Sheku Kanneh-Mason, 19 years of age, is a
British cellist. He grew up in Nottingham, England and he is the third of the
seven children of Stuart Mason, a business manager, and Dr. Kadiatu Kanneh, a
former university lecturer, and began playing the cello at the age of six,
having briefly played the violin.
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At the age of nine, he passed the Grade 8
cello examination with the highest marks in the UK, and won the Marguerite Swan
Memorial Prize. Also aged nine he won an ABRSM junior scholarship to join the
Junior Academy of the Royal Academy of Music, where he was tutored by Ben
Davies. Kanneh-Mason received his non-specialist education as a pupil at the
Trinity School, Nottingham, where he studied for A levels in Music, Maths and
Physics.
Kanneh-Mason was one of the talented
musicians who performed during Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s wedding
ceremony on Saturday 19th, 2018. Sheku said he was "excited and
honoured" when Meghan rang him up to ask if he would perform ahead of the
wedding. He wrote on Twitter: "I was bowled over when Ms Markle called me
to ask if I would play during the ceremony, and of course I immediately said
yes!!! What a privilege. I can’t wait!"
Along with an orchestra made up of
instrumentalists from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the English Chamber
Orchestra and the Philharmonia, he played three songs during the Signing of the
Register near the end of the wedding ceremony, the talented cellist played:
Sicilienne
Maria Theresia von Paradis (1759-1824) arr. Chris Hazell (b.1948)
Apres
un reve Gabriel Faure (1845-1924) arr. Chris Hazell
Ave
Maria Franz Schubert (1797-1828) arr. Chris Hazell
Kanneh-Mason says that in the immediate
aftermath of his performance, he was pleased with how it went, though he hasn’t
had a chance to watch back yet. He says that he was told Harry and Meghan
enjoyed it, too. “I think to play at anyone’s wedding, is an honor,”
Kanneh-Mason says. “But to play at a wedding of this significance, it’s just
incredible.” He adds: “They’re so lovely. I’m just so glad to have been a part
of their special day.”
The teenage performer sounded overjoyed
when asked how he’s felt to perform for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their
big day. "I'm really grateful to have had the opportunity to perform to so
many people," he told BBC Radio 1's Newsbeat following his involvement on
the big day.
Speaking of his music choices he said:
"The first two pieces I suggested because they're pieces I've always loved
for a very long time."
He added: “Then Ave Maria, which is
probably the most popular piece of the three, was by suggestion of the couple.”
He says that he was “obviously happy” to play all three songs for the couple.
England may have a new duke and duchess in
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, but in the process, classical music also got a
new star in Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason, a 19-year-old cellist
from Nottingham, captivated the congregation and everyone watching the royal
wedding, his music filling St. George's Chapel.
The Kanneh-Masons first came to fame after
all but the youngest appeared on "Britain's Got Talent" back in 2015.
They made it all the way to the semi-finals. A year before that, Sheku won the
prestigious BBC Young Musician competition of the Year in 2016. He was the
first black musician to win since the award's launch 38 years earlier. Sheku
grew up in Nottingham and began playing the cello when he was just six. Prior
to this, he had briefly played the violin.
For anyone else, you might say performing
at a royal wedding is probably a career best, but for Sheku, it seems his
career is just getting started.
"I think it's something I will
remember for the rest of my life," he said. "I don't really like
watching myself play, but maybe when I'm 50, looking back, it'll be nice to
see."
You
can catch him live on these dates and venue:
25/05/2018 The
Forum Bath, United Kingdom
26/05/2018 St
Michaels Church Bath, United Kingdom
15/06/2018 St
Andrew's Church Naunton, United
Kingdom
17/06/2018 Jordans
Music Club London, United Kingdom
26/06/2018 Parish
Church of St. Nicholas High Bradfield,
United Kingdom
28/06/2018 St
Jude-on-the-Hill London, United
Kingdom
30/06/2018 Erin
Arts Centre Port Erin, Isle of Man
06/07/2018 Town
Hall Cheltenham, United Kingdom
08/07/2018 Parish
Church Thaxted, United Kingdom
15/07/2018 Royal
Albert Hall London, United Kingdom
17/07/2018 St
Peter's Church Budleigh Salterton, United
Kingdom
19/07/2018 Temple
Methodist Church Budleigh Salterton,
United Kingdom
24/07/2018 Castle
Howard York, United Kingdom
25/07/2018 Duncombe
Park Helmsley, United Kingdom
02/08/2018 Klosterkirche
Eberbach Eltville, Germany
25/08/2018 Minster Southwell, United Kingdom
30/08/2018 Lukaskirche Lucerne, Switzerland
01/09/2018 Château
de Chillon Veytaux, Switzerland
18/10/2018 Benaroya
Hall Seattle, USA
19/10/2018 Benaroya
Hall Seattle, USA
20/10/2018 Benaroya
Hall Seattle, USA
24/10/2018 Muziekgebouw Amsterdam, Netherlands
08/11/2018 Philharmonic
Hall Liverpool, United Kingdom
30/11/2018 Philharmonic
Hall Liverpool, United Kingdom
02/12/2018 Barbican
Centre London, United Kingdom
04/12/2018 Barbican
Centre London, United Kingdom
11/12/2018 Tonhalle
Maag Zurich, Switzerland
16/03/2019 Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Netherlands
18/03/2019 Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Netherlands
25/04/2019 Symphony
Hall Atlanta, USA
27/04/2019 Symphony
Hall Atlanta, USA
16/05/2019 Town
Hall Birmingham, United Kingdom
