Sitting under the stars on a chilly Chicago night—the lake to my right, the city to my left—I experienced one of the greatest musical performances of my life.

Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of hearing Yo-Yo Ma play the Bach cello suites on stage in Millennium Park. Much to my own chagrin, prior to this concert I knew little about Yo-Yo Ma and had, to be honest, never heard of the Bach cello suites. But there I was, sitting just a few feet from the stage, ready to take in the experience.