado’s most iconic open-air venues, these concerts unite one of the world’s most revered artists with one of America’s leading orchestras for an extraordinary celebration of music, nature, and community.
The programs pair Yo-Yo Ma’s unparalleled artistry with a vibrant, all- American–inflected repertoire performed by the Colorado Symphony. The evening culminates in Dvořák’s Cello Concerto, one of the most beloved works in the cello canon, featuring Yo-Yo Ma as soloist.
The full program includes:
• JOHN ADAMS – Short Ride in a Fast Machine
• STILL – Poem for Orchestra
• GERSHWIN – An American in Paris
• DVOŘÁK – Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104 (with Yo-Yo Ma)
“Yo-Yo Ma is an artist of rare generosity,” said Peter Oundjian, Music Director. “He listens deeply, gives completely, and creates an atmosphere on stage where musicians feel both challenged and supported. That kind of music-making brings out something special in an orchestra, and it’s something audiences feel immediately. Sharing that experience in two extraordinary outdoor venues will make these performances truly unique, offering our community a special way to come together around great music.”
“There is no artist who more fully embodies the power of music to inspire and unite humanity than Yo- Yo Ma,” said Daniel Wachter, President & CEO of the Colorado Symphony. “These performances bring our vision to life, connecting communities across Colorado through live symphonic music that speaks across cultures and generations. Sharing the stage at two of Colorado’s most iconic outdoor venues allows us to extend the concert hall into the landscape itself, affirming music as a powerful force for connection, creativity, and shared meaning.”
Yo-Yo Ma’s multifaceted career reflects his belief in culture’s power to generate trust and understanding. From performing cornerstone works of the classical repertoire to championing new music and cross-cultural collaboration, he has consistently expanded the role of music in civic life. His recent cultural journey, Our Common Nature, celebrates how nature can reunite us in pursuit of a shared future, making these Colorado performances, surrounded by dramatic landscapes, especially resonant.
A globally recognized cultural leader, Yo-Yo Ma is a United Nations Messenger of Peace, founder of Silkroad, and the first artist appointed to the World Economic Forum’s board of trustees. His discography spans more than 120 albums and includes 19 Grammy Award–winning recordings. Over the course of his career, he has received the National Medal of the Arts, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Kennedy Center Honors, the Polar Music Prize, and the Birgit Nilsson Prize, among many others.
With these performances, the Colorado Symphony continues its tradition of bringing world-class music to audiences across the state, creating moments that inspire, connect, and uplift. Under open skies and surrounded by Colorado’s natural beauty, these concerts promise to be highlights of the summer music season.
Performance Details:
Yo-Yo Ma with the Colorado Symphony
• June 3, 2026 – Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre, Morrison | 7:30pm
• June 5, 2026 – Ford Amphitheater, Colorado Springs | 7:30pm
Tickets for these performances will go on sale January 23 at 10am at coloradosymphony.org. For more information on the Colorado Symphony, please visit coloradosymphony.org.
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CONTACT:
For more information or to request interviews, please contact: Nick Dobreff, Communications and Creative Director
ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org – 303.308.2477 (o)
For high-resolution, downloadable images of the Colorado Symphony, contact: ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org
Support for the 2025/26 Colorado Symphony Season is provided by: The Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), Genesee Mountain Foundation, Denver Arts & Venues, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, Schoen Foundation, and the Colorado Symphony Guild. TICKETS: Tickets to Colorado Symphony events are available online at coloradosymphony.org/tickets, by phone at 303.623.7876, and in person at the Boettcher Concert Hall Box Office, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 1000 14th Street. The Box Office is open Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, noon – 5 p.m., and two hours prior to each performance.
ABOUT THE COLORADO SYMPHONY
One of the leading orchestras in the United States, the Colorado Symphony Association is a not-for- profit 501(c)(3) organization performing more than 150 concerts annually at Boettcher Concert Hall in downtown Denver and across Colorado. Led by Peter Oundjian as its Music Director as of the 2025/26 season, the Colorado Symphony is home to eighty full-time musicians representing more than a dozen nations and regularly welcomes the world’s most celebrated artists from across musical genres. The orchestra celebrated its Centennial during the 2023/24 concert season and now serves more than 340,000 people each year through live performances at Boettcher Concert Hall, Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre, and other venues throughout Colorado’s Front Range. Boettcher Concert Hall, which opened in 1978, was the first in-the-round symphonic venue built in the United States. In November 2025, voters passed the Vibrant Denver Bond, which allocates $20 million to a future renovation of the concert hall. Guided by a vision to inspire and unite humanity through live symphonic music, the Colorado Symphony is a living heartbeat of the state — expressing its beauty, creativity, vitality, and inclusive spirit. Through unmatched artistry and bold innovation, the Symphony inspires Colorado and audiences everywhere while expanding access, fostering education, and creating lasting memories through meaningful personal connections. Recognized as an incubator of innovation, creativity, and excellence, the Colorado Symphony listens to and learns from its diverse communities, musicians, and staff; composes and creates with curiosity and versatility; and leads with empathy, collaboration, and responsible stewardship. The Symphony continually expands its reach through in-person and virtual education programs, community partnerships, and programming that celebrates achievement, honors diverse voices, and infuses joy on and off the stage. The Colorado Symphony partners with leading musical artists, cultural organizations, corporations, foundations, educators, sports teams, and individuals to connect people, uplift communities, and inspire everyone to feel part of something greater.