• Jill Hornor is the wife of famous musician, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and a proud mother of their two children.
• Jill was interested in music from an early age and took up the violin.
• She graduated from Cornell University with a degree in German literature.
• Jill and Yo-Yo Ma met when they were both still teenagers and married in 1978.
• Yo-Yo Ma is a world-renowned cellist, with 18 Grammy Awards, and a net worth of $20 million.



Known for movies

Short Info

Net Worth$12 million, $12 million
Date Of BirthOctober 7, 1955
SpouseJill Hornor, Jill Hornor
FactAttended Harvard University from 1972-1976


Who is Jill Hornor?

Jill Hornor is the wife of famous musician, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and a proud mother of their two children; the couple has been married since 1978. She is an art consultant, but there is no information about her accomplishments, and is also a German professor. Unfortunately, information about her birthdate and place remain unknown in the media.

Early Life, and Education

From an early age Jill was interested in music, and took up the violin. Then while in Mount Holyoke High School, she become a part of the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra. Once she matriculated, Jill enrolled at Cornell University, from which she graduated with a degree in German literature. During her studies, she spent a year in Paris and has lived in several other European cities.

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First Meeting with Yo-Yo Ma

Jill and Yo-Yo Ma met when they were both still teenagers, and as university separated them, they stayed in touch by messaging and email. The couple began a romantic relationship, which eventually resulted in marriage.

Popularity Through Marriage

If it wasn’t for Yo-Yo Ma, we might have never heard about Jill; detailed information about her still remain unknown in the media. However, the couple married in 1978, and since then they have welcomed two children, Emily Hornor Ma and Nicholas.

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Jill Hornor Husband, Yo-Yo Ma

Unfortunately, information such as Jill’s career, net worth and other important details remain unknown to the media. So, stay with us for a few details about her husband, the Grammy Award-winning cellist, Yo-Yo Ma. He was born on the 7th of October 1955, in Paris, France of Chinese ancestry. He is a world-renowned cellist, who has released over 90 albums, and thanks to his accomplishments has won 18 Grammy Awards. Yo-Yo was initially recognized as a child prodigy, whose professional career began when he was only five years old. He is the son of Hiao-Tsiun Ma, who was a violinist and worked as a professor of music at Nanjing University, and mother Marina Lu, who was a singer. So, under the influence of his family, from an early age he learned to play several instruments, and as a five-year-old boy began performing. At the age of seven he moved to New York with the family, where he went to The Juilliard School. Then he enrolled at Columbia University, but changed to attend Harvard College, from which he graduated with a BA degree in 1976.
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Yo-Yo Ma’s Success

He is the art director of the orchestra Silk Road Ensemble, and he is the one responsible for creating soundtracks for films such as “Seven Years On Tibet” (1997), “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000), “Memoirs Of A Geisha”, and several others.

Ma has also released more than 90 albums, which have also increased his net worth, and for which he is a recipient of 18 Grammy Awards, and numerous other prestigious awards, such as Avery Fisher Prize which he received in 1978, Glenn Gould Prize in 2011, Dan David Prize in 2006, and others. Ma was also awarded with National Medal of Arts in 2001, and ten years later he received Presidential Medal of Freedom, plus in 2012 he was the recipient of the Polar Music Prize. Yo-Yo Ma’s net worth is estimated at $20 million.

General Info

Full NameYo-Yo Ma
Net Worth$12 million, $12 million
Date Of BirthOctober 7, 1955
Height1.78 m, 1.78 m
ProfessionComposer, Cellist, Educator, Miami, FL, United States, Houston, TX, USA, Colorado Springs, CO, United States, Composer, Cellist, Educator, Hamburg, Germany, Paris, France, Lyon, France
EducationHarvard University, Juilliard School, Columbia University, Miami, FL, United States, Houston, TX, USA, Colorado Springs, CO, United States, Harvard University, Juilliard School, Columbia Lions men's basketball, Hamburg, Germany, Paris, France, Lyon, France

Family

SpouseJill Hornor, Jill Hornor
ChildrenEmily Ma, Nicholas Ma, Miami, FL, United States, Houston, TX, USA, Colorado Springs, CO, United States, Nicholas Ma, Emily Ma, Hamburg, Germany, Paris, France, Lyon, France
ParentsMarina Lu, Hiao-Tsiun Ma, Miami, FL, United States, Houston, TX, USA, Colorado Springs, CO, United States, Marina Lu, Hiao-Tsiun Ma, Hamburg, Germany, Paris, France, Lyon, France
SiblingsYeou-Cheng Ma, Yeou-Cheng Ma

Accomplishments

AwardsKennedy Center Honors, Polar Music Prize, Presidential Medal of Freedom, Grammy Award for Best Folk Album, National Medal of Arts, Grammy Award for Best Classical Crossover Album, Avery Fisher Prize, Glenn Gould Prize, Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance, Dan David Prize, Grammy Award fo...
NominationsGrammy Award for Best Music Film, Grammy Award for Best World Music Album, Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding New Approaches - Daytime Children's, Miami, FL, United States, Houston, TX, USA, Colorado Springs, CO, United States, Grammy Award for Best Music Film, Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding New...
TV ShowsYo-Yo Ma Inspired by Bach, Yo-Yo Ma Inspired by Bach

Social profile links

Quotes

#Quote
1[on being considered a trail-blazer in world music] I basically think that if you open yourself up to a lot of things, history kind of makes you step back from what you are doing. You just feel, 'Let's make something happen!'. It's a very slight change in attitude, but it does have ramifications in terms of what comes out. Essentially, you face an audience, you face your colleagues, and you say 'This is all we have, let's do something with it. There are many different reasons why people are in this room. Let's do something worthwhile and make it count. There are so many people in the world, so many different forms of expression. So who are we? What we do? Let's make this as precious as we can'. Maybe getting older has something to do with this attitude. Being aware of a much larger world, you're aware of the scale and the total inconsequence of your own being. But what you can say is: any single voice does matter. Any individual action is in fact a human voice that is there to witness the world. That, in itself, is worthwhile. You have to keep both things in your head at once - the biggest possible picture and the most minute one - the 'right now'. Then you have access to both objective and subjective narratives, you have perspective, so you don't get lost.
2Whenever I've had a dull moment in performing, it becomes absolutely, exquisitely painful. When it's good you know, no matter how difficult the music is, time just flies by. When it's not, time becomes excruciatingly slow - you're Sisyphus pushing that boulder up the hill that never ends. People might still say,'That was a good performance', but you feel absolutely horrible because you weren't connecting with what the music is about. When I do connect, then I have the easiest job in the world.
3I'd like to think that the the four strings on the cello are attached to my vocal chords. So whatever you think should be reflected in the sound, in the musculature of how you pull the bow and how it comes out, there should be no impediment between the thought and the sound. That's something that people strive for, but never want to hear 'So-and-so's a great instrumentalist'. What you want to hear is, 'Oh, that makes me think'.
4Grow old gracefully by maintaining your curiosity.
5I think of a piece of music as something that comes alive when it is being performed, and I feel that my role in the transmission of music is to be its best advocate at that moment.

Facts

#Fact
1Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama. [February 2011]
2Recipient of the 2011 Kennedy Center Honors, along with Barbara Cook, Neil Diamond, Sonny Rollins, and Meryl Streep.
3Began playing cello at the age of four.
4He was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts in 2001 by the National Endowment of the Arts in Washington D.C.
5Attended Harvard University from 1972-1976
6enrolled at Juilliard at age 9
7Son, NIcholas, born 1983.
8Daughter, Emily, born 1985.
9Named People Magazine's Sexiest Classical Musician 2001.
10Cellist.

Pictures

Movies

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Mozart in the Jungle2016TV Series performer - 2 episodes
Captain Fantastic2016performer: "Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 1010, Prélude"
The Simpsons2015TV Series performer - 1 episode
Ex Machina2015performer: "Unaccompanied Cello Suite #1 in G Major BWV 1007 - Préludé"
Bill W.2012Documentary performer: "Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007- Courante", "Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007- Prelude, "Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007- Sarabande", "Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008- Prelude", "Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009- Bourree I/II", "Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 4 in E-flat Major, BWV 1010- Bourree I/II", "Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 4 in E-flat Major, BWV 1010- Courante",
American Horror Story2011TV Series performer - 1 episode
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno2011TV Series performer - 1 episode
Independent Lens2003-2011TV Series documentary performer - 2 episodes
You Don't Know Jack2010TV Movie performer: "Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 2 in D-Minor, BWV 1008: Courante", "Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G-Major, BWV 1007: Prélude"
The National Parks: America's Best Idea2009TV Mini-Series documentary performer - 2 episodes
President Obama: The Inauguration2009TV Movie performer: "Air and Simple Gifts"
Tühirand2006Short performer: "Libertango" - uncredited
Great Performances2004TV Series performer - 1 episode
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World2003performer: "Prelude From the Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007"
The Company2003performer: "Suite for Unaccompanied Cello, No. 1, BWV 1007 in G Major, V. Menuett"
Beethoven: Triple Concerto/Choral Fantasy2003Video performer: "Triple Concerto"
Alias2002TV Series performer - 1 episode
Kindergarten2001TV Mini-Series performer: "HUSH"
Sex and the City2001TV Series performer - 1 episode
Hush!2001performer: "Hush Little Baby"
De zee die denkt2000"The Protecting Veil"
The West Wing2000TV Series performer - 1 episode
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon2000performer: "A Love Before Time", "Moonlight Lover" Mandarin Version
You Can Count on Me2000performer: "Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007/Prélude Instrumental" - uncredited
The Talented Mr. Ripley1999performer: "PIANO QUARTET IN E-FLAT MAJOR; Opus 16, Second Movement"
The Horse Whisperer1998performer: "Sonata in F Major for Cello and Piano, Op. 5. No. 1"
Frank Lloyd Wright1998Documentary performer: "Sonata No. 4 in C Major for Cello and Piano Op. 102, No. 1"
Liberty! The American Revolution1997TV Mini-Series performer: "When Bidden to the Wake or Fair", "Song of the Liberty Bell for Violin and Strings"
Bach Cello Suite #5: Struggle for Hope1997performer: "Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011"
Bach Cello Suite #6: Six Gestures1997performer: "Cello Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012"
Bach Cello Suite #3: Falling Down Stairs1997performer: "Cello Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009"
Bach Cello Suite #4: Sarabande1997performer: "Cello Suite No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 1010"
Bach Cello Suite #1: The Music Garden1997performer: "Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007"
Bach Cello Suite #2: The Sound of Carceri1997performer: "Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008"
The Tango Lesson1997"I Am You" / performer: "Libertango Reprise"
Mission: Impossible1996performer: "Divertimento in E-Flat Major for String Trio K.563"
Before Sunrise1995performer: "'Andante' from 'Sonata No. 1 In G Major, BWV 1027'"
Immortal Beloved1994performer: "Piano Trio No. 4 in D Major, Op. 70, No. 1 'Ghost'"
Another Woman1988performer: "Unaccompanied Cello Suite in D Major"

Music Department

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Music of Strangers2015Documentary musician: cello
Live from Lincoln Center2013TV Series musician - 1 episode
Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story2010Documentary musician: cello
The National Parks: America's Best Idea2009TV Mini-Series documentary musician - 1 episode
Memoirs of a Geisha2005musician: cello solos
Suburban Symphony2004Video short musician: cello
Great Performances2004TV Series musician - 1 episode
Nova2003TV Series documentary musician - 1 episode
Naqoyqatsi2002Documentary musician: cello solos
Hush!2001musician: cello, "Hush Little Baby"
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon2000musician: cello solos
Seven Years in Tibet1997musician: cello solos

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Simpsons2015TV SeriesYo-Yo Ma
The West Wing2000TV SeriesYo-Yo Ma
Frasier1999TV SeriesTom

Composer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Black Lights White Shadows1986

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Knowledge Is the Beginning2005TV Movie special thanks

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Robert Shaw: Man of Many Voices2016DocumentaryHimself
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver2016TV SeriesHimself
38th Annual Kennedy Center Honors2015TV SpecialHimself - Performer
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015TV SeriesHimself
Live with Kelly and Michael2015TV SeriesHimself - Musical Guest
Weekend Today2015TV SeriesHimself - Musical Guest
The Music of Strangers2015DocumentaryHimself
BBC Proms2015TV SeriesHimself
Yo-Yo Ma with the LA Phil2014VideoHimself
Blue Gold: American Jeans2014DocumentaryHimself
Charlie Rose1995-2013TV SeriesHimself - Guest / Himself
Great Performances2003-2012TV SeriesHimself / Himself - Soloist / Himself (solo cellist)
Gustavo Dudamel & Yo-Yo Ma2012VideoHimself
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences: The Heart of the Matter2012ShortHimself
The Goat Rodeo Sessions Live2012TV MovieHimself
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts2011TV MovieHimself - Honoree
Huckabee2011TV SeriesHimself - Musical Guest
Tavis Smiley2008-2011TV SeriesHimself
The Colbert Report2008-2011TV SeriesHimself - Guest / Himself
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno2006-2011TV SeriesHimself - Musical Guest / Himself
9/11 Memorial from Ground Zero, Tenth Anniverary2011TV Movie documentaryHimself - Cellist
Yo-Yo Ma & Plácido Domingo2011VideoHimself
Extraordinary Minds: Yo-Yo Ma2011VideoHimself
Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates Jr.2010TV Series documentaryHimself
The Music Instinct2009TV Movie documentaryHimself
President Obama: The Inauguration2009TV MovieHimself
Chris Botti in Boston2009TV MovieHimself
Yo-Yo Ma & Friends: Songs of Joy & Peace2008TV MovieHimself
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts2007TV SpecialHimself
The Music of 'Memoirs'2006Video documentary shortHimself
Nobel Peace Prize Concert2005TV Movie documentaryHimself
Great Conversations in Music2005TV SeriesCellist
The 77th Annual Academy Awards2005TV SpecialHimself - Performer
Die Harald Schmidt Show2003TV SeriesHimself
The 45th Annual Grammy Awards2003TV SpecialHimself - Performer
Beethoven: Triple Concerto/Choral Fantasy2003VideoHimself (cellist)
Arthur1999-2002TV SeriesHimself
Multiple Identities: Encounters with Daniel Barenboim2002TV Movie documentary
Good Morning America2002TV SeriesHimself
XIX Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony2002TV MovieHimself - Performer
A Centennial Toast to Symphony Hall2002TV MovieHimself
Classic Yo-Yo Ma2001TV Movie documentaryHimself
American Masters2000TV Series documentaryHimself
60 Minutes2000TV Series documentaryHimself - Cellist (segment "Ben Zander")
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood1985-1998TV SeriesHimself
Mark Morris Dance Group: A Dance Center in Brooklyn1998ShortHimself
Warrior Songs: King Gesar1997TV Special documentaryCello
Yo-Yo Ma Inspired by Bach1997TV SeriesHimself
Bach Cello Suite #5: Struggle for Hope1997Himself
Bach Cello Suite #6: Six Gestures1997Himself
Bach Cello Suite #3: Falling Down Stairs1997Himself
Bach Cello Suite #4: Sarabande1997Himself
Bach Cello Suite #1: The Music Garden1997Himself
Bach Cello Suite #2: The Sound of Carceri1997Himself
Late Show with David Letterman1997TV SeriesHimself - Musical Guest
Sesame Street1988-1993TV SeriesHimself
An American Reunion: The People's Inaugural Celebration1993TV MovieHimself
Isaac Stern: A Life - A Biography in Music1993TV MovieHimself
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts1992TV SpecialHimself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1964-1992TV SeriesHimself - Musical Guest / Himself - Guest
Carnegie Hall at 100: A Place of Dreams1991Video documentaryHimself
Carnegie Hall: Live at 1001990TV Movie documentaryHimself
Tchaikovsky: 150th Birthday Gala from Leningrad1990TV Special documentaryPerformer
Live from Lincoln Center1990TV SeriesHimself
Presidential Inaugural Gala1989TV MovieHimself
Carnegie Hall: The Grand Reopening1987TV MovieHimself
Liberty Weekend1986TV Special documentaryHimself
Ozawa1985TV Movie documentaryHimself

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Jeopardy!2010TV SeriesHimself
60 Minutes2000TV Series documentaryHimself - Cellist (segment "Ben Zander")
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1992TV SeriesHimself

Awards

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
1998GeminiGemini AwardsBest Performance in a Performing Arts Program or SeriesYo-Yo Ma Inspired by Bach (1997)
1991Primetime EmmyPrimetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Individual Achievement - Classical Music/Dance ProgrammingTchaikovsky: 150th Birthday Gala from Leningrad (1990)
1991CableACECableACE AwardsPerformance in a Music Special or SeriesYo-Yo Ma at Tanglewood (1990)

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2001Saturn AwardAcademy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USABest MusicWo hu cang long (2000)
1999GrammyGrammy AwardsBest Long Form Music VideoBach Cello Suite #6: Six Gestures (1997)

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

2 Comments

    • LOL! That was the very thing that caught my eye. They married in 1978 so before that they stayed in touch by email? They were much more advanced than everyone else then.

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