Khari Joyner discusses his experience performing the cello for President Barack Obama in 2013 and at the China state dinner in 2015. Joyner focuses on his 2013 private performance for Obama in the Oval Office, when he played the Bach prelude to the sixth cello suite as the fulfillment of his 'wish' from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Reflecting on the power of music to heal and inspire, Joyner recount s his battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as a teenager and his current advocacy for Black classical musicians. He outlines his performance at the China state dinner for Obama and President Xi Jinping in 2015, and expresses his appreciation for Obama remembering his performances. Also discussed are Joyner's experience growing up in a musical family; his undergraduate journey at Juilliard; being mentored by Azira and Jesse Hill; the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; the connection between music and STEM; and his performances for many politicians and activists, including Maya Angelou and Coretta Scott King
Khari Joyner is an American cellist and ambassador for the arts. Joyner was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2009, and in January 2013, he performed for President Obama in the Oval Office through the Make-a-Wish Foundation. In September 2015, he performed at the White House for the China state dinner
Note
Interviewed by Rebecca Feldherr on May 27, 2021. This interview is part of the Columbia University: Obama Presidency Oral History
Note (Provenance)
Khari Joyner, Gift, transferred from Columbia Center for Oral History Research 2023