Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile’s Goat Rodeo Reunion Slated for Aug. 15

For the first time in nearly a decade, four string virtuosos — Yo-Yo Ma on cello, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Edgar Meyer on bass, and Chris Thile on mandolin — are coming back together for the long-awaited Goat Rodeo reunion. Vocalist Aoife O’Donovan will join the musicians. Together they create a collision of sound that feels part Americana, part bluegrass and part classical. The shows take place at 5 p.m. & 8 p.m. on Aug. 15 at the VPAC Rocky Mountain theater in Beaver Creek, CO.

Tickets start at $225 and are available now at the VPAC box office (970-845-8497; www.vilarpac.org). The VPAC is located under the ice rink in Beaver Creek Village (68 Avondale Lane, Beaver Creek, Colorado).

“Celebrated and revered by a global audience, Yo-Yo Ma is a profound bearer of hope and peace in our age as well as arguably the prevailing cellist of our time. His performances are historic events that fulfill the dreams and aspirations of classical concertgoers and wide-ranging music lovers alike. It is fitting that Yo-Yo Ma’s visit to the VPAC with his Goat Rodeo companions will venture into Americana, folk, bluegrass, jazz and acoustic genres that are deeply embraced in the mountain community. This performance will be a distinguishing moment in the lives of those present and in the history of the Vilar Performing Arts Center,” said VPAC Executive Director Owen Hutchinson.

In 2011, the group released the Grammy-winning “Goat Rodeo Sessions,” which NPR’s World Café called “organic yet composed in a way that only four deeply talented, in-tune musicians could make it,” hinting “at Appalachia, Chinese, classical, Celtic, and jazz influences.” The group bonded in a way that made it impossible to just leave the collaboration at one album. It took nearly a decade for their schedules to align but the group reunited to record “Not Our First Goat Rodeo,” released in 2020. Catch them this summer as they tour in support of the impressive release.

At the VPAC show, expect exceedingly complex compositions from these master musicians. The group likens the sound to a “goat rodeo,” the nickname airplane pilots use to describe situations where many different things need to go right in order to avoid disaster. These five musicians’ diverse traditions and experiences intersect to create a compelling sound that is at once global and American, a shared voice that speaks powerfully to the American experience. See the Goat Rodeo reunion in person at the VPAC Aug. 15.

All VPAC events will be in collaboration with and implement Eagle County’s precautionary guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to prioritize the health of our patrons, artists, community and beyond during every event. Health and safety protocols will continue to be updated throughout the summer at: www.vilarpac.org/covid19-policy.