Sheku Kanneh-Mason

Cello

“Kanneh-Mason’s recording shines resplendent even against a backdrop of celebrity rivals …”

gramophone.co.uk, 2020

“As an arrestingly non-traditional encore, the cellist put down his bow for a gentle, all-pizzicato version of ‘She Used to Call Me Dada’ by reggae legend Bob Marley.”

Bruce Hodges, 2024

Biography

Some of the clichés associated with the classical music scene should be taken seriously. Not many decades ago an artist with dark skin wouldn’t have had the opportunity to play publicly, much less be alone at the front of the stage. Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and his sister Isata who visited us in 2023, are proof that music belongs to all of us.

There are likely few artists who have had a larger audience than Sheku. As a soloist at the royal wedding in 2018, 2 billion people watched his performance. But remember: That he was chosen, and that his career took off, is off his own doing. He delivered when expectations were at their highest, and his meteoric career is just beginning. He continues to work to ensure that everyone has access to the music he loves. This includes playing for school classes in the same week he performs solo in front of thousands at the Royal Albert Hall.

Sheku is praised for his unique ability to bring music to life, and it’s not just the notes that dance through the air: He has a passion when he plays that draws you in. Seeing him up close and personal as we do in Risør is perhaps the best way to experience Sheku’s art.