FAMILY PATRONS
TALENTED Nottingham family the KannehMasons have become the first patrons of Sinfonia Viva – the East Midlands’ Grammynominated orchestra.
The news was officially announced by Sinfonia Viva principal conductor Frank Zielhorst.
The complementary connection between the professional orchestra and Nottingham’s award-winning and hugely talented musical family was explained in a joint statement from the Kanneh-Mason family.
It said: “As a family we enjoy all aspects of music. We love the power of music and its ability to transform a mood and bring people together, how it supports self-expression and aids wellbeing.
“This is something that Sinfonia Viva understands so well. Not only playing as an orchestra on the concert stage but being a part of a community that makes music together.
“Viva’s work puts people at its heart. Supporting others to create and perform their own music, being part of a shared experience that brings happiness and inspiration to those performing and those listening. Something that is not only enjoyable but has both relevance and resonance.
“We are really excited to be part of Sinfonia Viva’s community and can’t wait to see and hear the wonderful work performed and created by the orchestra and participants over the coming years.”
Mr Zielhorst added: “As a creative music charity, we perform to over 60,000 people a year ranging from large-scale outdoor concerts to our intimate award-winning family shows and to deliver over 6,000 formal education sessions a year.
“We have greatly enjoyed working with Sheku and Jeneba in the past [cellist and recording artist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and one of his younger sisters, pianist Jeneba] and we hope that there will be further opportunities to perform alongside them and other members of this hugely talented family in the future.
“We also look forward to welcoming them to our innovative community projects – working with young people at schools and special educational needs settings, as well as our work with older people which we are developing as a specialist area in our creative repertoire.”