The Discipline Behind Royal Wedding Cellist's Success

Topic: Classical Music

Tuesday, 21 July 2026, at 4:30 am

Tuesday, 21 July 2026, at 7:26 am

Sheku Kanneh-Mason was a skilled musician before he played at the royal wedding.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason, 27, became famous when he performed at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding.

He has achieved more than that.

In 2016, he was the first Black musician to win the BBC Young Musician competition and has had a successful international career as a soloist and with his family.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason shares his favorite music and how to succeed in music competitions.

Kanneh-Mason is one of seven siblings in a musical family from Nottingham, England. His sister, Isata Kanneh-Mason, is a well-known pianist.

The Kanneh-Mason family toured Australia in 2022, and now Sheku Kanneh-Mason is returning to perform with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

He will also play a new cello concerto by British composer Edmund Finnis, written for him.

Before the tour, Kanneh-Mason talked to Vanessa Hughes on ABC Classic Drive about the cello, his favorite music, and his younger siblings.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason comes from a family of seven siblings, all of whom play instruments.

The cello is great because …

It fits well in many different types of music.

The cello is good at singing, supporting, and playing bass lines.

I spent a lot of time exploring different types of cello music.

I played chamber music, string quartets, and sonatas with piano.

I also learned solo cello pieces and concertos, and I enjoyed playing in symphony orchestras.

I play Bach's Cello Suites every day because …

They are great for studying cello playing and music.

The suites are challenging, but there's room to explore and improve.

The Sarabande is particularly hard for solo cello.

Playing in tune is one of the biggest challenges of playing a stringed instrument.

It's something I work on every day.

Classical music is important for young people because …

It helps us understand the past and empathize with different characters.

Classical music is full of beauty and wonder.

My most memorable musical experience is …

Listening to Rachmaninov's Second Symphony.

I remember the first time I heard it.

The National Youth Orchestra was rehearsing in Nottingham, my hometown.

I was 14 and watched them rehearse.

I saw what each section of the orchestra was doing, and it stayed with me.

I've heard the symphony many times since then.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason is not afraid of being outshone by his younger siblings.

After winning the BBC Young Musician competition, I started performing regularly.

I had great teachers who prepared me for the challenges of performing.

I've grown a lot as a musician in the past 10 years.

In the next 10 years, I want to …

Commission new music from great composers.

It's essential to have music that reflects our times and tells new stories.

I enjoy teaching and sharing my knowledge with the next generation.

The new Cello Concerto by Edmund Finnis is …

The first orchestral piece he's written for me.

Edmund Finnis is a British composer I've worked with before.

I asked him to write a cello concerto a few years ago.

I trusted him to write something I would enjoy playing.

The result is a concerto with deep, rich, and soulful music.

I'm glad to be premiering this piece in Australia.

It's been four years since I last visited Australia …

I'm looking forward to returning and visiting some of the places I saw before.

I love trees, and Sydney has a great botanical garden.

I can imagine spending time there, walking and reading.

My advice for young musicians competing for awards is …

Use the competition to challenge yourself and prepare your repertoire.

Share your feelings about the music, rather than comparing yourself to others.

Comparing yourself to others takes away your unique relationship with the music.

I'd love my younger siblings to be better than me …

It's nice to have siblings who share my passion for music.

We have different personalities, which come out in our playing.

We support each other and I'm happy to see them grow.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason will tour Australia in July and August, performing with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

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