Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra Sheku Kanneh-Mason Violoncello Gábor Takács-Nagy Dirigent

In the organizer's words:

PROGRAM

MOZART Symphony No. 38 in D major KV 504 "Prague Symphony"
HAYDN Violoncello Concerto No. 1 in C major Hob. VIIb:1
HAYDN Violoncello Concerto No. 2 in D major Hob. VIIb:2
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 2 in D major op. 36

The British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason is known as "the one who sings with the cello". He celebrated his first major success in 2016 at the age of 17 when he won the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition. He achieved international fame in 2018 when his name went around the world: with his charismatic performance at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, he touched an audience of billions and became a global star overnight. With his "Elgar" album, he reached the British album charts in 2020, becoming the first cellist in the top ten and the first classical instrumentalist to do so in over 30 years. "The naturalness with which Sheku Kanneh-Mason breaks up established concert structures", writes BR-Klassik, is "captivating for many". Today, it is impossible to imagine the classical music scene without him, inspiring audiences with his authentic, captivating interpretations and chart-topping albums. His playing is characterized by a luminous yet delicate cello tone. He is accompanied by the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra, one of the world's leading chamber orchestras, under the direction of its chief conductor Gábor Takács-Nagy. Founded in 2005, the ensemble brings together outstanding musicians from top international orchestras and, as the Verbier Festival's resident orchestra, regularly performs on major concert stages around the world.

At Pro Arte, the versatile star cellist devotes himself to the works that have characterized his playing for years - above all the two cello concertos by Joseph Haydn, which continue to set standards for vocalism, balance and virtuoso lightness. Haydn has accompanied Sheku Kanneh-Mason since his early days: "It's a language that I know and love." And he adds: "Haydn has a spirit that is second to none - an open spirit."