Sheku Kanneh-Mason Appointed Patron of the UK's Music Masters

Kanneh-Mason has already been an ambassador with the music education charity for seven years

The UK charity Music Masters, which raises money to make music more accessible to those from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, recently announced that cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason will be its new patron.

Kanneh-Mason has been associated with the charity for the last seven years as an ambassador and has undertaken a great deal of work in schools with the organization.

As patron, he will now take on a more high-profile role, helping to promote the charity and being the face of its initiatives.

A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, Kanneh-Mason is also an ambassador for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and for Future Talent. His career began when he won the BBC's Young Musician of the Year competition in 2016, and he appeared at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018.

"I have been delighted to work with Music Masters as an ambassador and am now excited to be associated even more closely with them via this new role," Kanneh-Mason said. "I’ve always been inspired by the wonderful work they do and loved going into schools and witnessing first-hand the children’s remarkable response to music."

"It can sometimes be difficult for young people to develop confidence in their creative potential and their access to music-making can play an important role in giving a child not only a sense of wellbeing, but purpose, and a new perspective on what they might achieve in anything."

"The input of artists and music organizations — both amateur and professional — to our work, especially with schools, is incredibly valuable," said CEO Roz de Vile. "Sheku is already an amazing role model and he has been very generous in sharing his time with our students and on promoting our work."

"We are so lucky that Sheku has accepted the role of Patron, the need is growing and his support will make an even greater difference to our success in the future."