Sheku Kanneh-Mason

A master musical storyteller who evinces an artistic maturity well beyond his 24 years, charismatic British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason returns to Berkeley in his solo recital debut with a program of new and familiar works. Kanneh-Mason skyrocketed to fame as the winner of the 2016 BBC Young Musician competition, and thrilled Cal Performances audiences in his 2019–20 Berkeley debut. He is adored by fans the world over for an interpretive style that is bold and inviting, commanding and yet supremely lyrical. Kanneh-Mason’s program includes staples by Bach, Britten, and Cassadó, alongside several works composed especially for him by Welsh composer Gwilym Simcock, English composer Edmund Finnis, and Cuban composer Leo Brouwer. “The sweetness of his tone is a wonder to behold. He is an appealingly sure virtuoso. His vibrato is deep and penetrating. He embraces every passage in every piece with agreeable passion. Talent like this comes along rarely” (Los Angeles Times).