House of Music: Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason on Motherhood, Music, and Family

House of Music: Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason on Motherhood, Music, and Family

“Find role models everywhere. It doesn’t have to be in the field that your child is going into. And make them very proud of what they’re doing and never, never allow them a sense that they can’t do anything.” — Dr. Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason In this episode of the Cello Museum Podcast, Dr. Brenda Neece returns to a May 2021 Cello Book Club conversation with Dr. Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, author of House of Music: Raising the Kanneh-Masons. We originally chose this book for our May 2021 Cello Book Club in celebration of Mother’s Day in the United States. Returning to the conversation now, in May 2026, feels especially fitting as we once again mark a month devoted to honoring mothers and the often unseen work that helps young musicians grow. Known around the world as the mother of the remarkable Kanneh-Mason musicians — including cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason — Dr. Kanneh-Mason offers a deeply human view of family life behind the performances. This conversation explores motherhood, memory, practice, identity, representation, music education, and the delicate balance between guidance and freedom. In this episode: * A reading from the epilogue of House of Music * Motherhood beyond the success story * Guidance, freedom, and “healthy neglect” * Practice as attention * Home, heritage, and belonging * Role models, representation, and opening doors * Music as a resource for life * The importance of music education * Motherhood, identity, and the work behind the music Since this conversation was recorded, Dr. Kanneh-Mason has continued exploring many of these themes in her 2025 book To Be Young, Gifted and Black. Her son, cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, has also written The Power of Music: How Music Connects Us All. Links & Resources: Dr. Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason https://www.kannehmasons.com/project/kadiatu-kanneh-mason/ [https://www.kannehmasons.com/project/kadiatu-kanneh-mason/] Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kadiatukannehmason/ [https://www.instagram.com/kadiatukannehmason/] Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thekannehmasons [https://www.facebook.com/thekannehmasons] House of Music: Raising the Kanneh-Masons https://amzn.to/49w71Cj [https://amzn.to/49w71Cj] To Be Young, Gifted and Black https://amzn.to/43o8asl [https://amzn.to/43o8asl] The Power of Music: How Music Connects Us All by Sheku Kanneh-Mason https://amzn.to/4nX5ZVK [https://amzn.to/4nX5ZVK] Explore Unaccompanied Cello This Summer: If this conversation inspires you to explore the cello more deeply, join Jennifer Kloetzel, Erica Lessie, and Dr. Brenda Neece in Bethany Beach, Delaware, for the Bethany Beach Cellofest, 9–16 August. Learn more: https://cellomuseum.org/2026-bethany-beach-cellofest/ [https://cellomuseum.org/2026-bethany-beach-cellofest/] Read the full show notes: https://cellomuseum.org/house-of-music-kadiatu-kanneh-mason-on-motherhood-music-and-family/ [https://cellomuseum.org/house-of-music-kadiatu-kanneh-mason-on-motherhood-music-and-family/]  Explore more at the Cello Museum: https://cellomuseum.org [https://cellomuseum.org/] Subscribe to the Cello Museum Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Some links in these show notes are affiliate links. Thank you for your support. The Cello Museum Podcast is the official podcast of the Cello Museum. Explore articles, exhibitions, and upcoming events at: https://cellomuseum.org [https://cellomuseum.org]  Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with fellow cellists and music lovers. If this conversation inspires you to explore unaccompanied cello repertoire, join us in Delaware this summer at the Bethany Beach Cellofest (9–16 August). Find details here. [https://cellomuseum.org/2026-bethany-beach-cellofest/]

The Cellist’s Notebook: Kittie Lambton on Music, Memory, and Storytelling

In this third episode of the Cello Museum Podcast, we celebrate International Book Day with a special conversation drawn from our Cello Book Club. Originally recorded in July 2021, this episode features author and cellist Kittie Lambton, who joined us from Greece to discuss her novella The Cellist’s Notebook—a story that weaves together music, memory, and family history across generations. The episode opens with a reading from the book, in which a young girl discovers a hidden cello in her grandmother’s attic. What begins as a moment of curiosity leads to a deeper mystery rooted in the Second World War, and to a reflection on how music connects us across time. In conversation, Lambton reflects on the inspiration behind the story, including her own family history and her lifelong relationship with the cello. Together, we explore the role of music in memory, the experience of learning an instrument, and the creative process behind writing in the novella form. The discussion also turns to music education, community, and the importance of nurturing curiosity—particularly in young musicians. At its heart, this episode is about the enduring magic of discovery: how a single encounter—with an instrument, a story, or a piece of music—can shape a life. Read the full show notes here: https://cellomuseum.org/the-cellists-notebook-kittie-lambton-on-music-memory-and-storytelling/ [https://cellomuseum.org/the-cellists-notebook-kittie-lambton-on-music-memory-and-storytelling/]  Kittie Lambton — https://www.kittielambton.com/ [https://www.kittielambton.com/] The Cello Museum Podcast is the official podcast of the Cello Museum. Explore articles, exhibitions, and upcoming events at: https://cellomuseum.org [https://cellomuseum.org]  Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with fellow cellists and music lovers. If this conversation inspires you to explore unaccompanied cello repertoire, join us in Delaware this summer at the Bethany Beach Cellofest (9–16 August). Find details here. [https://cellomuseum.org/2026-bethany-beach-cellofest/]

Composing The Great Experiment: Daniel DiMarino on Cello, Collaboration, Energy, and Voice

In this episode of the Cello Museum Podcast, composer Daniel DiMarino and cellist Dr. Jonathan Simmons take us inside the creation of "The Great Experiment," a newly commissioned work for cello and piano. Framed as a “study of energy,” the piece evolved through collaboration, revision, and performance. DiMarino shares his compositional process—from first ideas to final form—along with the challenges of writing for cello and piano for the first time. The conversation explores: *  Writing for the cello: register, balance, and texture  *  Shaping musical form through energy and contrast  *  Collaboration between composer and performer  *  The meaning behind the title "The Great Experiment" *  What defines an “American” musical sound  *  Influences from Copland, Kodály, Korngold, and film music  *  Accessibility and connecting with audiences  DiMarino also discusses his work in music production, church music, and cinematic composition, and how these experiences shape his musical voice. At the heart of this conversation is a central idea: “I’m not particularly interested in my ideas just being my ideas… I want something approachable.” 🔗 Learn More Daniel DiMarino  https://www.danieldimarinomusic.com [https://www.danieldimarinomusic.com] Dr. Jonathan Simmons  https://jonathansimmonscello.com [https://jonathansimmonscello.com] Explore more at the Cello Museum:  https://cellomuseum.org [https://cellomuseum.org] Watch the world premiere of "The Great Experiment" & read show notes: https://cellomuseum.org/composing-the-great-experiment-daniel-dimarino-on-cello-collaboration-energy-and-voice/ [https://cellomuseum.org/composing-the-great-experiment-daniel-dimarino-on-cello-collaboration-energy-and-voice/] 🎧 Subscribe Follow the Cello Museum Podcast for more conversations exploring the past, present, and future of the cello. The Cello Museum Podcast is the official podcast of the Cello Museum. Explore articles, exhibitions, and upcoming events at: https://cellomuseum.org [https://cellomuseum.org]  Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with fellow cellists and music lovers. If this conversation inspires you to explore unaccompanied cello repertoire, join us in Delaware this summer at the Bethany Beach Cellofest (9–16 August). Find details here. [https://cellomuseum.org/2026-bethany-beach-cellofest/]

Recording the Bach Suites: Inbal Megiddo on Risk, Voice, and Freedom

In this episode of the Cello Museum Podcast, Dr. Brenda Neece speaks with Dr. Inbal Megiddo about recording J. S. Bach’s Cello Suites — a project that demands not only technical mastery, but artistic courage. Megiddo reflects on the long journey toward recording the six suites, including pandemic interruptions that led her to re-record the first three. The result, she explains, is not a definitive statement on Bach, but a deeply personal moment in an ongoing artistic life. The conversation explores: * How the Bach Suites unfold as a journey through the stages of life * Aldo Parisot’s teaching philosophy and the search for an authentic voice * “Free, but in tempo” — freedom within pulse * Why new recordings of Bach still matter * Recording at Stella Maris in New Zealand  * Creativity inspired by the natural beauty and frontier spirit of New Zealand * The role of silence, breath, and storytelling in performance * Advice for cellists studying the Bach suites * Experimenting with baroque bows, gut strings, and modern instruments * Pandemic-era music-making and the enduring power of the First Suite Prelude Megiddo also discusses her forthcoming book on Aldo Parisot’s pedagogy, her upcoming album Forbidden Voices (featuring music by composers suppressed during the Holocaust), and a new recording of works by Clara and Robert Schumann. At the heart of this conversation lies a bold artistic principle about finding one's one voice: Nothing is sacred. Question everything. Take risks. Listen to Inbal Megiddo’s recording of the Bach Suites: Listen on YouTube [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nCjIXxE_bbS8JLc7_4pOUePl1OycYsRUs&si=bHhbzT50Ie15rOPz] Buy on Amazon [https://amzn.to/3Ow7axV] (affiliate link) Explore more at the Cello Museum: https://cellomuseum.org [https://cellomuseum.org] The Cello Museum Podcast is the official podcast of the Cello Museum. Explore articles, exhibitions, and upcoming events at: https://cellomuseum.org [https://cellomuseum.org]  Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with fellow cellists and music lovers. If this conversation inspires you to explore unaccompanied cello repertoire, join us in Delaware this summer at the Bethany Beach Cellofest (9–16 August). Find details here. [https://cellomuseum.org/2026-bethany-beach-cellofest/]