Condoleezza Rice, an accomplished classical pianist, performed publicly with cellist Yo-Yo Ma at Constitution Hall in 2002 when Ma received the National Medal of Arts. Ma specifically requested that Rice accompany him during the ceremony. They played the slow movement of the Brahms Violin Sonata in D minor, arranged for cello and piano. The performance highlighted Rice's dual identity as both national security official and serious musician. Brahms is Rice's favorite composer — she has said she wants to learn the Brahms Second Piano Concerto 'before I leave this earth.' Rice had studied piano from age three and performed Mozart's D minor Piano Concerto with the Denver Symphony Orchestra at age fifteen before deciding to pursue political science over a concert career.