Achievements Abound for Isata Kanneh-Mason
Despite her young age, at 27, Kanneh-Mason has already accomplished an impressive number of musical successes. To name a few:
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2021/2022 ECHO Rising Star
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Recipient of the Leonard Bernstein Award and Opus Klassik award for Best Young Artist
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No. 1 on UK classical charts for 2019 album, Romance – the Piano Music of Clara Schumann, “one of the most charming and engaging debuts” — Gramophone magazine
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2022/2023 Artist-in-Residence with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Center for the Arts is thrilled to welcome back the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) this winter, including a special guest making her debut at the Center, rising star pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason. On January 28, Kanneh-Mason joins the RPO for Prokofiev’s exhilarating Piano Concerto No. 3, in a program that also includes Debussy’s Danse (orch. Ravel) and Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade. RPO has cemented its place at the forefront of classical music performance with its unwavering dedication to excellence as well as the development of its programming, which aims to make classical music accessible and inclusive.
With an impressive collection of achievements and a deep musical history, Kanneh-Mason continues to impress audiences and touch the world. “She’s a phenom,” raves the San Francisco Chronicle, and is “calmly commanding… unfailingly subtle,” notes the New York Times.
A Musical Beginning, A Musical Family
Isata Kanneh-Mason is one of seven siblings ranging in ages 27 to 14, all of whom are musicians. The siblings have performed together on numerous occasions, including on Britain’s Got Talent in 2015, and produced their 2020 album Carnival to praise such as The Times’ review that notes the album as a “family-friendly burst of happiness.”
In a 2023 interview with The Guardian, Kanneh-Mason is asked about the pressures of being the eldest of seven immensely talented siblings to which she responds, “It was more the case of needing to set an example when we were all younger, because I was usually the first to be taking grade exams or doing milestone things in school. But now we’re all developing our careers in different ways, so we support each other.” Watch the video below for a proper introduction to the Kanneh-Masons:
Sharing Her Gift All Over the World
Originally from Nottingham, England, Kanneh-Mason has gone on to perform all over the world, ranging from her time as a student at London’s Royal Academy of Music to duo recitals with her brother Sheku in Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. Kanneh-Mason has given a series of solo recitals in the United States and Canada, also joining renowned orchestras such as Royal Northern Sinfonia, Cleveland Orchestra, Toronto Symphony, and Stockholm Philharmonic in touring.
A Special Performance in Fairfax
In the January performance at the Center, Kanneh-Mason will perform Prokofiev’s popular Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26. Having had her solo Proms debut at Royal Albert Hall last August, Kanneh-Mason performed Prokofiev’s audience favorite to overwhelmingly positive reviews. Classical Source’s Chris Caspell calls her performance a “revelation,” noting, “With virtuosity that appeared to know no bounds, Kanneh-Mason fearlessly navigated Prokofiev’s labyrinthine score, delivering the composer’s most challenging passages with deft precision." Another review by Classical Explorer emphasizes that “there is no doubting the fleet-fingered nature” of Kanneh-Mason's musical skills on the piano. It goes without saying that any opportunity to watch Kanneh-Mason in action is an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.
In the meantime, enjoy a playlist of Kanneh-Mason's musical and personal highlights below:
This program is sponsored by the Tom and Evelyn Kiley Fund.
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