-Hello, my name is Isata.

-My name is Braimah.

-My name is Sheku.

-My name is Konya Kanneh-Mason.

-I'm Jeneba Kanneh-Mason.

-I'm Aminata.

-I am Mariatu.

-Well, I wanted four children, and Stuart wanted three children.

So, we just ended up having seven, I suppose four plus three.

-We're a family like most other families, although we're a bit larger than most families.

There's seven children, obviously, Kadi, and myself.

And, um, yeah, that's us.

[ Piano playing ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -Seven children, seven instruments.

-How many?

[ Speaks indistinctly ] ♪♪♪ [ Indistinct conversation ] -Seven lives filled with music to their very core.

Each sibling plays on an impressive level, and together they are taking the classical music world by storm.

-Aminata!

That does not sound like Kidane.

-It's not.

[ Indistinct conversations in distance ] -The family home is in Nottingham, a couple of hours north of London.

It's a bit of a squeeze when everyone is home.

The house is a tight fit for nine with three to a bedroom and every corner declared a practice space.

They are rehearsing a new commission and challenged by the modern music.

-I really like this piece.

It's definitely the kind of music I play.

Sheku's played quite a bit of this kind of music, because, I think, I've seen him play quite hard stuff.

Yeah, I think -- I think we're all... yeah, learning this together.

I think we're all in it together.

-One, two, three, four.

♪♪♪ -Even in the comfort of their living room, the siblings take the rehearsals very seriously, because they will be performing the piece in the legendary Royal Albert Hall at one of the world-renowned BBC Proms concerts.

-No.

-I don't know what's happening.

-No, it's my fault.

Can you not feel like... [ Plucks strings ] You mean, like more... -[ Chuckles, speaks indistinctly ] -No, but it's -- it's much, much easier.

It's much easier.

-What's easier?

-If you, like, feel, like, the shape of it rather than just do every accent the same.

Like [Hums notes] -I think whoever's not -- whoever's not playing should be dancing, like, in this move, you should be sort of... -Yeah.

[ Laughs ] -When Isata was 6 years old and bored in school, her parents tried to harness her energy with piano lessons.

Just 3 years later, she decided on professional pianist as her career goal and started to study for the entrance exam to the Junior Academy of Music.

Her siblings soon followed suit.

-Music was never something we had to do.

I think it just kind of started in our family as anything does.

The elder sibling started playing, and then it just trickled down, and it became something we all loved doing together.

But there was never a point where my parents said, "You all have to be seven musicians who go on to study it professionally."

I think the only reason it happened to be that way is because we're quite a tight-knit family.

So, music became something we wanted to share together.

[ Cars passing ] -Isata has been living in London for several years, studying at the Royal Academy of Music, thanks in part to a scholarship bestowed on her by Sir Elton John, personally.

Her brothers, Braimah and Sheku, attend the same conservatoire and live together around the corner.

-[ Humming ] -Exactly.

-Yeah.

Sorry.

I tried to be as on time as possible.

Have you been waiting too long?

Okay, you have.

-You don't mind.

[ Laughter ] -Yeah.

Exactly.

-It's a short walk from Isata's flat to the legendary Abbey Road Studios, that have seen legends such as The Beatles and the Rolling Stones record albums.

Today, it is the siblings' turn as they venture on their first recording as a family.

Their parents, Stuart and Kadi, wouldn't miss it for the world.

[ Gleeful chatter ] -Dressed up for the, sort of -- for the occasion.

-The schedule includes "The Carnival of the Animals," as well as several of the children's favorite pieces.

Producer Jonathan Allen has worked with the likes of Lang Lang and Ludovico Einaudi.

[ Violin music plays ] -Don't you need something set up for "Seal Lullaby"?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, we -- Yeah.

-Does it feel like the right thing to do?

-I think that would be good.

-Wait, so what do you need, your bow?

-Yeah.

-Why does Sheku have your bow?

-He's letting me lend his good bow.

-Mm.

-But he's not here.

-I suppose you better do some pizzicato warm-ups, then, Mariatu.

-[ Whistling ] -Don't forget your... [Vocalizing] Play that bit.

-I can't.

It's like [Speaks indistinctly] standing up.

There's pressure.

Leave me alone.

-[ Laughs ] ♪♪♪ -Oh, we need to get that together.

Can we just go from there?

-It might be worth us going from bar 40.

-Okay.

-Because it's just tricky intonation wise.

-Why don't -- Why don't we do once more from the pianist melody?

-32?

-Yeah.

-What is it now?

-We're going from 32.

-Thank you.

-[ Yawns ] Bless me.

-Are you shaking?

[ Chuckles ] -Bless me.

Sorry.

[ Classical music plays ] ♪♪♪ -Blend into my sound.

-Yeah.

I just can't... -Just sit in my sound.

Can you not hear me there?

-No.

-I can come out more then.

♪♪♪ Guys, we should just start recording soon.

We shouldn't dwell on this for too long.

-Can we just lose your F fermata?

You know that bit where you're with Sheku, going down to the F?

-So, I'll just go... [ Piano plays ] ...and then you just do it.

Yeah.

Okay.

Sounds good.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -Braimah is number two in the family and your oldest brother.

-Mm-hmm.

I think he's the one who sort of takes charge in all the rehearsals.

-Yes.

He's like the concertmaster or the conductor, and he's very serious about it.

-Yeah.

-And he's the one probably with the sharpest ear and the most meticulous ear.

You have to be absolutely in tune, absolutely on time.

So, he's very strict.

-I remember once, I would knock on -- knock on his practice room door.

And he would shout at me because I'd have to wait till he's finished the phrase, and then I could come in and tell him what I want.

Even if it's urgent, even if the house is burning down, I have to wait till he's finished the phrase.

-Yes, exactly.

And he's the one who wakes up at 5:00 in the morning, and you can hear his scales all the way through the house.

-Yes.

Yeah.

-And he's very serious.

He has to have the heating on, because his fingers have to be warm.

Everything is about the violin.

-Mm.

Yeah.

[ Chuckles ] -Back in Nottingham, the rehearsals for the new composition continue.

-So, that's okay, then?

-No, that's good.

-That's really good, yeah.

-That'll be good.

That'll be great, Mom.

-Right, now we just... -Guys, stop.

Stop it.

-Oh, were you on Google or Safari?

-I've never performed a new commission before, so, it's very exciting to hear directly what the composer's vision is and to be able to work on side, alongside, and also to be a part of a concert where no one has heard the piece before and no one is expecting it to go a certain way.

We get to show them how it goes for the first time.

-How are you, guys?

-Yeah, we're well.

-We're very well.

We've actually just been rehearsing the piece, so, this is perfect timing.

-Oh, amazing.

So, each movement has a title.

So, the first one, obviously, being movement one, but it's dawn.

Second one is journey.

If you think of, like, hustle and bustle, you know, traffic, running for the bus... -You know those moments at L where the different instruments, like, first, the cello [Vocalizing]... -Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

-We have this image of kind of like a car kind of going past and doing this quite extreme -- Is that...?

-Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

That's perfect.

You've got it spot on.

I've been wanting to actually collaborate with you -- with you all for quite some time, so it's fortuitous that it's come about this year.

-Yeah.

Thank you.

-Yeah.

- We'll be in touch soon.

-Perfect.

Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

-Have a good afternoon.

-Enjoy your afternoon.

-Bye.

-Bye.

-Bye.

-Ciao.

-Bye.

♪♪♪ -[ Whistling ] ♪♪♪ -Now, Sheku, being number three in the family, who was always naughty from the moment he was born, always breaking the rules, always having to be put in order by his older siblings, what would you say?

-Yeah, during the rehearsals, we can never get him to stop playing.

Braimah will say stop, and he'll be playing for about another five minutes.

We're like, "Sheku, stop."

-Yes.

But the minute he got the cello at the age of 6, couldn't get him off it.

He's obsessed with the cello.

That's always been the case.

Oh, the Royal Wedding.

Of course.

It's really interesting, because as a family, we always go back to "BBC Young Musician."

That was our big moment.

So, the wedding, I think, is everybody else's big moment.

Because it was an important event and a big event.

But for us, him winning "BBC Young Musician" was the inaugural event.

It was a huge thing, huge thing, and it changed a lot of things for Sheku.

Yeah.

[ Dramatic cello music plays ] ♪♪♪ -Sheku came to worldwide fame when he played during the wedding ceremony of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

He regularly plays the great concert halls of the world.

Conductor Sir Simon Rattle has invited him to play a concert with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

It will be his first performance after months of lockdown during the pandemic.

-It's exciting being back doing this, doing normal things, like eating lunch, um, traveling to a concert I enjoy.

I have missed -- I've missed that kind of aspect of what I do quite a lot.

Even though it's -- I mean, there's nothing exciting about doing this necessarily, but it's what I've been used to, and so I've missed -- I've missed it a lot.

-The pandemic has forced even the greats to play storage facilities in the middle of nowhere.

The concert will be live streamed with no in-person audience.

-Hey.

-How are you doing?

You have to elbow-bump today.

-Yeah.

-It's like "The Magic Flute."

You have to pass a certain number of tests and trials, the first of which is putting your head close enough to this that it goes green.

-Oh.

-It's a head temperature thing.

Oh, you did it first time.

That's typical.

The rest of us -- rest of us have been going back.

[ Indistinct conversations ] -Hello.

Hi.

-Hello.

How are you?

Hi.

-Good to see you.

-Fantastic to see you.

-Good to see you.

-Now, I've got to do work for the opposition.

-Yeah.

Exactly.

-I'm looking forward to doing this so much.

-Yeah.

Oh, me too.

See you in a sec.

-Alright.

-This isn't their first time working together.

They have previously recorded the "Elgar Cello Concerto."

Recording an album with Sir Simon Rattle is an honor for any classical soloist.

-Good to see you.

-Good to see you.

[ Chuckles ] -Nothing much to say.

I mean, I just have to -- I just have to listen.

And we just see what the distance... -Yes.

Yeah.

Exactly.

-...what the distance does.

-It'll be interesting.

But it's -- I love this piece, if it's... -Yeah.

-I don't know.

Flexible.

Flexible.

-Exactly.

Yeah, exactly.

I mean, but that's the hard thing with... -And that's going to be the tricky thing.

-But actually, I'm sure we'll make it.

-Yeah.

Good.

-Great.

I'm very happy.

-The way that they interact with people and with each other is really important.

And I think both of those things are linked.

So, none of them are ever allowed...

They couldn't become pompous or arrogant or, because they have to be very grounded, because as soon as any of them put on any airs and graces, then one of them would laugh.

And I think that's really important, because if you go into the world thinking you're wonderful, you're not going to last very long, and it's going to be very hard.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -Great.

[ Applause ] I always wonder where the second coda is in this.

"Surely, there's going to be another bit."

I'll say, "Oh, fantastic.

Okay."

-That's true, yeah.

-Oh, wonderful.

You made that incredibly natural and easy.

Oh, can we do this first big tutti, which always sounds as though -- as though no one ever had time to rehearse this?

Always.

The second one always sounds great.

Could we be a bit more détaché rather than that [Vocalizing]?

I think that -- I think that will help.

[ Vocalizing ] And yabba-dabba-dabba-dabba- dabba-dabba-dabba-dabba-dabba.

More -- More into the string and a bit more gesture because it -- it can be like, yeah, when the jazz player picks up the bow, and suddenly everybody disappears to the bathroom.

Uh, I think that it's one of those -- can be one of those tuttis.

One, two, and... ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -It's so wonderful to be playing with Simon Rattle.

He's, obviously, an incredibly, um, well-known and established musician.

-Oh, I'm sorry.

Oh, could you do those last bars?

I'll try and conduct properly.

-He's such a fun person, and I remember, because I recorded "Elgar Concerto" with him, and I went to his house in Berlin to work on the piece together with him.

And then, afterwards, we had a nice chat and a game of football with his son, who -- he's a very good footballer, actually, his son.

Simon Rattle, not so good, but it was great fun.

-Super piece.

-It's great, it's -- it's really -- it's really like ballet... -Yeah.

-...music and symphony... -Yeah.

Oh, absolutely.

-...in so many ways, but particularly the second movement.

That's where, yeah.

It's so... -You know, bless him.

-Yeah, exactly.

My family are coming.

-Oh, yeah, I heard.

Oh, that's so nice.

-Yeah -That's great.

-Hello.

We've just arrived at, what would you call it?

-Crofton.

-Crofton Centre.

-Yeah.

-And we're here to watch Sheku, um, perform, well, record, perform.

And we're just waiting for him to be finished.

And we now look like fans rather than his siblings, so... -[ Chuckles ] Yeah.

-And now the rest of the family have just arrived in the classic car.

Hello.

-We're documenting.

-Oh, we're filming for the documentary.

-What?

Oh.

-Yeah, we're going to be documenting throughout the day.

-Now, these are funky trousers.

-I think we need a shot of the trousers.

-There is a jacket that goes with it, so... [ Laughter ] As you can see, concert outfits have also taken on a more relaxed... -It's like a suit.

-You'll have a suit fit.

Okay.

We can accept that.

-Okay.

We'll be back soon, because I want to greet the family now.

-Yeah.

-Bye.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -Three pianos, two celli, two violins.

It is all but impossible to find music for the siblings' seven instruments, and they are often left to arrange their own.

-This is, from Konya down to Mariatu, their first time recording in a studio.

And yeah, everyone has a say.

You know, if Mariatu tries something and we say, "Oh, that's nice," and then we'll just sort of, yeah, work like that.

Yeah.

♪♪♪ -Oh!

-Yeah.

♪♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Gleeful chatter ] -Let's all have a practice where you can play what you play.

-Which bass line, which we called left-hand, but just your bass line?

-Play what you play.

And then I would play... Yeah, then, I'll -- -And then is it just pits, and then...?

-Yeah.

I'll come out.

-Just basically like the vibe -- the vibe we end with, we want to kind of start in that same vibe, right?

-Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

-So we ended with a really cool, like, simple color.

-Yeah.

-It's different to record the "Redemption Song," because with the "Redemption Song," it's our own arrangement.

And also, like, every time, we add something different and just, like, improvise with it.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -I wasn't quite sure this would work, but you've found a way through.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

[ Chuckling ] -Well, this piece or that bit?

-This piece.

[ Chuckles ] -Yeah.

-Yeah.

[ Laughter ] ♪♪♪ Because it kind of began with -- Sheku did it with Jeneba and Mariatu.

It was like a trio in one of the Facebook Lives.

And then I used to -- Sheku and I recorded it for a human rights thing.

-Yeah.

So it was kind of on... -And then we then did...

So, it was kind of in smaller ensembles, and then we just expanded that material.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -When the children were young, a lot of people used to come to me and say, "It's not fair, you trying to put them into the world of classical music, because they don't belong there.

They're only going to fail.

It's not for them."

And I think Stuart and I were really clear that we weren't going to think like that.

When we...

When I came to the country and when Stuart's parents arrived in the country, everyone told them the same thing, that we shouldn't be trying to succeed, or we should be keeping in our place.

And I think we were brought up to think that's absolutely not what we're going to do.

And so, I think we always had the attitude that they can do anything they want.

There shouldn't be any doors that they're not allowed to walk through.

[ "Redemption Song" plays ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -Does this end the album, or does this -- does this end the album, or does it come between "Carnival" and...?

-I think it's in between the "Carnival."

I think -- I think we end with "Seal Lullaby."

-It acts as a palate cleanser between the two.

-I think it is.

-I kind of think we should end with this.

-We just finish with you guys and your music.

-Yeah.

-This whole thing...

But anyway, there's never any rules with that stuff.

-And then the album ends with this kind of evolved section.

-Yeah.

[ Cheers ] -Hip hip hooray to Jonathan.

-All: Hip hip hooray!

-It's hard to connect yourself to what you're doing.

That's the best way I can describe it.

And, sometimes, you do forget the amount of things you've done in the last few months, that you look back and you're like, "Oh, yeah, we did all of that."

But I don't think that we connect ourselves to the external stuff, because you kind of have to take things day by day.

And so, you focus on the current project and what you're working for.

And then you do it and you really enjoy it and it's exciting, and then they're already thinking about the next thing.

[ Birds chirping ] [ Piano scales play rapidly ] ♪♪♪ -You're taking away the 2, which is what you want to do.

You want to also take away the 2 from here.

So, you've got 4x.

And then what's 10 take away 2?

-8.

-So, 4x=8.

[ Piano continues ] ♪♪♪ -Braimah!

♪♪♪ -I don't actually like cooking.

I think it's because I have to do it every day.

And when they grew up, I mean, with seven children, that's a lot of cooking.

So, it just becomes, like, something...

It's like part of the housework, really, something you have to do all the time.

And everything I cook involves onions and chopping and crying.

So... [ Laughs ] I think the life has been hard work.

Um, but what's been good about it is the children have learned to work hard.

And I think it's a reality.

I think you don't get anywhere, especially, actually, as Black people in this world, if you don't work doubly hard.

And I think they've grown up to know that, but also to -- to enjoy it and to revel in the fact that if you want to do something, you've just got to go out there and do it.

[ Instruments playing ] Time for lunch!

-What?

Can we have another 20 minutes?

-Yeah, we need a bit more time.

-15 -- 15 minutes.

-Is that okay?

-15 minutes.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Thank you.

-Sorry.

-But we have to, Mom.

-15 minutes.

Thank you.

-Otherwise, it's too much to do after in one go.

-Okay.

-Okay.

-Mom.

Mom.

Mom.

Thank you.

-Thanks, Mom.

[ Indistinct conversations ] ♪♪♪ -The relaxed atmosphere is deceiving.

The rehearsal schedule is as strictly measured as the rest of their lives, as it should be.

The BBC Proms are a serious job.

♪♪♪ -Sorry.

-Can we just sing our parts once, just from the beginning?

-Okay.

-One.

-One, two, three, one.

[ All imitating instruments ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -[ Laughs ] -Okay, fine.

-Whoo!

Yeah.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -Now, when we're older, of course, when we come back, we sort of revert back to our... the feeling that, you know, we had being at home when we were much younger, and it was full of music and noise.

And, yeah, I guess, I think the best kind of environment I could have -- could have had, and that's really, really shaped me and allowed me to be the musician that I am today.

-Oh, yeah, that's true, even when he's... -The family has roots in several cultures.

Stuart's parents moved to the UK from the Caribbean island of Antigua.

Kadi's father was from Sierra Leone.

He died when she was 4, leaving her Welsh mother to move back to the UK with Kadi and her three siblings.

-I'm not sure I can sit here, actually.

-Neither Kadi nor Stuart had it easy, and neither of them considered the world of classical music to be open to them.

They remain stunned at the support that has enabled their seven talented children to think differently.

-Yeah.

I think there was a huge amount of financial pressure, particularly early on, because I think, you know, music lessons, traveling to competitions, traveling to lessons, buying bows, buying sheet music, rehairing bows, getting pianos tuned.

I think there was -- there was definitely a lot of pressure, specially because it was multiplied by 7 children.

But not -- it wasn't -- I didn't just feel it because I was the one working.

I think we both felt it, both Kadi and I, really.

-It's often been really precarious.

So there have been times when I've thought, "Oh, my goodness.

What have we done?

We're not going to survive this.

We are not going to be able to keep the house.

We can't afford anything.

We've got ourselves into deep water, and we dreamed too much."

And then -- But Stuart's always been there saying, "It'll be alright in the end."

And I'm thinking, "No, it won't."

And then it's always sort of -- it works out.

[ Laughs ] -Kadi finally published her family's story in a memoir.

She is accompanied to every book presentation by a group of her children who round out the events with music.

[ Indistinct conversations ] -After every concert, people would come up to me, say, "What's the story?

Why don't you write a book?"

And I'd laugh and think, "There's no way I'll ever have time to do that."

And it was the children, actually, who kept saying, "Oh, come on, Mom.

You can do it.

You can..." And so, they made me sit down, and they used to say, "Right, Mom.

Upstairs.

Sit down and write."

And so that's why I did it.

And they have never censored me.

They've never said, "Don't write about this or that."

And when they read it, they loved it.

So, it's been very easy in that way.

[ Train rattling, indistinct conversations ] -What was she saying?

-Only the Mendelssohn went well.

The Schubert went well.

The Liszt went well.

-Oh, that's, like, everything.

Jeneba always makes it sound, like, some crazy -- She had a memory lapse.

[ Indistinct conversation ] Ah, that's chill.

No one's going to notice.

-I'm nervous because I'm... [ Speaks indistinctly ] And then I'm really scared I'm going to have, like, another memory lapse in the back or something.

-No one can tell.

I won't tell.

-You can.

But, obviously, she's not going to judge, but I know -- [ Both laugh ] -Aminata is a very, very interesting girl.

Again, she is two completely different people.

[ Laughter ] On the one hand, that's very much her.

She's wild.

She's definitely an actor.

She's always imitating, always acting, always dramatic.

But at the same time, she's incredibly vulnerable and incredibly emotional.

One minute, she's acting dramatically, and the next minute, it's anxiety and crying.

And these two, Aminata and Mariatu, always playing, always running around, always teasing each other.

They make most of the noise in the house, I'd say.

[ Doors beeping ] It's so interesting how the tables have turned.

I spent so many years sitting nervously, watching them on stage, and it was really touching when they were supporting me, because they understood immediately what it was for me.

And -- And I think it's been lovely.

It's sort of heightened the mutual respect, I think, and it's been a lovely process.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -I was asking you earlier about whether you get nervous when your children are about to perform.

-I don't think that ever stops.

And in fact, it's torturous being on stage while my child is performing, because I can't hide.

I get terribly nervous.

Yes, terribly nervous.

-So, obviously, there is phenomenally strong musical genes flowing through the family.

Where does that come from?

-Oh, if Stuart were here, we'd have an argument about it, because, of course, it comes from me.

No, but I think there are -- in terms of musicians in the family, there are more musicians in Stuart's family.

But in terms of the love of music, that comes from all sides of the family, I would say.

-You've reached audiences that might not necessarily, initially, gravitate towards classical music.

What would you like your family's legacy to be?

-I think I'd like it to be that they showed that anyone can do music.

In fact, anyone can succeed in something that they're passionate about and they're willing to work hard with.

And I remember my husband always used to say that he grew up in the 1970s and '80s with presenters saying, "There will never be Black footballers.

They don't have the discipline.

It's not for them."

And he always says, "Well, look at them now."

And I think that's the message.

-Thank you.

Thank you.

[ Applause ] -I think it's great if my mom finds time for herself.

She's sacrificed so, so much for the last 20-odd years, and I hope that as we continue to get older and leave home, she finds more and more time for that.

I think that would be really important.

♪♪♪ -All seven siblings will be reunited on the stage at London's Barbican Centre.

♪♪♪ [ Indistinct conversations ] The fame of the elder acts as a stepping-stone for the younger, who sometimes miss school for these career-making opportunities.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -At first, I wasn't allowed to play with all seven of us, so, I was just left to watch.

And Mum would say, "Oh, well, you'll be there one day."

So now, it's nice.

I really enjoy playing with the rest of my family, yeah.

-And then Mariatu, the baby of the family.

I would say you are the one who is -- who's had a magical life.

Everybody adores you.

-I guess I don't really speak much.

-[ Laughs ] -I usually prefer to... because I guess no one hears me.

I'll say a sentence big and loud, and -- and will just keep on talking.

-That's a disadvantage of being the youngest.

-Mm-hmm.

-But of course, you're a very good cellist.

Why did you choose a cello?

-I thought, yeah, I think Sheku was the main reason.

-And of course, from when you were little, you've had to perform, you've been on that stage.

You haven't had the training that the others have had in the sense that they always went to local music competitions, and nobody knew who they were, and they could go onstage, they could make as many mistakes as they wanted -- whereas you, everything you do is in the public eye.

[ Indistinct conversations, piano plays ] -The story of the seven talented siblings has spread over the country.

[ Laughter ] Backstage, one would hardly think they are about to play for hundreds live and thousands watching online.

[ Indistinct conversations ] [ Shouting playfully ] -I said it.

I said it.

-No, it wasn't.

-I thought it was me.

-Oh, no, it's not even that.

-I said falafel -- I said falafels first.

I said falafels first.

[ Playful shouting continues ] We can actually find out who's first, if you play that.

-How are you spelling falafel?

-No.

I said...

It was me!

-No, you didn't.

You said it after, way after.

-Often, people think, if there's, like, seven, there must be, like, some kind of competition, but, really...

But I think also because we're all different ages, and we're all in different stages of our life, there isn't that kind of competition, and there is in other things, but not in music, like, normal family things, like, board games.

[ Chuckling ] Yeah.

-Please welcome back to the stage Isata, Braimah, Konya, Jeneba, Aminata, and the sweetest, Mariatu.

[ Cheers and applause ] -Some of the seven still struggle with nerves, especially when they play their second-study instruments to form an ensemble.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Tempo quickens, orchestral music swells ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -I think I feel better when I'm playing with lots of people onstage, because I can hide.

Not exactly, but, yeah, when we're all together, it feels really nice playing with them all.

So, I really enjoyed the Barbican, because we were all together.

So, yeah.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -As a successful solo pianist, Isata often goes on tour alone.

She travels the world, playing in the UK and the US, France and Germany.

At the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, she is performing one of her favorite pieces, the Clara Schumann "Piano Concerto."

The rehearsals with Christoph Eschenbach are open to the public and completely sold out.

♪♪♪ -Isata is the oldest in the family, and she plays the piano and... -Okay, what's she like as a sister?

-She always takes care of me whenever she's babysitting me.

And, yeah, she's always reminding me to practice, and she always helps me with my practice quite a lot, as well.

Yeah, she's -- she's lovely as a sister, and, yeah... -And to the other girls, she's the one everyone goes to for advice.

She's the one that mothers them all.

This is her when she was little.

-Yeah.

-Well, she looks very cute, but actually, she was also very, very lively.

[ Laughs ] When she was recording the album for Clara Schumann, she was the one who, I think, identified with her a lot, because she was someone who was a properly professional pianist, female pianist, so long ago.

So, it makes it seem possible for Isata.

-Yeah.

Yeah.

-And in fact, her nickname is Clara Schumann.

-Yeah, on the family group chat.

-On the family group chat.

-Which is Clara Schumann.

-Yeah.

So we just call her Clara.

It's easier.

-Mm.

[ Both laugh ] -You have some things.

-Oh, there was just one bit in our duet.

There was just one bit in our duet where we got out of time.

Do you know the bit I mean?

-47?

-Yeah, I think we had, like -- we should try it once.

Yeah.

Do you want me to give you two bars, maybe?

Okay.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ I don't know if you ever feel like you've arrived somewhere, because there's not really a specific arrival point.

There's always more to be doing, and life is always changing and exciting.

But at the same time, I think it's important to not always be striving... as in, I think it's important to appreciate where you've come from and where you are.

[ Computer audio connecting ] -Hello.

-Can you hear me?

-Yes, I think my signal's slow.

-So, how are you?

-I'm fine.

I'm in the hotel garden.

-Can you see?

-Oh.

Oh, it's gorgeous.

-Yeah.

And it's Jeneba's birthday.

-It's Jeneba's birthday today.

Do you want to tell me what she wants for her birthday?

-Why?

-Well, because she wants only one thing, which is a bicycle to ride around London, and I'm terrified.

-Well, then she has told you what she wants for her birthday.

You just won't get it.

-I know, but I'm terrified.

I don't want her to ride a bike around London.

-I'm going to get a bicycle when I go to Berlin.

-No!

Oh, well, maybe Berlin's different.

-True.

-We're going to Jeneba's prom on Tuesday, and then it will all -- Then, it'll be hectic from then on in.

-Then it'll be hectic.

-That'll be it.

That'll be everybody together.

-Yeah, that's true.

-Which is really nice.

-I reckon this whole classical music thing was a ploy to kind of make sure we always have to keep coming back.

-It's quite a good ploy.

-It's working.

-It means you have to see me.

-Exactly.

Cool.

Well, I'll let you -- You've probably got lots to do.

-I think we've all always got lots to do.

But I've always got time to spend with you.

And I miss you.

-Bye.

-Bye.

Have a good day.

Bye.

-[Speaking German] Leonard Bernstein Award -- Isata Kanneh-Mason.

Welcome on stage.

[ Cheers and applause ] -It's such an honor to receive this prize.

And when I read the list of people that have received it before, I kind of felt, "You sure you want to give that prize to me?"

I mean... [ Chuckles ] And I think seeing how their careers have gone, and I know all of them, or I knew many of the people on the list as really well-known, wonderful musicians.

And of course, I would really hope that my career would go in that direction, and that I can live up to, you know, the previous people who have won the award.

[ "Piano Concerto in A Minor" by Clara Schumann plays ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause fade ] [ Birds chirping ] -From Germany to Switzerland... ...Sheku is invited to the Verbier Festival.

The audience enjoys a plethora of art and nature.

♪♪♪ Sheku is playing in three concerts, one of which is an evening with Daniel Hope and Thomas Hampson, that the artists conceived of together in rehearsals.

[ Indistinct conversations ] -♪ There'll be a hot time in the town of Berlin ♪ ♪ When the Brooklyn boys begin ♪ ♪ Yeah, they will ♪ ♪ Take the joint apart and tear it down ♪ ♪ When they take old Berlin ♪ [ Laughter ] -Fabulous.

-Can I get some maracas, though?

So... -I mean, absolutely.

You guys can bang, and, you know... Do you ever thump on this?

[ Wood rattles ] [ Laughs ] [ Indistinct conversations ] You're up.

-♪ Okla...homa, Okla...homa ♪ ♪ Okla...homa, Okla...homa ♪ ♪ Okla-- ♪ ♪ We know we belong to the land ♪ ♪ And the land we belong to is grand ♪ ♪ And when we say ♪ ♪ Yee-ow!

A-yip-i-o-ee-ay!

♪ ♪ We're only sayin' you're doin' fine, Oklahoma ♪ ♪ Oklahoma ♪ ♪ O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A ♪ ♪ Oklahoma!

♪ ♪ Yee-ow!

♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -Isata has also come to Verbier to play a concert with Sheku.

They are playing a varied program from Britten to Rachmaninoff.

-Have you -- Is this where you did your other rehearsals?

-Yeah.

-Mm.

Okay.

-Is that nice, isn't it?

-Oh.

This is what I like to see.

-The view?

-Well, I can't actually see the view while rehearsing, which is kind of annoying.

I'll have to keep turning around, you know.

[ Birds chirping ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Um... [ Piano plays ] I'd just like to... ♪♪♪ Yeah, that can be... ♪♪♪ -Ah.

-[ Speaking indistinctly ] Somehow, I know what you're playing here is technically the same as one of them.

-Because of the [Vocalizing].

-But, because of that, I think, we need to figure out... -Yeah.

-It's not so bad when you get into it.

-Yeah.

Yes.

-Maybe from there.

♪♪♪ [ Indistinct conversations ] -The last of the support team that is in town includes Konya, who is working on writing a children's book.

She has come with a friend and their brother Braimah, who brought his roommate.

-You want someone now looking at this?

-No, I don't.

-For this festival, the Verbier Music Festival, half of us who have come, Braimah and I, aren't actually performing.

It's just Isata and Sheku who are performing.

So, we're here for a holiday, and they're working.

And it'll be things, like, some morning Sheku will be like, "Oh, I'm just going off to do like a 3-hour rehearsal."

And we're like, "What?

Really?"

And it's like, we've forgotten that's obviously why we're here.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -Yeah.

-[ Exhales sharply ] This program that we're rehearsing, we've performed a lot together as a duo.

Really nice, I mean, we both love this repertoire, and we love playing together.

So, it's... Yeah, it's definitely different than rehearsing with people I don't know, because you have to get to know them through the -- through the rehearsal and their playing and things like that.

-Do you want to start with... -I thought it would be, probably... [ Piano music swells ] -Ah!

Ah!

[ Laughs ] It would actually help if I could just scream at them, I think.

♪♪♪ -Because... ♪♪♪ [ Both chuckle ] [ Indistinct conversations ] -Guys!

-That's good.

-Just got to keep going.

Keep going.

Keep going.

[ Laughter ] -Oh!

[ Laughter ] -So, Konya.

What would you say about Konya?

-I think she's very creative, because she enjoys... She does a lot of writing.

Yeah, I think she really enjoys a lot of other things, aside from music.

-She's just a very creative person, but she's someone that often doesn't believe in herself.

So, I remember when she auditioned for the Royal Academy of Music to study piano, it was a really big deal for her when she got the big scholarship and she got in and everyone was cheering her.

I think, for her, she thought, "Oh, I'm as good as the others."

And she's always thinking that she isn't.

-It's okay.

-Are we going?

-I mean, I thought you guys wanted to go back.

-What time is it?

-We're gonna have time.

-We spent most of this trip timetabling our days.

Like, "Okay, two hours to do this."

Let's just... -Oh.

-Coming from Isata.

-Wait.

No.

No.

-Wait, what?

-Did you catch this?

-It's like me, you know, asking you guys to be organized.

What is this about?

[ Laughter ] -It's not that I'm organized.

If I don't organize, we won't get anywhere.

We won't leave the house and then... No, can I just say, if I don't say, "Guys, let's do this.

Let's do that."

Then what will happen is nothing will happen.

And then someone will be like, "Oh, no, we've missed this.

We've missed that.

There's no time."

Well, yeah.

See, if I didn't organize, that's how it would actually be.

-Ohh.

-Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

I think it's closed.

[ Laughter ] -Sheku is actually working.

I have one concert tomorrow, and apart from that, we've just been doing our thing.

Sheku's actually been rehearsing, pretty much all day, every day.

-Someone's got to bring bread to the table.

[ Laughter ] I'm joking.

I'm joking.

-Wait.

-No, no, I... ♪♪♪ [ Birds chirping, indistinct conversations ] ♪♪♪ -There we go.

-Thank you.

[ "Cello Sonata in D Minor" by Frank Bridge plays ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Door opens ] [ Gleeful chatter ] -Now, I'm actually shaking.

-Yeah.

-Guys.

Okay.

Stop.

It's too much.

It's too much.

Yeah.

[ Chatter continues ] [ Sighs ] I'm so glad that's done.

Breathe, you know, and live life.

-And that's what was lovely about Verbier.

It was the opportunity to meet people from all over with so many different backgrounds and so many different stories.

And I think that was definitely very refreshing.

But I think, in terms of the music scene here, I think there's still a lot more we could do, in terms of representation and diversity.

There's still a lot to be done.

It's just important that any child can look at someone who's doing something good, and be like, "They also look like me, which means I can do it, too."

So, it's been something I'm quite passionate about.

[ Vehicles passing ] -Jeneba, when she was little, she was always the tomboy of the family.

And then she became much more kind of quiet and introverted.

And when she plays the piano, it's definitely from somewhere deep within.

Isata started learning the piano at 6.

Jeneba was ready to learn at 3, and this is when she was -- probably, I think she was about 4, 4 or 5 years old playing a concert.

And she was just a total natural.

Walked on the stage, and then she's there, completely in her own world.

-She's the one who mainly tells me to practice.

She's like, "Go practice.

What are you doing?"

-But she's interesting, because she's a little sister and a big sister.

So, she's very much a big sister to you, but she's very much a little sister to Konya and Isata.

[ Indistinct conversations ] -Normally, the trio consists of Isata, Braimah, and Sheku, but for a chamber music concert at the legendary Wigmore Hall in London, it is Jeneba who will be playing the piano with her brothers.

She hides her nerves well.

-No, no.

-Today is the day that Jeneba, Braimah, and Sheku all play at the Wigmore Hall, which is Jeneba's debut.

-Jeneba's debut.

Yes.

The other two have played before.

-It's going to be amazing.

So, and Wigmore is a really special place, as well.

It's where everyone wants to play chamber music.

-Yes, it's a wonderful recital hall, great acoustic, and a really good audience.

-And it's just the place -- It just has this -- this meaning, I think, in Britain, of the place to play chamber music.

-So, for them, it's such an important concert.

[ Vehicles passing ] [ Indistinct conversations ] When we used to take them to concerts, for example, we would be the only Black people in the audience.

There would be no Black people onstage.

But we didn't point it out to them.

We just carried on very positively, saying, "This is great.

This is what you want to do.

That's fantastic."

And, of course, they noticed and they grew up to understand that.

But we never at all allowed them to think it was something they should not or could not do.

[ Applause ] [ Cello notes play ] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ -I think, especially, as the fifth child, you kind of watch your siblings go through certain stages, and then you can learn from it before you actually have to do it.

So there is definitely a benefit of not being the oldest, because I think for Isata, she's always had to kind of work it out on her own.

But then she comes and tells me all the things that she's had to struggle with in piano and music, and then I can benefit from that.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Indistinct conversations ] -Well, she was settled actually from the beginning.

-Totally settled.

-Yeah.

Very focused.

She was good, actually -- Yeah.

-She's good at that.

-Yeah, backstage, she wasn't... -Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

-Chaos.

-That's what's so funny.

That's what's so funny.

-Then she gets onstage, and it's like... -Sounded gorgeous.

-Beautiful.

And it's so difficult in that hall with that piano, and it just sounded fantastic.

[ Laughter ] -But it's a big day for you.

-Yeah.

-It was a big day.

[ Gleeful chatter continues ] -But, no, I should probably go.

-Yeah?

-[ Speaking indistinctly ] That was such a good warm-up.

-[ Laughs ] -If you win... -Yeah, a lot, actually.

-...everybody is cheering for you.

-Yeah.

Everyone.

I wish I could come.

[ Indistinct conversations ] -No, it's good to have it, you know what I mean?

-I have to get back to Nottingham.

-It feels like a World Cup final.

-Yeah.

-Here we go!

Oh, my God!

[ Players shouting ] -When two of the top conservatoires of London play each other in football, the musicians' competitive side comes out.

Sheku is one of the best players on the Royal Academy's team.

-Yeah, if Academy can perform as well as they do in the concert hall, then College are in for a real shock.

-Yeah.

[ Laughter ] I go to College, but, like, I'm still supporting Academy.

-Yeah.

[ Chuckles ] -Yeah.

-Plus, you should always root for the fan favorite.

-[ Laughs ] -[ Chuckles ] Yeah.

[ Players shouting ] -All of the Kanneh-Mason children attended the junior program at the Royal Academy of Music, and the oldest four moved on to the Academy's full-time program.

Jeneba was the first to choose the Royal College of Music instead.

[ Cheers and applause ] [ Players shouting ] -Sheku scored a very classy goal.

It was offside.

Controversial.

-[ Chuckles ] -Yeah, we'll see.

We'll see.

[ Indistinct conversations ] [ Players shouting continues ] -So, all the players are music students.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I think, once the game starts, like, you just have to just hope that nothing bad happens to him.

But Sheku did once, like, fracture his wrist playing football.

So, it can happen.

-Yeah, but you could also, like, break your wrist, like, falling down the stairs.

But you have to go upstairs and downstairs.

You have to have some fun, or like some sport in your life.

[ Team cheers ] -Oh!

[ Indistinct conversations ] -[ Laughs ] [ Birds chirping ] [ Door closes ] -Good morning.

-Morning, Jen.

Good morning, Jen.

-[ Chuckles ] -What about Isata?

-The big day has arrived.

The siblings are leaving to play the BBC Proms in London.

There is hardly a greater honor.

-And you can remind me every day.

-Their home leaves little room for privacy.

And yet, Aminata finds time to study for school, Konya works on her first publication, and everyone sneaks in a quick jog to keep their bodies ready.

It is a regular day in their busy lives.

-I am never, ever going to have porridge with water, and I am also going to do my essays as soon as I get them at university.

[ Indistinct conversations ] -I'm going to send this to you when you get to university.

[ Laughter ] -Yeah.

What's that?

-Help.

-Help.

Oh.

-Help... -The Kanneh-Masons are a completely normal family of nine.

They just happen to include seven spectacularly talented musicians.

Whether they will all pursue a career in music remains to be seen.

They have many interests and a sense of community that connects them beyond the musical ensembles they form.

-Roger.

-She got it first.

-Yes!

-Botched.

-Smile.

I said smile first.

[ Gleeful chatter ] -Oh, yeah.

Sorry.

-Okay, guys, we need to go.

-[ Speaking indistinctly ] -Each of them has their own dreams that they carry within them, wherever they go, and so, too, in the Royal Albert Hall.

-But my biggest dream is just to go touring around the world, doing lots of different concerts, maybe -- maybe not even always classical.

Who knows?

[ Cheers and applause ] -On stage would be nice, I'm not sure yet.

But I think acting would be really, really good.

♪♪♪ -My main goal would just be to play in as many concert halls as possible, and with as many different musicians as possible.

-I think I would just love to find a way of balancing both music and writing in a way that I love, in a way that I can share with others.

♪♪♪ -We do lots of work in Antigua, and we're working on trying to create a chamber music festival.

And this is something that I think is really important for my life, as well.

-One thing would be to have my own festival somewhere, something where I feel, yeah -- something that I've created myself and I'm able to direct.

♪♪♪ -An album just of Rachmaninoff.

And I would have just released that.

I think that would be a big dream.

-Success is not something I'd worry about, because what is success?

But I always want to make sure they're doing something they enjoy.

♪♪♪ -My dream is that they all are able to have very creative, full lives.

That's it.

♪♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Applause continues ] [ Applause continues ]