Internationally renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma will be perform at the 40th annual Bermuda Festival, organisers have announced.

Festival chairman Ian Davidson said: “This is quite a coup for the Festival as Mr Ma is perhaps the greatest living cellist, and is in huge demand around the world. It is a real honour and a testament to both Bermuda and the Festival itself, that he has accepted our invitation.

“Yo-Yo Ma is highly regarded not only for his formidable talent but for his desire to share the joy of his music-making with the world. His Silk Road Ensemble connects the world’s neighbourhoods, breaks boundaries of ethnicity and era, and mixes the modern and the traditional, for the delight of all.”

Mr Ma is arguably the world’s most famous cellist, having recorded 75 albums and won 15 Grammy Awards during his celebrated career.

Bermuda Festival Artistic Director Karen Pollard said organisers wanted to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the festival by honouring its three founders, Lord Menuhin, former Governor Sir Edwin Leather and John Ellison.

“Mr Ma was our number one choice of musician to perform the recital which will commemorate our founders, and we are overjoyed he has accepted the invitation,” she said.

Mr Ma is scheduled to perform at the Earl Cameron Theatre in City Hall on February 1, 2015, and is set to perform the Bach Cello Suite Numbers 1, 3 and 5, his recording of which earned him a Grammy Award.

“This is a very rare opportunity to hear Mr Ma’s interpretation of this famous work at close hand in an intimate setting,” Ms Pollard added. “With little more than 350 seats available, we would recommend booking as soon as tickets are on sale.”

Tickets are set to go on sale at 10am on November 25 on www.bermudafestival.org and www.bdatix.bm.

The dates for the 40th Anniversary Bermuda Festival are January 23, 2015 through to March 8, 2015 and the full 2015 Bermuda Festival line-up will be announced shortly.