Chi-chi Nwanoku is one of the most highly respected double bassists in the international classical arena. Nwanoku's career in music began after suffering a knee injury at age 18. She had been training as a 100-meter-sprinter since the age of eight. Since that time, Nwanoku has had a broad career performing diverse styles of music all over the world with many of Europe's leading chamber orchestras and ensembles. In 2015, Nwanoku made history when she founded the Chineke! Foundation, which champions change and celebrates diversity in classical music through its two orchestras, the Chineke! Orchestra and Chineke! Junior Orchestra, as well as its educational and outreach work. Chineke! is the first ever organization to support Black and Minority Ethnic musicians in the UK.

For more on the artists in this series: https://www.yourclassical.org/topics/mynameis.