Ma was born in Paris to Chinese parents and had a musical upbringing. His family moved to New York when he was seven years old. The child prodigy began performing before audiences at age five, and performed for President John F. Kennedy when he was seven. At eight years old, he appeared on American television in a concert conducted by Leonard Bernstein. By fifteen years of age, Ma had graduated from Trinity School in New York and appeared as a soloist with the Harvard Radcliffe Orchestra in a performance of the Tchaikovsky: Rococo Variations. Pablo Casals' performances inspired him. Ma currently plays with his own Silk Road Ensemble, which has the goal of bringing together musicians from diverse countries. Ma's primary performance instrument is the Domenico Montagnana 1733 cello built in Venice and nicknamed Petunia. This cello, more than 270 years old is valued at US$2.5 million. He has also has over 75 albums: 15 of which are Grammy Award Winners. Mr. Ma is a recipient of The International Center in New York's Award of Excellence