Interview, Sheku Kanneh-Mason: Song

(Photo by Ollie Ali)

Since winning BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2016, Sheku Kanneh-Mason's musical career has skyrocketed. From signing a recording-contract with Decca Classics, performing with illustrious orchestras in venues all over the world, to being awarded an MBE at Buckingham Palace for his services to music, his talent for navigating musical boundaries and bringing new audiences to the world of classical music is extremely impressive. Not only did his first two solo albums reach number one in the classical charts, but his second album Elgar reached number eight in the Official UK Album Chart, making Sheku the first cellist in the history of the UK charts to be featured in the top ten.

Published by Faber Music, Song is a very personal sheet music collection from the award-winning and internationally acclaimed cellist. Presenting music from his third album, the publication includes arrangements for unaccompanied cello, cello and piano, cello duet, and cello trio. Combining both classical and popular songs and spanning four centuries, Song perfectly illustrates Sheku's preference to work in a variety of styles and genres. Featuring classical favourites by Beethoven, Stravinsky, Mendelssohn, and Coleridge-Taylor, the album also includes arrangements of pop classics such as Falling in Love Again, and I Say A Little Prayer. Edmund Finnis's new work, Five Preludes, composed specifically for Sheku and commissioned by The Royal Academy of Music, is also included in the sheet music collection.

Sheku very kindly took time out of his busy performing schedule to answer our questions about his latest project...

Your latest album and sheet music collection references the singing tone of the cello. What are your thoughts on the affinity between the cello and the human voice?

I think there’s a very strong connection between the two, and it’s often that quality and relationship that makes people easily moved by the cello; but it’s also an instrument that can play many different roles with its huge range and versatility.

You display a fantastic variety of styles and genres in the album; what led to your choices for Song?

I’ve long wanted to choose pieces to record, and it was nice to have that freedom within quite a broad spectrum of music and the title gave me scope to be creative and to really explore. I think a lot of the collaborations I chose also had a massive influence on what I wanted to put on the disc as well.

What were the biggest inspirations for you when undertaking this project?

The artistic collaborations and feeling that I was able to use many different types and ways of making music, not only playing the cello but arranging and writing, was a big part of it and I enjoyed all these processes.

Could you tell us more about the arrangements you have chosen, and about your own compositions and arrangements?

I did a couple of arrangements of Bach for cello ensemble because to me the resonance of harmonies within the range of the cello works beautifully. I particularly loved arranging them, but in the same vein, I also arranged some folk melodies which I think speak really well on the cello. It’s also great to play such very different music on the cello to the type of music I studied!

You collaborated with a number of guest artists for the album - can you tell us about these relationships?

Yes, it was an important aspect of the album to collaborate with these musicians and they are all people I am inspired by and most of them have been part of my musical upbringing. Bringing them together on the album is very special to me.

I believe you have a somewhat personal connection with the song 'Myfanwy', can you tell us about that?

It’s a song I grew up knowing, it’s part of my Welsh roots, and I think if you’re in any way connected to Wales, it’s one of those songs it’s impossible not to know! It’s very beautiful and it’s a song about a longing for a love but I think this song also touches people who are perhaps not in Wales, but long to be there, so it’s as much about the place as a person.

Who is your favourite singer, or the singer who has helped to inspire you most in your own performances?

Aretha Franklin has an amazing voice, incredibly powerful and inspiring and definitely one of my favourite vocalists.

What advice would you give to young musicians who aspire to have a career in performing?

It’s hard to give general advice but I think to try and listen to as much music as possible and be open to listening to as much as possible. Of course you have to spend time practising and studying but developing an openness will inspire you in unexpected ways. Discovery is vital.

Can you tell us about working with Faber Music and publishing your sheet music collections, and tell us more about the sheet music for 'Song' in particular?

Very often in the past, I have played arrangements of songs and people have subsequently asked for the sheet music. I take that as a big compliment and it’s wonderful to have the opportunity to share this music and I really look forward to hearing other people play it. So, it’s a big thank you to Faber Music for making this possible!

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