British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason has been described as “the cellist who sings through his instrument”. He first came to prominence in 2016, when, at the age of 17, he won the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition. He gained international recognition in 2018, when his name travelled around the world: his charismatic performance at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle captivated an audience of billions and turned him into a global star almost overnight. In 2020, his album “Elgar” entered the UK Albums Chart, making him the first cellist ever to reach the Top 10 and the first classical instrumentalist to do so in more than 30 years. BR-Klassik has praised “the natural ease with which Sheku Kanneh-Mason breaks with established concert conventions”, a quality it describes as compelling for many listeners. Today, he has become an indispensable presence on the classical music scene, captivating audiences with performances that are both authentic and exhilarating, as well as with chart-topping albums.

His playing is distinguished by a luminous yet delicate cello sound. He is joined by the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra, one of the world’s leading chamber orchestras, under the direction of its Music Director Gábor Takács-Nagy. Founded in 2005, the ensemble brings together exceptional musicians from leading international orchestras and, as the resident orchestra of the Verbier Festival, regularly performs on major concert stages around the world.

In Regensburg, the versatile star cellist turns to works that have shaped his playing for many years, foremost among them Joseph Haydn’s two cello concertos, which remain benchmarks for lyricism, balance and effortless virtuosity. Haydn has accompanied Sheku Kanneh-Mason since the beginning of his career: “It is a language I know and love.” He adds: “Haydn has a spirit unlike any other – an open spirit.”