Topic: Yo-Yo Ma

Boston bombings: City finds healing in small deeds and interfaith gathering

At a crowded interfaith service three days after the Boston Marathon bombings and to loud applause, President Obama praises Bostonians 'resolve' and 'compassion.'

Decoder Wire Beyoncé lip sync on national anthem: Does it matter? (+video)

The Beyoncé lip sync, like all things inaugural, is not without precedent: Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and violinist Itzhak Perlman didn't play live in 2008, either. But it gives White House critics an opening.

Olivia Culpo, a 'cellist nerd,' takes Miss Universe crown (+video)

Olivia Culpo, a Boston University sophomore, won the Miss Universe competition Wednesday. Olivia Culpo, a cellist, won the Miss Rhode Island contest in a rented $20 dress with a hole in it and then began working out, dieting, and studying current events on flashcards to compete for the Miss USA crown.

Sharing Tanglewood's magic

The Massachusetts concert venue sticks close to its classical roots.

A plucky revival

The mandolin is breaking out of bluegrass and becoming hip and versatile.

Culture Cafe Goat Rodeo's eclectic mix is bluesy and original

The four musicians who participate in 'The Goat Rodeo Sessions' somehow make the jumble of musical genres work.

9/11 Anniversary: Around the country, Americans pause to remember

The nation commemorated the tenth anniversary of 9/11 with moments of silence and a determination to carry on. In New York, the families of those lost visited the 9/11 Memorial for the first time.

Monitor picks: Southern recipes, local news online, and movie music

A new Southern cookbook, a website that unites local newspapers, and the thrilling soundtrack to J. J. Abrams' 'Super 8', and more recommendations.

Native plants help sustain birds and beneficial insects

A growing movement in North America advocates planting more native plants that are needed by birds, bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

Maya Angelou, George H. W. Bush among those who received Medal of Freedom

Maya Angelou and George H. W. Bush were among those to receive the highest civilian honor in the US. President Obama awarded George H. W. Bush, athletes, civil rights activists, humanitarians, and artists such as Maya Angelou the Medal of Freedom.

Esperanza Spalding: Grammy talent evident, back in 2008

Esperanza Spalding won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist Sunday night in Los Angeles. Just a few years ago, Esperanza Spalding spent time in Boston - first as a student, then as a teacher at the world-renowned Berklee College of Music.

George H.W. Bush, 14 others to be awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom next year

George H.W. Bush, along with Maya Angelou, Stan Musial and a dozen others, will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom early next year. George H.W. Bush was the 41st President of the United States.

Aretha Franklin and Condoleezza Rice make soulful music together

Aretha Franklin and Condoleezza Rice got together to play a song or two for charity.

The Fiddler in the Subway

This collection of features by Pulitzer prize winner Gene Weingarten confirms his reputation as one of the best.

Opinion: Why you should take the time to master a single skill

By going deep into one subject, we learn how to learn – a priceless ability.

Inspirational physicist Stephen Hawking honored at big-time New York gala

British physicist Stephen Hawking was honored at a gala in New York on Wednesday evening.

NASA's next big-ticket telescope showcased in New York City

A mockup of the James Webb Space Telescope, billed as the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, took center stage at New York's World Science Festival.

At White House, music to Michelle Obama's ears

First lady Michelle Obama hosted 120 student musicians, who took master classes from classical artists, filling the White House Wednesday with the strains of cellos and pianos.

Six Picks: Recommendations from the Monitor staff

Garry Shandling's humor on DVD, an Italian cook's life in paperback, Cuban music after Castro, and more.

Senator Kennedy eulogized by his sons and President Obama

“My father taught me even our most profound losses are survivable. He taught me nothing was impossible.”

Summer of dance!

Merce, Mark Morris, Bill T. Jones, and some new faces bust out their moves for the festival circuit.

Six Picks: Recommendations from the Monitor staff

Breathtaking nature series on Discovery Channel, a new thriller by author Michael Connelly, a DVD for 'Designing Women' fans, and more.

How Lincoln Learned to Read

Daniel Wolff examines the lives of 12 Americans and the educations that made them.

Yet another Inauguration controversy?