Birth

:

1996

 

Isata Kanneh-Mason is a British classical pianist who has gained international recognition for her exceptional talent and musical prowess. Born on September 2, 1995, in Nottingham, England, Isata was the third of seven children born to Stuart Mason and Kadiatu Kanneh. Her parents, both from Sierra Leone, were determined to provide their children with the best possible education and opportunities, and music played a significant role in their upbringing. Isata began playing the piano at the age of six, and it quickly became apparent that she had a natural talent for the instrument. She was enrolled in the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music in London at the age of ten, where she studied with Patsy Toh and Carole Presland. Isata continued her studies at the Royal Academy of Music, where she earned her Bachelor of Music degree with First Class Honours in 2017, studying with Hamish Milne. Throughout her career, Isata has won numerous awards and accolades for her exceptional talent and musical achievements. In 2014, she was awarded the prestigious Royal Academy of Music Patron's Award for her outstanding contribution to the musical life of the Academy. In 2015, she won the Royal Academy of Music's Iris Dyer Piano Prize, and in 2017, she was awarded the prestigious Sir Elton John Scholarship, which is awarded to exceptional students at the Royal Academy of Music. Isata has also been recognized for her exceptional performances in international competitions. In 2014, she was a finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition, where she performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. In 2015, she won the Royal Overseas League Piano Competition, and in 2017, she was a finalist in the Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition. Isata has performed in some of the world's most prestigious concert halls, including the Royal Festival Hall, the Wigmore Hall, and the Royal Albert Hall in London, as well as the Lincoln Center in New York and the Konzerthaus in Berlin. She has also performed with some of the world's leading orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and the Chineke! Orchestra. One of the highlights of Isata's career was her performance at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018. Isata performed Franz Schubert's Impromptu in G-flat Major, Op. 90, No. 3, as part of the wedding ceremony at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The performance was watched by millions of people around the world and brought Isata's exceptional talent to a global audience. Isata is also a passionate advocate for music education and outreach. She has worked with the London Music Masters, a charity that provides music education to children from disadvantaged backgrounds, and has performed in schools and community centers across the UK. In 2019, she released a children's book, "The Little Dreamer," which tells the story of a young girl who dreams of becoming a pianist. Isata's musical style is characterized by her technical precision, expressive phrasing, and deep emotional connection to the music. She has a particular affinity for the music of the Romantic era, and her performances of works by composers such as Chopin, Schumann, and Brahms are renowned for their beauty and sensitivity.

More....