BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
Sheku Kanneh-Mason is 18. He’s just released his debut album, and he is an inspiration. He is making inspiration.
Sheku is one of the world’s leading young cellists, and his aptly titled debut album Inspiration is globally released on Decca Classics.
It was recorded in Birmingham and the musician’s hometown of Nottingham, and features Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla. With this piece of music, Sheku became the first black winner in the 38-year history of the BBC Young Musician competition.
Sheku is a child prodigy who has been playing cello since he was six, and has since performed at the BAFTAS in front of Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, at 10 Downing Street for the 30th anniversary of Black History Month, and at the BBC Proms with Europe’s Chineke! – the continent’s first Black and Minority Ethnic orchestra (you can read our piece about its founder here).
We chat with Sheku about Inspiration, diversity, and…football.
Sheku, congratulations on your debut album Inspiration. How does it feel to have launched your first release while you’re still technically in your teenage years?
It’s a wonderful feeling to have released my first album, and I would never have expected this to happen so soon!
It’s certainly not your first big achievement of late. You’ve performed for royalty, were named BBC Young Musician of 2016, made your debut at the BBC Proms…wow. What gives you the inspiration (pun intended) to reach such heights in your career?
I really just enjoy the music I play, and love performing to people. For me, it’s just so great to have the opportunity to do that, but also the time to explore this wonderful music, too.
Your album is very much centred on the theme of inspiration of yourself and others. In particular, you’ve cited some major cellists such as Pablo Casals and Jacqueline du Pré. What do you look for in a cellist? What is it that makes you think: ‘This performer is outstanding, I want to learn from this sound’?
For me, cellists like Casals and du Pré have very individual sound qualities, and what really grips me about a person’s playing is when they perform with such honesty. I think this comes from an understanding of the music, which translates into an emotional response through the sounds they make.
You’ve previously spoken out about the need to encourage diversity among emerging classical musicians. Why is this important to our industry?
I think that classical music would benefit from a wider audience, as well as more participation in general. More people would benefit from being exposed to such a wonderful art.
You’ve become a powerful advocate for diversity yourself, being named the “first black winner of BBC Young Musician“, despite the competition having run for almost four decades. Do you feel this industry is slow to embrace diversity? How would you recommend we inspire change?
There is a lack of diversity in classical music, and the reason for this is that for a young person of an ethnic minority, it is difficult to have a role model who looks like you playing classical music. I think that also being given the opportunity from a young age to see this music performed is so important in changing this. The attitude in the industry itself doesn’t necessarily need to change; the response towards expanding the diversity of classical music is always positive.
Outside music, you also take on hobbies such as table tennis and football. Why is it important for young musicians to find inspiration away from the practice room?
I have always enjoyed a wide range of hobbies, and I think that the music we are playing is about real life things and emotions. So it really is important to have varied experiences.
What advice would you give to other emerging cellists looking for a dose of inspiration in their lives?
I would say that there is no shortcut to practising, and so lots of hard work has to go in. But the amazing music that one is able to then perform is always worth the work. Also that I would encourage to always listen to music and a wide range of music, because there is such a wide range of great music out there.
Listen to Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s debut album Inspiration online as released by Decca Classics. Sheku was one of our featured artists in Madeline Roycroft’s story, 8 Young Artists Taking the World by Storm.
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