How the 7 Kanneh-Mason siblings became classical music sensations

Seven siblings from one Nottingham home have become an unlikely force in classical music. Jeneba, Aminata, Sheku, Braimah, Isata, Konya and Mariatu Kanneh-Mason each play at a professional level, touring internationally and appearing as soloists with major orchestras.

The family’s childhood home remains the place where their musical connection is most apparent. When the siblings gather there, rooms fill with Bach, Beethoven and Brahms as they practice different instruments. They also perform together in every combination, turning their familiarity with one another into a kind of musical conversation.

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Because we're so close, I think there's a speed at the way that we interact, and I think that kind of unspoken communication is just very quick because of how close we are, because we would listen to each other playing around the house.

Jeneba Kanneh-Mason said playing with her siblings creates unusually fast, unspoken communication because they grew up listening to one another practice. The family’s performances have helped them build a devoted following, including young listeners and audiences from diverse backgrounds.

Asked how seven siblings reached such a high level of talent and success, Jeneba and Isata emphasized their environment. They described their home as intensely musical, loving and supportive, suggesting that the encouragement they received made them feel capable of achieving their ambitions. The siblings now represent a youthful presence in a classical music world seeking a wider audience.

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Well, I think the environment is so important, and because our environment was so intensely musical and loving and supportive, it was kind of bound to happen in one way or another, as in us feeling like we could achieve what we have achieved on our instruments.