Yo-Yo Ma Stuns in McKinley Park Pop-Up

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma treated McKinley Park to a quick pop-up performance in front of the field house at noon on Friday, June 21, as part of the park's Make Music Chicago festivities and Ma's Day of Action with Yo-Yo Ma. Performing John Lennon's "Imagine" accompanied by local pianist Ben Serwer, Ma captivated the crowd before being whisked away to the next of his full day of community appearances for his Day of Action.

Serwer treated listeners to more performance before ceding the piano to a long line of neighbors young and old ready to try out the piano: The instrument will be present outdoors in the park all summer for anyone to play as part of the Pianos in the Parks program. Among others, McKinley Park neighborhood blues musician Eric Noden belted out some ragtime and entertained the crowd.

The music in the park continues into Friday evening. In addition to Make Music Chicago performances, the Drumming in the Park program presents a 5:30 p.m. concert by Beyond This Point and Grammy winning percussionist Matthew Duvall.