Chi-chi Nwanoku
Chi-chi Nwanoku, musician and founder of Europe's first professional majority black and minority ethnic orchestra, is interviewed by Kirsty Young.
Chi-chi Nwanoku is a double bass player and founder of Europe's first professional majority black and minority ethnic orchestra, Chineke!.
Chi-chi is the eldest of five children, born to a Nigerian father and an Irish mother. Early on, she discovered two competing passions: playing the piano and 100 metre sprinting. She was aiming to qualify for the 1976 Olympics when she suffered a knee injury which cut short her life as an athlete. Her music teacher then suggested that she could have a career as a musician if she took up 'an unpopular orchestral instrument'. She began learning the double bass a week later.
She was a student at the Royal Academy of Music and for over 30 years has played with renowned orchestras, including the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, English Baroque Soloists, London Classical Players and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment , which she co-founded and where she was principal double bass for three decades.
In 2015, she set up Chineke! to support, inspire and encourage black and minority ethnic musicians. Last year the Chineke! orchestra made its debut at the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Proms, and Chi-chi was awarded an OBE for her services to music.
Producer: Sarah Taylor.
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The double bass player on her family, sprinting and playing in the Proms.
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Chi-chi Nwanoku: βTheir meeting was epicβ
Duration: 02:38
Music Played
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Franz Schubert
The Trout Quintet: IV. Thema. Andantino mit Variationen
Performer: Emanuel Ax. Performer: YoβYo Ma. Performer: Pamela Frank. Performer: Rebecca Young.- Schubert Trout Quintet.
- Sony.
- 4.
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Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Ballade in A minor, op. 33
Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Grant Llewellyn.- Coleridge Taylor: RLPO.
- Decca.
- 1.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Twelve Variations in C Major K. 265/300e
Performer: Ronald Brautigan.- My First Mozart Album.
- X5 Music Group.
- 15.
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Nina Simone
My Baby Just Cares For Me
- The Very Best of Nina Simone.
- Sony.
- 2.
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Prince Nico Mbarga
Sweet Mother
- The Essential Guide to Africa.
- Essential Guide.
- 5.
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Julie Andrews
Do-Re-Mi
- The Sound of Music.
- RCA Victor.
- 11.
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CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE
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Joseph Haydn
The Creation
Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.- The Creation.
- 13.
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Sister Sledge
We Are Family
- We Are Family.
- Warner Music.
- 5.
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BOOK CHOICE
Black Shamrocks by Gus Nwanokwu
LUXURY ITEM
Orthopaedic pillow
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Kirsty Young |
Interviewed Guest | Chi-chi Nwanoku |
Producer | Sarah Taylor |
Broadcasts
- Sun 11 Feb 2018 11:15ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Fri 16 Feb 2018 09:00ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
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