Pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason on Fame, Family and Prokofiev

UK pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason performed with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra this past weekend. The programme was titled Prokofiev’s Piano and it featured Isita with the composer’s Piano Concerto #3.

Isita Kanneh Mason’s career has been one to watch. She enjoyed an award winning set of years with the Royal Academy of Music and quickly launched a set of recordings and tours that have taken her around the globe. Her debut album Romance, which focussed on composer Clara Schumann, entered the UK Classical charts at #1 in 2019. In 2021, she took us to 20th Century America with the “Summertime” recording, as well, and album with her brother, Cellist Sheku Kanneh Mason, titled Muse. The siblings toured off and on in those early post pandemic days to wide acclaim. During the lockdowns, Isitah performed alongside her family in Nottingham for big audiences taking in the livestreams. Over a million views.

Last year she evoked the feeling of wonder during Childhood with her Childhood Tales release.

Isata Kanneh-Mason is the recipient of the 2021 Leonard Bernstein Award, a 2020 Opus Klassik award for best young artist and, as a member of the Kanneh-Mason family, the 2021 best classical artist at the Global Awards.

She joined Mark Wigmore for a chat on The Oasis just ahead of her performance with the TSO.

Listen below:

Learn more about Isata at www.kannehmasons.com/project/isata-kanneh-mason