Born into an Irish family, cellist Finn Mannion (b.2002) grew up in the Scottish Highlands. He enjoys a richly varied musical life; a passionate chamber musician who is equally comfortable in concerto, duo and unaccompanied repertoire. Finn discovered music at a young age through regular exposure to the Folk tradition of his homelands and, from thereon, music has remained at the centre of his life. 

In 2019, Finn became the youngest ever winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Isserlis scholarship. A laureate of the Pablo Casals and Beatrice Huntington International Awards, Finn won First Prize at the 72nd Royal Over-Seas League Competition in London with his Trio Archai, giving his Wigmore Hall debut in June 2024.

Collaborating regularly with pianist Ke Ma, his upcoming season will include recitals at Swiss Chamber Festival, St Mary’s Perivale, Kelso Music Society, St George’s Bristol and a tour of Scotland with his piano trio. Prizewinners of the Orpheus Swiss Chamber Competition in Lucerne, Finn’s trio are winners of Tunnell Trust’s Awards Scheme and MakingMusic’s PDGYoungArtist Scheme. Over the years, Finn has performed at renowned festivals across Europe including Perth Festival of the Arts, Maiastra, Hellensmusic Festival, Schaffhausen-Klassik, Volta Kammermusikfest and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He has been Associate Artist of Aboyne Cello Festival since 2023.

Active as a chamber musician outside of his trio, Finn has enjoyed performances alongside Bruno Delepelaire, Arisa Fujita, Finghin Collins, Roman Simovic, Maya Iwabuchi, Matthew Hunt and Gordan Nikolic. In Basel he enjoys regular coaching from Rainer Schmidt and Claudio Martinez-Mehner, and has received numerous solo and chamber masterclasses from visiting artist Steven Isserlis. Finn frequently draws from other cellistic encounters with John Myserscough, Frans Helmerson, Alice Neary, Philip Higham, Clive Greensmith, Rebecca Gilliver, Wolfgang E. Schmidt, and Nicolas Altstaedt.

Finn learnt with Ruth Beauchamp at Scotland’s National Music School (SMMS) in Edinburgh, before moving to Switzerland to study with German/Japanese cellist Danjulo Ishizaka at the Musik-Akademie Basel. He also studies Early Music with Petr Skalka at the Schola Cantorum Basilienis after formative lessons with David Watkin at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Finn is grateful for the continued mentorship of Celine Flamen and Gordan Nikolic.

Finn plays a fine Italian cello by Giulio Cesare Gigli c. 1788, generously on loan from a private individual. Aside from music Finn is an avid hillwalker, lover of dogs(!) and passionate street/portrait photographer. 

(Valid: Sep 2024 - Do not alter without permission. Short-Bio available on request.)