Yo-Yo Ma is no (1) ordinary cello player. Born in 1995 in Paris to Chinese parents, his (2) career as a musician began at the age of four, when he started to study the cello with his father. Later, he continued (3) training in music at Harvard University. Today, he is (4) renowned as one of the most (5) talented musicians in the world, with over 75 albums and 15 Grammy awards. He has also recorded music for many movies, and (6) performed in front of audiences all around the world. His music combines both Asian and Western cultural and artistic traditions. (7) Critics particularly like “The Silk Road Project, ” which (8) demonstrates the influence of Asian culture around the world.