APPLEDORE, UK – KADIATU – DISCUSSION

SPEAKERS
Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason
Margaret Casely Hayford

Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason is the mother of seven supremely talented young classical musicians including Sheku, the BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2016, who played at the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle, and eldest daughter, Isata, who made her solo debut at the BBC Proms in 2023. The siblings have performed together and solo at major concert halls around the world. None of the children come from elite music schools, but from a state comprehensive in Nottingham making their talents even more extraordinary. But despite all their achievements her family has suffered shocking online abuse because of their race. How do you prepare your child for the fact that no matter their talent or dedication, they will be told they do not belong? In her new book, Kadiatu opens up about raising her extraordinary family and explores what it’s like to grow up a Black artist today – and offers a hopeful, powerful way through.

About the Author: Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason is a former lecturer in English at Birmingham University. Her memoir, House of Music: Raising the Kanneh-Masons won both the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Storytelling Award and the 2022 Indie Book Award for non-fiction. Kadiatu has seven children, aged 29 to 15, all of whom are world-class classical musicians.

About the Interviewer: Margaret Casely-Hayford is a lawyer, businesswoman and prominent diversity advocate. Between 2018 and 2024 she was Chair of Shakespeare’s Globe. Margaret is a trustee of the Radcliffe Trust, which supports the development of skills in classical music and traditional arts and crafts. She was also an advisor to classical music charity Music Masters, and currently is an adviser to Concert Theatre Works. In 2018 she was awarded a CBE for services to charity and for promoting diversity.