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/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kadiatukannehmason/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thekannehmasons House of Music: Raising the Kanneh-Masons https://amzn.to/49w71Cj To Be Young, Gifted and Black https://amzn.to/43o8asl The Power of Music: How Music Connects Us All by Sheku Kanneh-Mason 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/ Read the full show notes: https://cellomuseum.org/house-of-music-kadiatu-kanneh-mason-on-motherhood-music-and-family/ Explore more at the Cello Museum: 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 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.