Yo-Yo Ma, Renee Fleming perform with Chicago choir

[March 20, 2012]  CHICAGO (AP) -- World-famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma and famed soprano Renee Fleming have performed with a choir of Chicago high school students to promote the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Citizen Musician initiative.

Ma and Fleming performed a piece by Rachmaninoff on Monday in the rotunda of the State of Illinois building and Gov. Pat Quinn attended. The afternoon performance also was sponsored by Lyric Opera of Chicago.

The pair then led a sing-a-long of "America the Beautiful," along with musicians from orchestra. The group's Citizen Musician program aims to spread the orchestra's music in the community.

Fleming called the students in the choir an "abundant group of talented young singers."

Ma and Fleming also visited classes at Chicago's Lake View High School earlier in the day.

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Online: http://www.citizenmusician.org/

[Associated Press]

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