Isata Kanneh-Mason will open Worthing Symphony Orchestra’s new season

Isata Kanneh-Mason will open Worthing Symphony Orchestra’s 2019/20 season this weekend.
Isata Kanneh-MasonIsata Kanneh-Mason
Isata Kanneh-Mason

Spokeswoman Jennie Osborne said: “Isata is a member of Britain’s most famous musical family, sister of superstar cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who played at Prince Harry’s wedding, and her album Romance : The Piano Music of Clara Schumann, shot straight to the top of the classical music chart within days of its release.

“Her debut appearance with WSO at Worthing Assembly Hall is a real coup for music director John Gibbons, whose contribution to music was acknowledged with the award of a British Empire Medal.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Through his 21 years’ tenure as director of WSO – the professional orchestra of West Sussex – John has built the orchestra’s reputation to the level that is able to attract soloists of this calibre.

“The forthcoming season which John describes as ‘our best yet!’ also features Nicola Benedetti and Isata’s famous sibling Sheku Kanneh-Mason, both making return visits to Worthing.”Jennie added: “23-year-old Isata is a post-graduate student at the Royal Academy of Music where four more of her siblings are currently students. She held the prestigious Elton John Scholarship and performed with Sir Elton in Los Angeles in 2013. She has performed around the UK and overseas with concerto appearances, in solo recitals and chamber ensembles.

Isata has appeared several times on television and radio including Radio 3, Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, The One Show, Andrew Marr, BBC Young Musician of the Year and the family was featured in the BBC documentary Young, Gifted and Classical.

“On July 5 2019 she released her debut album. It celebrates the music of Clara Schumann (wife of Robert) on the 200th anniversary of her birth. The album takes the listener on a musical journey through the composer’s extraordinary life and music and features Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, which Isata will be playing at the Worthing concert. The album was met with huge critical acclaim and within days it was stopping the classical music chart in the UK.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Isata was in Napa, California performing with brother Sheku when she heard the news.

The Worthing concert takes place at the Assembly Hall in Stoke Abbott Road on Sunday, September 8 at 2.45pm. Tickets are available from the box office on 01903 206206 or online at http://worthingtheatres.co.uk

Just a few days later on September 17, Nicola Benedetti returns to Worthing to play Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in an evening concert at the Assembly Hall.

October 20 sees the return of cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who since winning BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2016 and playing at Prince Harry’s wedding, has gone on to international stardom. Sheku plays Saint-Saens’ Cello Concerto in A minor.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Remembrance Sunday concert on November 10 will be a very special occasion in more ways than one. It features Sussex pianist Maria Marchant making her Worthing debut. Maria is a BBC Music Magazine Rising Star.