A Call to Remember: A Message from a World-Famous Artist
Today, we want to share a powerful message we were lucky enough to receive. Its value is hard to put into words, but we feel it’s too meaningful to keep to ourselves. So, we’re passing it along to you through this blog.
Just a few days ago, during our orchestra class, a video call popped up on our music teacher’s screen. To our shock and amazement, it was from a world-renowned artist! For us cellists, this person is nothing short of legendary. Can you guess who?
It was Yo-Yo Ma!
You’re probably wondering—why? Why was Yo-Yo Ma calling our teacher in the middle of class? That was our question too. As it turns out, he wanted to follow up with her about a performance he gave at our school a couple of months ago.
Yes, Yo-Yo Ma actually visited our school earlier this year. His son, who directed a documentary, arranged for a screening at our school, and Yo-Yo Ma performed a piece for the audience that day. Unfortunately, we missed it due to a scheduling conflict. We were so disappointed to have missed such an incredible opportunity.
But during this surprise call, Yo-Yo Ma started talking to our class. That’s right—he spoke directly to us! He shared his thoughts on music and life.
What struck us most was his message about the importance of our high school years. He described these moments as a “bank account”. He said that we store all the experiences we’re having right now, and we’ll carry them with us and draw on them for a lifetime.
He explained that as we grow and face life’s big questions―like Who am I? What kind of person do I want to be? ―we’ll reach into that account for answers. The experiences and knowledge we’re collecting now may not have clear categories or labels yet, but they’ll be there, ready to guide us when we need them.
His advice was simple but powerful: live fully, be curious, and embrace every opportunity to learn and grow during this time.
He reminded us that these high school years, especially as seniors, are fleeting, and we should make the most of every moment.
We don’t think we fully grasped the depth of his words yet—it feels like we’re still in the process of building that “bank account.” But his message resonated with us, and we knew we had to share it with you. Maybe this lucky incident happened to us for a reason—to pass it on to you, our readers. How you interpret his advice is up to you, but perhaps take a moment today to commit to living with intention. Let’s make the rest of our high school journey count—fully, wholeheartedly, and without regrets.
That’s all for today!
Bye,
Thomas and Craig
