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He鈥檚 a recent convert to the game, which uses a Wiffle ball and wooden paddles nearly double the size of their ping-pong cousins. There鈥檚 enough similarities in the game to remind Mesa of the tennis he played growing up.

鈥淭he scoring took me a while and after that annoyance, it was much easier and relaxing to play,鈥� Mesa said during a late September phone interview moments after leaving a New York City pickleball court.

Mesa sees a lot of commonality between bowing his cello and swinging a racquet 鈥� or, in this case, a paddle.

鈥淚 think there鈥檚 a lot of relationship between swinging a racquet and being able to bow,鈥� he explained. 鈥淚 found that it was very, very similar, and, of course, the mental game of tennis and classical music and the execution in general. Being able to deliver in the moment is all kind of relatable.鈥�

His mental game of classical music will be on full display when Mesa joins the this weekend to perform Haydn鈥檚 Cello Concerto No. 1.

This is Mesa鈥檚 second appearance as the orchestra鈥檚 , following up on his November TSO Up Close recital at the Symphony Center. Mesa, joined by a handful of TSO musicians, performed Schubert鈥檚 Cello Quintet and two works penned for him in two Up Close concerts.

In addition to soloing on the Haydn on Friday, Dec. 13, and Sunday, Dec. 15, Mesa will perform 鈥荣 another work composed for him.

鈥凄颈惫颈诲别诲,鈥� for solo cello and orchestra, is a response to the social and political unrest that has plagued the millennial generation in recent years.

鈥淚t鈥檚 incredibly powerful. It鈥檚 essentially two entities sort of battling,鈥� Mesa said.

The Grammy-winning Montgomery, named Musical America鈥檚 2023 Composer of the Year, creates a conversation between the cello and orchestra. But that conversation, like many we have in today鈥檚 society, evolves into an argument.

Mesa said the composer was reflecting on the division in our country that has torn apart families and friends.

鈥淲e can never seem to get on the same page whether it鈥檚 about religion or politics or social unrest or even social topics in general,鈥� Mesa said. 鈥淚t is nodding towards that inability for any of us to get on the same page.鈥�

Mesa said the argument unfolds as the cello plays a phrase, and the orchestra responds by playing the phrase slightly out of sync.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a very intense piece,鈥� Mesa said. 鈥淚t ends in the same way that it sort of progresses during the whole time in that the cello is alone with a single note on its own. That is a reflection that we are still not in agreement.鈥�

鈥淚 think people connect with it in a very visceral way,鈥� he added.

The orchestra, with guest conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong at the podium, opens this weekend鈥檚 鈥淗aydn and Brahms鈥� with Mozart鈥檚 Overture to 鈥淟a Clemenza di Tito鈥� and closes with Brahms鈥� Symphony No. 2.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. Tickets are $14-$95 through .