British star cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason makes his debut at Residentie Orkest
British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason (1999) is one of the best-known classical musicians of his generation. Since winning the BBC Young Musician competition in 2016, he has built an impressive international career. On November 6, 2026, at Friday , he will make his debut with the Residentie Orkest.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason was born in Nottingham, England, and began playing the cello at the age of six. His big breakthrough came in 2016, when he won the prestigious BBC Young Musician competition. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and went on to become a highly sought-after soloist with international orchestras.
In 2018, he also gained widespread recognition outside the classical music world for his performance at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. His debut album, *Inspiration*, was released that same year on Decca Classics. This was followed by *Elgar* (2020) and *Song* (2022), among others. On his albums, he combines the classical cello repertoire with arrangements of music from other genres, demonstrating just how versatile the cello can be as an instrument.
Musical talent runs in the family
Sheku comes from a very musical family. All seven children of the Kanneh-Mason family play an instrument, and several of his brothers and sisters have since pursued professional music careers. The family performs together regularly and has gained widespread recognition in the United Kingdom through television appearances and concerts.
His older sister, Isata Kanneh-Mason, is a concert pianist who performs internationally. In 2025, she performed with the Residentie Orkest in The Hague, Ljubljana, and Salzburg, where she played Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 under the baton of Ruth Reinhardt. With Sheku, a second member of this musical family is now making his debut in The Hague.
Haydn's Cello Concerto in D
For his debut with the Residentie Orkest , Kanneh-Mason will perform Joseph Haydn’s Cello Concerto in D. The work was composed in 1783 for Antonín Kraft, a cellist in the Esterházy family’s court orchestra, where Haydn worked for many years. The concerto is one of the best-known works in the classical cello repertoire. The program also features the world premiere of *Through Absence*, a new composition by Dutch composer Amarante Nat. The evening concludes with Mendelssohn’s Fourth Symphony, the “Italian,” inspired by the composer’s journey through Italy. The renowned British conductor Jonathan Bloxham will lead the performance.
