Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason was born in Nottingham in 1999 into a big musical family. He and his six siblings all grew up learning classical instruments and appeared on Britain’s Got Talent in 2015. Sheku first made his mark as a solo performer the following year, when he won the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition. In 2018, a global audience of over one billion watched him perform live at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Since then, he has received two classical Brit awards and an MBE for services to music, and performed at the Proms every year since 2017. His book The Power of Music charts his creative journey, while his new album - his fifth release - includes recordings of works by Shostakovich and Britten.\n\nSheku talks to John Wilson about the early influence of his paternal grandfather, a classical music lover who encouraged an appreciation of chamber music, including Schubert's Trout Quintet. He also discusses his cellist heroes, Jacqueline du Pré and Mstislav Rostropovich, and explains how the music of reggae superstar Bob Marley has been an inspiration throughout his life.
Source: BBC 4
Sheku Kanneh-mason
Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason was born in Nottingham in 1999 into a big musical family. He and his six siblings all grew up learning classical instruments and appeared on Britain&r ...
22-06-2025
BBC 4
Abi Morgan
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Nile Rodgers
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Series 1: 1. Kenneth Branagh
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Series 2: Sally Wainwright
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BBC 4
Abi Morgan
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Thelma Schoonmaker
John Wilson talks to three-time Oscar-winning film editor Thelma Schoonmaker, who, for over five decades, has been Martin Scorsese’s cutting room collaborator. \n\nHaving ...
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BBC 4
Series 2: Judi Dench: Shakespeare Special
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BBC 4
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Series 1: 7. Kwame Kwei-armah
Playwright and artistic director of London's Young Vic theatre Kwame Kwei-Armah shares some of the influences that have had a significant impact on his work.\n\nKwei-Armah pursu ...
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BBC 4
Nile Rodgers
Nile Rodgers is one of the most successful and influential figures in popular music. As a songwriter, producer and arranger, he has enjoyed a 50-year career with his bands Chic ...
02-03-2025
BBC 4
Series 1: 1. Kenneth Branagh
Actor and film-maker Sir Kenneth Branagh talks to John Wilson about the key influences and inspirations that have shaped his own work. In a wide-ranging conversation, he reveals ...
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BBC 4
Series 2: Margaret Atwood
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BBC 4
Series 2: 4. Whoopi Goldberg
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BBC 4
Series 2: 1. Glenda Jackson
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BBC 4