Musical superstar family the Kanneh-Masons to launch new Classic FM radio series

The UK’s most famous classical music family, the Kanneh-Masons, are set to launch their debut radio series.

All nine members of the talented family will join Classic FM for their new programme: The Kanneh-Mason Family Takeover.

The show will see the Kanneh-Masons – Kadiatu, Stuart, Isata, Braimah, Sheku, Konya, Jeneba, Aminata and Mariatu – share their favourite classical music and personal stories.

They will also share, both as a family and individually, the pieces which have inspired them throughout their lives and their favourite performances.

The Kanneh-Masons came into the national consciousness in 2015 after the six elder siblings competed together on Britain’s Got Talent – reaching the semi-final of the show.

Over the course of six weeks, individual family members will take turns at fronting episodes of the show, with eldest sister Isata going first.

She will be followed by her Classical Brit award-winning brother Sheku, who will front two episodes in the series and share a selection of the music that has inspired him on March 5.

The 23-year-old cellist became the first black musician to win the BBC Young Musician in 2016, and later played at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2018.

Later in the series Sheku will team up with his mother Kadiatu for a Mother’s Day special, with the pair sharing personal stories from his childhood and discussing their favourite music.

Violinists Braimah and Aminata will host the third programme in the series on March 12, while sisters Konya and Jeneba – both pianists – will present the fifth episode on March 26.

The latter pair’s musical choices are set to include Fantaisie-Impromptu by Chopin, in honour of their grandfather.

The final programme on April 2 will be hosted by Kanneh-Mason patriarch Stuart and his youngest daughter Mariatu, will feature the first movement of Elgar’s Cello Concerto – the piece that inspired Mariatu to play the cello after hearing Sheku perform it.

“We are so excited to have been asked to present our own shows on Classic FM,” Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason said.

“It’s a real thrill for the whole family as it’s a radio station we have loved and been listening to since the children were very small.

“We have enjoyed pulling together all our musical memories to share with your listeners, music that we share together and that reveals important moments in our family life.

“The children’s developments seem punctuated by musical milestones, by favourite pieces that make us feel so much emotion when we hear them.

“Music that we have listened to over and over again as the family grew, and grew up. Above all, this musical journey forms so much of how we relate to one another.”

The Kanneh-Mason Family Takeover is set to launch on Classic FM on Sunday February 26 at 9pm.

The full series will also be available on Global Player for an extended period.