PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 15, 2025
It was an entirely unexpected opportunity Chris Newell had in 2021, not just to perform with Yo-Yo Ma, but to challenge him. In a field at sunrise near Schoodic Point in Acadia National Park, Newell, who is Passamaquoddy and a member of the internationally known Mystic River Singers, launched into a powwow song. Ma, trained in western classical music, followed. Ma and Newell will reunite for a sold-out performance on the Portland Ovations stage Monday, October 20, alongside several other Wabanaki artists, for an evening titled “We Are Water: A Northeast Celebration.”