Photo credit: Lars Borges
In 2016, British musical prodigy, Sheku Kanne-Mason, became the first Black person to win the BBC Young Musician of the Year Award. Now he’s been personally invited by future royal, Meghan Markle, to play the cello during her highly anticipated royal wedding to Prince Harry on May 19th.
“I was bowled over when Ms. Markle called me to ask if I would play during the ceremony, and of course I immediately said yes!!! What a privilege. I can’t wait,” exclaimed the 19-year-old via Twitter.
Growing up in a musical family, Kanneh-Mason is one of seven children who were always encouraged to work hard and achieve academically. All of his siblings also play a variety of musical instruments, yet mostly specializing in piano or violin. He began playing the cello at the age of six. The family even appeared in a past episode of Britain’s Got Talent. Mom Kadie Kanneh-Mason said to “The Daily Mail,” “We haven’t decorated for years … the tiles are coming off the roof. We never buy new clothes….every penny of our money goes (is spent) on music.” The Kanneh-Mason children have often times practiced and performed using borrowed instruments.
Photo credit: Lars Borges
Even though Kanneh-Mason is currently studying in the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music on full scholarship and also utilizes a cello via an extended loan program sponsored by an anonymous London resident, he has still found ways to give back to his community. He contributed to his high school alma mater when music education programs were endangered of not being funded adequately and successfully enabled cello lessons to continue leaving a personal legacy for years to come.
Photo credit: Lars Borges
Kanneh-Mason has already released one record-breaking classical album and after Prince Harry heard him play last year, the royal couple agreed to invite him to contribute his masterful cello playing to their big day. He will be joined by Karen Gibson of The Kingdom Choir, which is a group of British artists who have been performing nationally and internationally for over 20 years.