主播大秀

Winning still feels very fresh and exciting. That evening in the Barbican, playing in front of such a wonderful audience, will stay with me forever. And from the moment my name was called out, my life has changed enormously.

I gave a couple of concerts shortly after the 主播大秀 YM finals that I had already booked prior to the competition which were really enjoyable to perform. I played a short recital with my sister Isata (organised by Dominic John) in Notting Hill and then later on played the rarely performed Schumann Cello Concerto with the Angel Orchestra. But one of the most enjoyable concerts was back in my home city of Nottingham.

Guy Johnston (who won the competition in 2000 playing the same Shostakovich concerto as I played) gave a concert in Nottingham where he was planning to play solo Bach. Having seen me win and having worked with him prior to the competition, Guy decided to change his concert into a celebration of cello playing. He also invited my teacher Ben Davies, my first (and only other teacher) Sarah Huson-Whyte and my younger sister, Jeneba. We played a mix of ensemble pieces to a packed crowd and it really felt like a home coming.

I have had a huge number of offers to perform later of this year and next year. Some interesting ones include: playing next April with the National Youth Orchestra; my Royal Festival Hall debut in London on the 4 September where I will play the Haydn Cello Concerto no 1 in C with the Chineke! Orchestra; Royal Albert Hall Elgar Rooms next March where I will play trio music with my sister, Isata and brother, Braimah; and numerous music festivals around the country. I am also going to The Colour Of Music Festival in South Carolina to play trio music (with Isata and Braimah) this autumn – the first time I will have visited the USA.

Perhaps the most exciting news is that I have a new Artistic Manager. After 主播大秀 Young Musician, I was very well looked after by YCAT and they were wonderful. However, I was approached by Kathryn Enticott of Enticott Music Management and felt that this was an exciting opportunity. Kathryn and her team are very nurturing and have already given me some really good advice.

I'm also appearing on a couple of TV programmes: The One Show are filming a piece called 'Thank You Mum and Dad' about my gratitude to my parents and family for all the support that they have given me over the years.

I’m going to be performing on 主播大秀 Two’s Proms Extra this Saturday (23 July) with my sister Isata where I will play Song of the Birds by Casals (a piece I actually played in the second round of 主播大秀 Young Musician) and later on in the season I’m also going to be appearing at the 主播大秀 Proms in the Park taking place in Colwyn Bay North Wales. I can’t believe how much has happened in such a short space of time.

主播大秀 Four are also filming a documentary about me and my family life. It doesn’t just cover the music (although that is a significant part of it), but also what it is like to be part of a large family who all play classical music to a high level and about how I’m getting on in the industry. The programme will culminate with me playing the Haydn Concerto no 1 with the Chineke! Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall. I really hope this programme will inspire other young people from all backgrounds to take up classical music and perhaps the documentary can go somewhere towards showing that classical music should be for everyone.

I entered 主播大秀 Young Musician 2016 because I wanted the opportunity to perform and make music around the world having seen how other winners have done so well. So far it is going very well, I'm very happy and the future is very exciting.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason is winner of 主播大秀 Young Musician 2016