Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason celebrates his eclectic inspirations

https://www.npr.org/2022/12/07/ [login to see] /cellist-sheku-kanneh-mason
Sheku Kanneh-Mason was six years old when he fell in love with the cello. "I remember seeing a whole orchestra performing and being just excited by the look of the cello, and asked to have lessons," the British cellist said. "I think my mom was relieved because ... I clearly wasn't somehow interested in the violin, but the cello immediately I was really into and had a great teacher from the start."

Playing this instrument that mimics the human voice through its range and tone is an "embrace," Kanneh-Mason explains, "sort of like dancing with the instrument ... It's just great to be so close to this amazing music and for it to come out of the instrument that's so close to you."

Kanneh-Mason spoke with Rachel Martin while visiting Washington, where he performed at NPR's headquarters for a Tiny Desk concert released in November. (He called the experience "nice and intimate.") Surrounded by LPs, books and memorabilia of all sorts at Bob Boilen's desk, Kanneh-Mason performed some of the solo preludes composer Edmund Finnis wrote for him, along with his own arrangements of Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry" and the Welsh folk song "Myfanwy."