Finn Mannion
RPS Julius Isserlis Scholar 2019
Irish-Scottish cellist Finn Mannion is our youngest RPS Julius Isserlis Scholar this year at the age of 17. This Autumn, he heads to Germany to explore study possibilities and make contacts for his future.
We asked him to share some sentiments about his forthcoming travel and on why music now plays such an important role in his life.
Tell us about where you are going to study. What drew you towards Germany and where do you think it will take you?
For me, this coming year is going to be all about investigation and discovery. I’m 17 and currently trying to decide where to study for the next four years. To do this, I need to find a teacher to study with that I feel will help me grow and develop as an artist. Living abroad is a life-changing opportunity, but it’s a very exciting possibility and I need to find out more about the different options. I have always been particularly drawn to Germany; I am keen to find out in more depth now about the styles of teaching and the standard required to enter a conservatoire there. I also want to find out more about the cities, the culture, and the music scene by visiting them, talking to students, meeting teachers and familiarising myself with the opportunities and challenges of different pathways. I guess it’s more important to get to know the teachers, but it is also important to understand the wider context and it would, of course, be great to end up somewhere I would also enjoy living!
Why is music important to you?
Music is, and has always been, incredibly important to me. I was first exposed to the cello not long after starting primary school, when a cellist came into my school to give a short recital for my class. I was so drawn to the cello’s deep sonority that straight after that concert I asked my parents to let me start the cello and, to my delight, they agreed. The older and better I became, the more I found that music was beginning to take over so many aspects of my life - and this has been so enriching and rewarding. Music is always bringing me to places and events where I get to meet people who are equally passionate. I really enjoy being in places where I can invest time and energy in my learning and development. And even when the work is hard it is enjoyable too. Music is all about relationships – give-and-take in equal measure. I’ve been incredibly fortunate in having so many people – at school and at home – to support and encourage me from an early age. In return, I try to take music seriously when it comes to practice and performance, but I thoroughly enjoy the fun of collaboration and the camaraderie too.
Who is your favourite artist or ensemble, and why?
This one is impossible! The list of artists that have inspired me over the years would be a never ending one. I could never choose an outright favourite - and my preferences on performance styles vary from person to person depending on what I’m listening to. However, having said that, Jaqueline du Pré is someone that has had a great impact on me. Years ago, I was shown a video by a friend - it was a three-minute long excerpt taken from an old film/documentary ‘The Trout’ that contained du Pré, Barenboim, Perlman, Zukerman and Mehta. They were all backstage, swapping instruments and just having a laugh, only minutes before they walked on stage to perform Schubert’s ‘Trout’ quintet to a London audience. That video reminds me of why I was drawn to music to begin with, and that however gruelling the hours of practice can be at times, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
If you didn’t play a musical instrument, what would you be doing instead?
I spent ages thinking about this question. I have never had a ‘back up’ plan for something else and have always been a bit single-minded about being a musician. However, if I didn’t play the cello, I would probably have considered work as a luthier as I’ve already experimented with making my first violin – which isn’t really playable – but was great fun!
Biography
Finn Mannion (17), a Scottish-Irish cellist who is ‘going places in supersonic fashion’ (The Courier, August 2019) performs regularly as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician in festivals and at international venues. Currently, he is undertaking conservatoire auditions to begin his Bachelor of Music studies.
Finn studied with Ruth Beauchamp at Scotland’s only specialist music school (2012-2019), where he was awarded a government-aided place. At school, Finn excelled in performance, winning first prize in numerous solo recital competitions. He was principal cello of the music school’s flagship orchestra, string ensemble, baroque ensemble, and was a member of the senior string quartet. Finn was also awarded the school’s Chamber Music Prize and the Calvert Cup for Services to String Music.
Recently, Finn made his concerto debut with the festival orchestra of the Ruthven Music Festival (Scotland), performing Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C major. The debut received positive reviews that described his performance as demonstrating ‘athleticism, stupendous technique and bravado.’ (The Courier, August 2019). In the Edinburgh Competition Festival, he won three first prizes as a solo recitalist, winning the ‘Gray Medal’, the ‘Joan Dickson Medal’, and the ‘Winifred Gavine Medal’. Over the years, Finn has gained further musical inspiration after being selected to perform in masterclasses with reputable cellists including: Troels Svane, David Watkin, Claudio Bohórquez, Celine Flamen, Peter Bruns, and Philip Higham. Finn is delighted to be the youngest recipient of the 2019 Royal Philharmonic Society’s prestigious ‘Julius Isserlis’ Scholarship.
As a chamber musician, Finn has been involved in numerous events and performances in the UK, Europe and further afield. He became a founding member of the Strathearn Piano Trio in 2015 with whom he has performed at festivals including the Queen’s Hall ‘Winterplay’ Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The trio was awarded the ‘Horace Fellows Medal’ on winning the Edinburgh Competition Festival’s open chamber music class. In 2019, Finn was invited to participate in a visit to the Colburn School in Los Angeles, where he received tutoring from members of internationally renowned ensembles: the St Lawrence and Tokyo string quartets. In Scotland, Finn has collaborated in performances with the Edinburgh Quartet and the Atelier Quartet.
As a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, Finn has been principal cello of both the Junior and Senior Orchestras in 2015 and 2017 respectively. For three consecutive years, Finn received scholarships to attend the ‘Musique Cordiale International Festival’ as an academy and orchestral student under the baton of conductor James Lowe. In 2019, Finn joined the junior department of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where he performs in their Symphony Orchestra, and String Ensemble.
Finn is extremely grateful for the financial support he has received from Caroline Fitzmaurice Trust, The Cross Trust, the Dunard Fund, and the Hope Scott Trust. Currently, Finn plays on an old English cello made by Lockey Hill c. 1790.
To keep up with Finn, visit his website, or follow him on Twitter @Finn_Mannion and Instagram @finn.mannion.cello.