1 00:00:03,603 --> 00:00:15,949 [ STOPWATCH TICKING ] >>> TONIGHT "60 MINUTES" REACHES R A NEW HIGH, WITH A BREATH-TAKING CLIMB TO BASECAMP 2 00:00:16,015 --> 00:00:19,586 ON MOUNT EVEREST. >> I AM NOT LOOKING DOWN, DON'T TALK. OH GOD. 3 00:00:19,652 --> 00:00:25,592 OH! IT'S WINDY. I DO NOT LIKE THIS AT ALL. >> WE HIKED 10 DAYS INTO THIN 4 00:00:25,658 --> 00:00:31,231 AIR. >> WELCOME TO EVEREST BASE CAMP >> OUR GUIDES WERE THE SHERPAS WHO RISK THEIR LIVES TO ASSIST 5 00:00:31,297 --> 00:00:41,307 CLIMBERS. WE FOUND THERE'S LITTLE MARGIN FOR ERROR ON THE JOURNEY TO EVEREST. 6 00:00:41,374 --> 00:00:50,350 [ STOPWATCH TICKING ] >>> THIS IS THE SETTING THAT PRODUCED WHAT IS SURELY THE MOST STATISTICALLY IMPROBABLE 7 00:00:50,417 --> 00:00:56,689 ORY IN CLASSICAL MUSIC HISTORY. SEVEN SIBLINGS, EACH A VIRTUOSO BY ALMOST ANY DEFINITION. THEY HAVE PERFORMED AT THE 8 00:00:56,756 --> 00:01:06,866 WORLD'S GREAT CONCERT HALLS, RECORDED CHART TOPPING ALBUMS, WON PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS. MEET THE KANNEH-MASONS. 9 00:01:06,933 --> 00:01:23,116 ♪ 10 00:01:25,452 --> 00:01:31,491 I'M LESLEY STAHL. >> I'M SCOTT PELLEY. >> I'M ANDERSON COOPER. >> I'M SHARYN ALFONSI. 11 00:01:31,558 --> 00:01:37,597 >> I'M JON WERTHEIM. >> I'M CECILIA VEGA. >> I'M NORAH O'DONNELL. >> I'M BILL WHITAKER. 12 00:01:37,664 --> 00:01:53,480 THOSE STORIES, AND IN OUR LAST MINUTE, AN 18-LETTER MILESTONE -- TONIGHT ON "60 MINUTES." 13 00:01:53,546 --> 00:02:02,121 >>> EVEREST, EARTH'S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN, NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION. AT 29,032 FEET, IT SITS NOT 14 00:02:02,188 --> 00:02:08,294 ONLY AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD, BUT AT THE TOP OF COUNTLESS BUCKET LISTS. 40,000 PEOPLE TREK TO EVEREST 15 00:02:08,361 --> 00:02:15,735 BASE CAMP IN NEPAL EVERY YEAR. THIS PAST SPRING, WE JOINED THEM HIKING FOR 10 DAYS, SOMETIMES ON ALL FOURS, OFTEN 16 00:02:15,802 --> 00:02:22,909 BARELY BREATHING. AND WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THE SHERPAS. INDIGENOUS TO THE EVEREST 17 00:02:22,976 --> 00:02:30,083 REGION, SHERPA IS AN ETHNIC GROUP, A LAST NAME AND A JOB DESCRIPTION. OFTEN CAST AS "SUPERHUMAN," 18 00:02:30,149 --> 00:02:36,589 THEY ARE THE PORTERS AND GUIDES WHO RISK THEIR LIVES TO HELP OTHERS REACH THE SUMMIT -- WITH LITTLE RECOGNITION. 19 00:02:36,656 --> 00:02:50,069 OUR GUIDE, NIMA RINJI SHERPA, IS PART OF A NEW GENERATION HOPING TO CHANGE THAT. >> HIGH IN THE HEART OF THE 20 00:02:50,136 --> 00:02:55,074 HIMALAYAS SITS LUKLA, ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD. >> YOU SEE HOW SHORT THAT IS. 21 00:02:55,141 --> 00:03:06,853 >> IT'S INCREDIBLE. IT DOESN'T LOOK VERY SAFE. >> WHERE THE SHORT, UNFORGIVING RUNWAY IS CARVED INTO THE EDGE 22 00:03:06,920 --> 00:03:18,498 OF A CLIFF, THERE IS NO MARGIN FOR ERROR. >> BRAVO, BRAVO, WELL DONE. OH, YES. 23 00:03:18,565 --> 00:03:33,112 >> IT IS THE START OF WHAT WILL BE A 10-DAY TREK TO BASE CAMP -- AT 17,598 FEET ELEVATION. >> I MEAN THAT'S CRAZY. 24 00:03:33,179 --> 00:03:40,320 >> WE MEET OUR PORTERS -- WHO STRAP 800 POUNDS OF OUR CAMERA GEAR TO THEIR BACKS AND HEADS BEFORE SETTING OFF ON THE 25 00:03:40,386 --> 00:03:46,259 TRAIL. >> I GUESS YOU'RE ALWAYS TRAINING. >> NIMA RINJI SHERPA, THE 26 00:03:46,326 --> 00:03:53,666 YOUNGEST PERSON TO SUMMIT THE WORLD'S 14 HIGHEST MOUNTAINS, HAS TREKKED UP THIS MOUNTAIN MORE TIMES THAN HE CAN COUNT. 27 00:03:53,733 --> 00:04:07,547 A VETERAN, WHO IS JUST 19. >> WATCH YOURSELF. >> WE BEGIN OUR JOURNEY DODGING ANIMALS AT 9,337 FEET. 28 00:04:07,614 --> 00:04:16,155 PRAYER WHEELS, BELIEVED TO SEND BLESSINGS WITH EVERY TURN, MARK THE WAY. OUT HERE, YOU LEARN THE 29 00:04:16,222 --> 00:04:27,266 MOUNTAIN ETIQUETTE QUICKLY. WHEN YOU HEAR THE WARNING BELLS -- YOU GET OUT OF THE WAY. FAST. 30 00:04:27,333 --> 00:04:38,978 PORTERS OFTEN OVERLOADED WITH ALMOST TWICE THEIR BODY WEIGHT RULE THE FAST LANE. ALL IN, IT WILL BE A 50-MILE 31 00:04:39,045 --> 00:04:48,755 TREK AND 8,261-FOOT CLIMB TO EVEREST BASE CAMP, AN UNGRACEFUL UPHILL GRIND. WE'VE SPENT MONTHS TRAINING FOR 32 00:04:48,821 --> 00:04:56,429 IT. STUDIED THE ROUTE. AND YET, NOTHING PREPARES YOU FOR THIS. 33 00:04:56,496 --> 00:05:01,134 >> JUST LOOK DOWN. >> NOPE, I AM NOT. I AM NOT LOOKING DOWN, DON'T TALK. 34 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:08,574 OH GOD. OH! IT'S WINDY. I DO NOT LIKE THIS AT ALL. 35 00:05:08,641 --> 00:05:15,815 >> ANOTHER SUSPENSION BRIDGE DANGLES 45 STORIES ABOVE A ROARING GORGE BELOW. >> YOU CAN'T BE SCARED OF 36 00:05:15,882 --> 00:05:21,087 ANYTHING IF YOU DO WHAT YOU DO. >> OF COURSE, YOU ARE SCARED BUT YOU HAVE TO BALANCE IT IN A WAY THAT YOU CAN BE CONFIDENT 37 00:05:21,154 --> 00:05:27,427 YOU KNOW WHEN YOU DO THINGS. >> WHAT DO YOU TELL YOURSELF WHEN YOU GET SCARED? >> JUST TRYING TO CALM MYSELF 38 00:05:27,493 --> 00:05:35,868 DOWN AND JUST REALIZE WHO I AM. >> WITH EVERY STEP, WE MOVE DEEPER INTO SHERPA COUNTRY AND CLOSER TO THE SHADOW OF 39 00:05:35,935 --> 00:05:42,375 EVEREST. >> IS THERE A SPIRITUAL CONNECTION TO MOUNT EVEREST? >> I THINK IF THERE IS NO 40 00:05:42,442 --> 00:05:48,081 EVEREST, WE WILL STILL BE FARMING, WE'LL STILL BE LOOKING AFTER THE YAKS, THE GOATS. AND THE MOUNTAIN HAS GIVEN US, 41 00:05:48,147 --> 00:05:55,088 LIKE A MEANING TO LIFE I THINK. >> MOUNT EVEREST HAS GIVEN THE SHERPA PEOPLE A MEANING. >> YEAH. 42 00:05:55,154 --> 00:06:04,831 >> ALMOST 150,000 SHERPAS LIVE IN NEPAL, LESS THAN 1% OF THE COUNTRY'S POPULATION. RENOWNED FOR THEIR ENDURANCE, 43 00:06:04,897 --> 00:06:09,235 THEY THRIVE WHERE OXYGEN IS SCARCE. AMONG THEM, ONE NAME RISES ABOVE ALL. 44 00:06:09,302 --> 00:06:18,244 >> DID YOU GROW UP LEARNING ABOUT TENZING NORGAY? >> YES. WE HAD TO LEARN ABOUT HIM. 45 00:06:18,311 --> 00:06:25,985 >> IN 1953, TENZING NORGAY, A SHERPA FROM NEPAL, GUIDED SIR EDMUND HILLARY OF NEW ZEALAND ON THE FIRST EVER SUMMIT OF 46 00:06:26,052 --> 00:06:34,293 EVEREST. IT WAS AMONG THE MOST DEFINING MOMENTS OF THE 20th CENTURY. AND YET WHILE IT CEMENTED 47 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:38,765 HILLARY IN HISTORY, NORGAY'S CONTRIBUTION WAS LARGELY OVERLOOKED. >> WHAT DOES HE MEAN TO THE 48 00:06:38,831 --> 00:06:45,104 SHERPA PEOPLE? >> I THINK IT WAS BECAUSE OF HIM, LIKE, WHO MADE THE SHERPA A BRAND TODAY. 49 00:06:45,171 --> 00:06:53,346 AND, FOR ME, HE WAS ALWAYS A VERY BIG MOTIVATION JUST TO UNDERSTAND THAT, OKAY, MAYBE WE CAN ALSO BE SOMEONE LIKE HIM. 50 00:06:53,412 --> 00:07:01,487 >> TODAY, NIMA IS CHASING THE RECOGNITION THAT ONCE ELUDED HIS IDOL. IT DOESN'T HURT THAT HE COMES 51 00:07:01,554 --> 00:07:08,261 FROM MOUNTAINEERING ROYALTY. HIS DAD HOLDS THE RECORD AS THE YOUNGEST PERSON TO SUMMIT EVEREST WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL 52 00:07:08,327 --> 00:07:15,034 OXYGEN. HIS UNCLES WERE THE FIRST BROTHERS TO CONQUER THE WORLD'S 14 HIGHEST MOUNTAINS. 53 00:07:15,101 --> 00:07:28,414 WE ARE IN GOOD HANDS, AS WE ARRIVE INTO NAMCHE, AT 11,300 FEET. HERE WE MEET NIMA'S UNCLE, 54 00:07:28,481 --> 00:07:35,621 MINGMA SHERPA, A FORMER YAK FARMER WHO STARTED AS A PORTER, EARNING A DOLLAR A DAY CARRYING LOADS FOR FOREIGNERS. 55 00:07:35,688 --> 00:07:41,694 >> I COME TO KATHMANDU, CARRY THE LOAD, BY PORTER, 30 KILOGRAMS, 70 KILOGRAMS. I SHOW OFF THE PEOPLE, "I AM 56 00:07:41,761 --> 00:07:51,037 STRONG." I CARRY, LIKE, 90 KG, TOO. >> ALMOST 200 POUNDS. >> HE CLIMBED, LITERALLY, TO 57 00:07:51,103 --> 00:07:57,210 THE RANKS OF SHERPA GUIDE A TOP JOB RESERVED FOR THE STRONGEST AND MOST SKILLED. >> EVERY STEP IS DO AND DIE. 58 00:07:57,276 --> 00:08:01,214 EVERY STEP IS MAYBE WE ARE ALIVE OR NOT ALIVE. >> EVERY STEP IS THAT DANGEROUS? 59 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:06,118 >> YEAH. IT'S DANGEROUS. SOMETIMES, IT'S NIGHTTIME WORK. SOMETIMES, IT'S AVALANCHE. 60 00:08:06,185 --> 00:08:15,394 BUT OUR GOAL IS SUMMIT. >> IN 2009, MINGMA AND HIS BROTHERS STARTED THEIR OWN COMPANY - SEVEN SUMMIT TREKS, 61 00:08:15,461 --> 00:08:23,236 RESPONSIBLE FOR NEARLY A THIRD OF ALL EVEREST EXPEDITIONS. NOW, THEY WANT TO PROVE THAT SHERPAS ARE MORE THAN 62 00:08:23,302 --> 00:08:28,708 INDISPENSABLE GUIDES TO WESTERN CLIMBERS. AND THEY ARE BANKING ON NIMA, TO SHOW THAT SHERPAS CAN BE 63 00:08:28,774 --> 00:08:37,950 CLIMBING STARS, TOO. >> WE'RE ALMOST NEAR CAMP ONE NOW. >> AT 16, WHILE MOST TEENAGERS 64 00:08:38,017 --> 00:08:46,025 HIS AGE WERE IN A CLASSROOM, NIMA WAS DOING THIS. CLIMBING INTO WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE DEATH ZONE. 65 00:08:46,092 --> 00:08:54,634 THAT'S WHEN THE ALTITUDE IS ABOVE 26,000 FEET AND THE BODY'S ORGANS BEGIN TO SHUT DOWN, MINUTE BY MINUTE. 66 00:08:54,700 --> 00:09:03,342 FOR HIS FIRST SUMMIT IN 2022, NIMA CLIMBED, AND RECORDED ON HIS WAY UP, NEPAL'S MOUNT MANASLU. 67 00:09:03,409 --> 00:09:08,714 >> SO THAT FIRST CLIMB, HOW HARD WAS IT? DON'T SAY, "EASY." >> IT WAS HARD. 68 00:09:08,781 --> 00:09:14,487 BUT EVERY SECOND, I WAS EXCITED, BECAUSE I NEVER KNEW WHAT, WHAT I WAS GONNA SEE AFTER TEN METER. 69 00:09:14,553 --> 00:09:19,425 OF COURSE, THE MAIN PROBLEM THAT I HAD WAS I HAD A LOT OF MUSCLE CRAMPS. AND I I THINK IT'S MOSTLY 70 00:09:19,492 --> 00:09:24,363 BECAUSE I WAS TOO YOUNG FOR MY AGE TO START AT THAT TIME. I WAS SLEEPING AT NIGHT, I HAD SOME PAIN IN MY LUNGS, SOME 71 00:09:24,430 --> 00:09:30,403 PAIN ON MY HEART. BUT FOR SOME REASON, I DON'T KNOW WHY, I KEPT WANTING TO GO UP. 72 00:09:30,469 --> 00:09:38,778 AND I NEVER FELT LIKE I WAS GONNA, NOT SUMMIT. >> EVEN IN THE FACE OF AVALANCHES AND SERIOUS 73 00:09:38,844 --> 00:09:46,252 INJURIES, IT TOOK NIMA JUST TWO YEARS TO SCALE ALL OF THE WORLD'S 14 TALLEST MOUNTAINS. THE PREVIOUS RECORD-HOLDER DID 74 00:09:46,319 --> 00:09:52,658 IT IN NINE YEARS. >> WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO DO THIS? >> THERE HAS TO BE A LOT OF -- 75 00:09:52,725 --> 00:09:59,565 MEANING. WHY DO YOU WANT TO DO IT? AND BECAUSE MANY TIMES, THE MOUNTAINS WILL START TO 76 00:09:59,632 --> 00:10:03,970 QUESTION YOU, "WHY YOU ARE HERE?" >> THE MOUNTAINS QUESTION YOU? >> THE MOUNTAIN QUESTION YOU, 77 00:10:04,036 --> 00:10:09,442 BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO TO EVEREST, YOU CAN FEEL THE ENERGY THAT YOU ARE SO SMALL. AT THAT TIME, YOU HAVE TO HAVE 78 00:10:09,508 --> 00:10:13,412 A REALLY -- LIKE -- LIKE, A IRON HEART TO KNOW WHY YOU ARE HERE. YOU CANNOT SAY, "I'M JUST HERE 79 00:10:13,479 --> 00:10:17,016 FOR FUN." YOU CANNOT. THAT'S THE WORST THING THAT YOU CAN CONVINCE YOURSELF. 80 00:10:17,083 --> 00:10:21,821 >> SO WHY ARE YOU THERE? >> I WAS ON A MISSION TO FINISH ALL THE 14. AND I KNEW I -- I BELONG IN 81 00:10:21,887 --> 00:10:27,326 THIS INDUSTRY. EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN REASON. AND THE REASON HAS TO BE REALLY BIG THAT YOU DON'T -- YOU DON'T 82 00:10:27,393 --> 00:10:34,467 GIVE UP. >> SO GETTING THE CRAMPONS READY. >> DESPITE THE ACHIEVEMENT, BIG 83 00:10:34,533 --> 00:10:39,438 BRANDS NEVER OFFERED ENDORSEMENTS, THE WAY THEY HAVE FOR WESTERN MOUNTAINEERS WHO REACH SUMMITS. 84 00:10:39,505 --> 00:10:46,412 >> DO YOU THINK THE FACT THAT YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY OF THOSE ENDORSEMENTS HAS TO DO WITH WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM? 85 00:10:46,479 --> 00:10:52,418 >> MAYBE, YES, BECAUSE OF THAT. BUT I KNOW MY TIME IS GONNA COME. I DON'T WANT TO RUSH. 86 00:10:52,485 --> 00:10:59,792 >> IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME, DELIBERATE, CONSIDERED APPROACH YOU TAKE TO THOSE MOUNTAINS, THE ONE YOU'VE TAUGHT US 87 00:10:59,859 --> 00:11:04,830 WALKING UP THESE THESE MOUNTAINS. >> YES. >> WOW, STEEP. 88 00:11:04,897 --> 00:11:13,672 HOLY SMOKES. >> BY DAY FIVE IT IS A BATTLE BETWEEN OUR LUNGS AND GRAVITY. >> YOU FEEL IT IN YOUR LEGS. 89 00:11:13,739 --> 00:11:26,619 YOU SAID PUSH OFF THE POLES RIGHT? >> YOU'RE NOT OUT OF BREATH, I AM. 90 00:11:26,685 --> 00:11:44,103 >> WE ARE AT 13,500 FEET ELEVATION -- >> [BLEEP] ME. 91 00:11:44,170 --> 00:11:48,707 >> AT THIS POINT OUR INNER THOUGHTS ARE NO LONGER BEING HELD IN. >> THIS IS REALLY HARD. 92 00:11:48,774 --> 00:11:53,646 THEY CAN CATCH ME ON THE CAMERA TAKING A BREAK, I DON'T CARE. >> IT JUST LOOKS CLOSE BUT THERE IS ANOTHER. 93 00:11:53,712 --> 00:11:59,085 >> MORE STAIRS. I HAVE TO EMOTIONALLY PREPARE. IT GETS A LOT HARDER? >> FINAL WAY TO PHORTSE. 94 00:11:59,151 --> 00:12:07,993 STEEP. >> VERY STEEP. YOU'RE USED TO IT. >> AFTER EIGHT HOURS OF 95 00:12:08,060 --> 00:12:15,301 TREKKING, WE ARRIVE IN PHORTSE, THE REMOTE VILLAGE WHERE NIMA TRAINED TO BECOME A MOUNTAINEER. 96 00:12:15,367 --> 00:12:25,044 >> NAMASTE. >> WE ARE WELCOMED WITH CEREMONIAL SCARVES, A SYMBOL OF HONOR AND RESPECT, AND GREETED 97 00:12:25,111 --> 00:12:32,485 BY NIMA'S MENTOR, CONRAD ANKER, ONE OF AMERICA'S TOP MOUNTAINEERS WHO RETURNS TO THIS VILLAGE EACH YEAR. 98 00:12:32,551 --> 00:12:37,256 >> WHAT A BEAUTIFUL HOME YOU HAVE. WOW. IT'S JUST BREATHTAKING, 99 00:12:37,323 --> 00:12:46,832 LITERALLY BREATHTAKING. >> WARM UP ON THIS WALL HERE. >> ANKER OPENED THE KHUMBU CLIMBING CENTER IN PHORTSE IN 100 00:12:46,899 --> 00:12:55,774 2003, TO PROVIDE SHERPAS WITH SPECIALIZED TECHNICAL TRAINING TO IMPROVE SAFETY ON HIGH- ALTITUDE EXPEDITIONS. 101 00:12:55,841 --> 00:13:03,916 NIMA GRADUATED TOP OF HIS CLASS. >> WE WOULD SHOW UP IN FANCY GEAR AND ALL THE BEST STUFF. 102 00:13:03,983 --> 00:13:10,756 AND WE WOULD SEE OUR STAFF THERE WITH WORN-OUT GEAR OR NOT THE PROPER GEAR AND THEN NOT HAVING THE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE. 103 00:13:10,823 --> 00:13:21,367 AND FOR ME IT WAS EYE-OPENING. >> IS THERE AN INEQUITY BETWEEN WESTERN CLIMBERS AND NEPALESE CLIMBERS? 104 00:13:21,433 --> 00:13:26,539 >> OH, YEAH. AND IT'S NOT JUST SPONSORS. IT'S THE VALUE OF WHAT THEY DO. I MEAN A WESTERN CLIMBER DIES. 105 00:13:26,605 --> 00:13:31,477 AND THIS IS THE COMMUNITY RALLIES UP. AND THERE'S FUNDRAISING. AND YET FOR THE NEPALI 106 00:13:31,544 --> 00:13:44,423 CLIMBERS, IT'S NOT RECOGNIZED IN THAT SAME SENSE. >> AFTER A NIGHT IN A TEAHOUSE, WE LEAVE PHORTSE BEHIND, OUR 107 00:13:44,490 --> 00:13:53,799 PORTERS ARE ALREADY LINED UP THE MOUNTAINSIDE, AS WE BEGIN THE PUSH TOWARD 14,500 FEET. TALLER THAN MOST MOUNTAINS IN 108 00:13:53,866 --> 00:14:12,017 THE UNITED STATES. WE ARE JUST TEN MILES NOW FROM EVEREST BASE CAMP, BUT WE CANNOT GO ON WITHOUT A STOP 109 00:14:12,084 --> 00:14:28,934 THAT HAS BECOME TRADITION FOR NIMA BEFORE HE SUMMITS, A 600- YEAR-OLD BUDDHIST MONASTERY, WHERE WE RECEIVE A BLESSING 110 00:14:29,001 --> 00:14:38,577 MEANT TO KEEP US SAFE. THE MONKS TIE A THIN CHORD AROUND OUR NECK - A SIMPLE THREAD TO PROTECT US ON THE 111 00:14:38,644 --> 00:14:46,585 MOUNTAIN. WE ARE READY -- FOR EVEREST. WHEN WE COME BACK, THE BIG BUSINESS OF BASE CAMP, AND THE 112 00:14:46,652 --> 00:14:49,655 DANGEROUS JOURNEY TO THE SUMMIT. 113 00:14:58,464 --> 00:15:07,039 >> ONCE VIEWED AS A NEAR IMPOSSIBLE FEAT IN THE MOST BRUTAL CONDITIONS ACHIEVED ONLY BY THE MOST DARING, CLIMBING 114 00:15:07,106 --> 00:15:13,479 MOUNT EVEREST HAS SHIFTED FROM A SYMBOL OF ULTIMATE ADVENTURE TO SOMETHING MERE MORTALS CAN ACCOMPLISH -- AND TAKE A SUMMIT 115 00:15:13,545 --> 00:15:20,819 SELFIE TO PROVE IT. TODAY, EVEREST IS A BOOMING MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR HIGH- ALTITUDE INDUSTRY, WITH GUIDED 116 00:15:20,886 --> 00:15:26,992 CLIMBS FETCHING SIX-FIGURE SUMS. BASE CAMP HAS BECOME A TOURIST DESTINATION, AS WE LEARNED WHEN 117 00:15:27,059 --> 00:15:34,300 WE MADE THE TREK IN MAY. THE COMMERCIALIZATION HAS BROUGHT WEALTH AND OPPORTUNITY TO THE SHERPAS OF NEPAL, BUT 118 00:15:34,366 --> 00:15:47,012 ALSO PRESSURE, AS THEY CARRY THE WEIGHT OF THE CLIMBING SEASON. IT IS PEAK EVEREST SEASON 119 00:15:47,079 --> 00:15:53,419 THAT NARROW WINDOW IN MAY WHEN THE WEATHER HOLDS JUST LONG ENOUGH FOR CLIMBERS TO MAKE THEIR MOVE UP TO THE TOP OF THE 120 00:15:53,485 --> 00:15:59,758 WORLD. WE HAVE BEEN WALKING FOR EIGHT DAYS. >> SO PRETTY. 121 00:15:59,825 --> 00:16:07,566 >> AND ARE NOW CROSSING A CRITICAL THRESHOLD WHEN THE BODY BEGINS TO FALTER. AS WE GAIN ALTITUDE, EVERY 122 00:16:07,633 --> 00:16:18,577 BREATH DELIVERS LESS OXYGEN. IN EXTREME CASES WHEN THE BRAIN SWELLS AND LUNGS FILL WITH FLUID SEVERE ALTITUDE 123 00:16:18,644 --> 00:16:28,887 SICKNESS CAN BE FATAL. IT'S WHY WE DON'T TAKE THE EASY WAY UP IN A HELICOPTER. THE BODY NEEDS THE SLOW ASCENT 124 00:16:28,954 --> 00:16:33,926 TO ACCLIMATIZE. >> THESE ARE THE MEMORIALS -- ARE RIGHT HERE? >> UH HUH. 125 00:16:33,992 --> 00:16:42,000 FOR ALL THE CLIMBERS WHO PASSED AWAY. >> THE HILLSIDE AHEAD IS COVERED IN MEMORIALS. 126 00:16:42,067 --> 00:16:49,208 >> THIS ONE IS FROM THE 2014 AVALANCHE. >> FOR THOSE WHO NEVER MADE IT BACK FROM EVEREST'S SUMMIT. 127 00:16:49,274 --> 00:16:58,984 ONE IN THREE DEATHS ON EVEREST IS A SHERPA. IN 2023 ALONE, 18 PEOPLE DIED -- THE MOST IN ONE YEAR. 128 00:16:59,051 --> 00:17:08,627 SO HIGH UP, THEIR BODIES ARE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO RECOVER. OUR GUIDE, NIMA RINJI SHERPA, THE YOUNGEST CLIMBER TO SUMMIT 129 00:17:08,694 --> 00:17:17,870 THE WORLD'S 14 HIGHEST MOUNTAINS, KNOWS THIS ALL TOO WELL. >> IT SEEMS LIKE DEATH IS 130 00:17:17,936 --> 00:17:23,308 INEVITABLE IN WHAT YOU DO. >> I HAVE SEEN MANY PEOPLE PASS AWAY. AND, YEAH, IT'S ALWAYS IT'S 131 00:17:23,375 --> 00:17:28,247 ALWAYS THERE. AND BUT YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE NOT GONNA DIE. >> YOU USE DEATH ALMOST AS A 132 00:17:28,313 --> 00:17:35,788 MOTIVATOR? >> YOU HAVE TO BE MORE CAREFUL WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MOUNTAINS, BECAUSE EVERY TIME YOU GO, YOU 133 00:17:35,854 --> 00:17:40,092 ARE SO ENERGIZED, AND YOU FEEL LIKE NOTHING IS GONNA HAPPEN TO YOU. AND THEN WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE 134 00:17:40,159 --> 00:17:44,496 PASS AWAY OR YOU KNOW, THEN YOU FEEL LIKE, "OKAY, THIS IS THIS IS REAL." >> FINAL DAY OF THE TREK. 135 00:17:44,563 --> 00:17:48,100 >> YEAH WE DID REALLY WELL SO FAR. >> I'M VERY EMOTIONAL, ABOUT TO CRY. 136 00:17:48,167 --> 00:17:57,209 BUT -- >> DON'T SAY THAT. >> TODAY IS THE FIRST TIME WE'LL BE TOUCHING 5,000 METERS 137 00:17:57,276 --> 00:18:04,416 16,404 FEET TO BE EXACT. >> WHICH COUNTRY YOU ARE FROM? >> FROM CANADA. >> EVEN UP HERE, IN THIS 138 00:18:04,483 --> 00:18:12,858 GLACIAL VALLEY -- >> YOU'RE A HERO. >> NIMA IS A CELEBRITY. THIS HIGH UP, BESIDES THE 139 00:18:12,925 --> 00:18:20,632 TOURISTS, IT'S YOU, THE YAKS. >> AYE! >> AND THE ALTITUDE -- THAT CRUSHES YOUR CHEST. 140 00:18:20,699 --> 00:18:27,706 >> IT'LL TAKE ME ABOUT 12 DAYS TO GET UP THIS HILL. >> WE'RE MERE HOURS FROM BASE CAMP. 141 00:18:27,773 --> 00:18:36,482 >> IT'S GOTTEN MUCH COLDER. >> TONIGHT, MAYBE MINUS 15? >> MINUS 18? >> MAYBE. 142 00:18:36,548 --> 00:18:45,257 >> OOF. THAT'S BRUTAL. >> OUR PORTERS WHO CARRIED ALL OUR GEAR UP THIS MOUNTAIN HAVE 143 00:18:45,324 --> 00:18:51,363 ALREADY MADE IT TO BASE CAMP AND ARE HEADING BACK DOWN, AND ON TO THEIR NEXT JOB. >> LOOK AT THEM, THEY'RE 144 00:18:51,430 --> 00:18:55,734 RUNNING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN. I'M BARELY MAKING IT UP AND THEY'RE COMING BACK DOWN ALREADY. 145 00:18:55,801 --> 00:19:00,439 THIS IS AMAZING. THANK YOU. >> THIS IS THE FINAL APPROACH. >> WE'RE REALLY ALMOST THERE 146 00:19:00,506 --> 00:19:05,344 NOW. OH MY GOD. >> LESS A TRAIL THAN A PASSAGE TO WHERE THE HIGH HIMALAYA 147 00:19:05,410 --> 00:19:10,916 BEGINS. >> JUST YOU CAN SEE NOW, BASE CAMP. >> THERE IT IS. 148 00:19:10,983 --> 00:19:24,296 WE DID IT. >> AFTER 10 DAYS OF CLIMBING, WE CATCH OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF EVEREST BASE CAMP. 149 00:19:24,363 --> 00:19:30,636 IT SITS ON TOP OF CONSTANTLY SHIFTING AND MELTING ICE. >> WOW, INCREDIBLE. OH. 150 00:19:30,702 --> 00:19:38,977 WHAT IS THAT? THE ROCK IS FALLING OFF. >> THE WORLD'S HIGHEST GLACIER -- THE KHUMBU GLACIER. 151 00:19:39,044 --> 00:19:46,385 >> IT'S FREEZING, MY NOSE FEELS LIKE IT'S GOING TO FALL OFF. THIS IS WHERE YOU TRY TO NOT FALL IN THE GLACIER LAKE. 152 00:19:46,451 --> 00:19:57,863 EVERY ROCK COUNTS. >> HERE AT 17,600 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL, EVERY BREATH DELIVERS ONLY HALF THE OXYGEN. 153 00:19:57,930 --> 00:20:06,004 IT'S LIKE BREATHING THROUGH A STRAW. >> WE'RE SO CLOSE. >> OUR LIPS ARE BLUE. 154 00:20:06,071 --> 00:20:12,644 A SIGN THAT WE ARE NOT GETTING ENOUGH OXYGEN. >> IT'S LIKE AN INSTAGRAM PHOTO SHOOT. 155 00:20:12,711 --> 00:20:21,353 >> YES, FAMOUS STONE. >> BUT WE'VE MADE IT. >> WELCOME TO EVEREST BASE CAMP. 156 00:20:21,420 --> 00:20:29,795 I WAS LIKE, AM I GOING TO MAKE THIS? DO I NEED A HELICOPTER? SO NICE TO SEE YOU. 157 00:20:29,861 --> 00:20:38,003 NAMASTE. THANK YOU. >> WE'RE OFFICIALLY HERE NOW. >> OH MY GOODNESS. 158 00:20:38,070 --> 00:20:46,678 >> FROM A FEW DOZEN SUCCESSFUL SUMMITS IN THE EARLY 1980s TO A NEAR RECORD -- ALMOST 500 CLIMBING PERMITS ISSUED THIS 159 00:20:46,745 --> 00:20:57,356 SEASON, EVEREST HAS NEVER BEEN MORE COMMERCIALIZED. AND CLIMBERS GO TO NEW EXTREMES TO STAND OUT, SUCH AS THE 160 00:20:57,422 --> 00:21:02,928 BRITISH TEAM WHO THIS SEASON SUMMITED EVEREST IN LESS THAN A WEEK BY USING XENON GAS TO BOOST OXYGEN LEVELS IN THEIR 161 00:21:02,995 --> 00:21:09,968 BLOOD. >> HAS TOURISM CHANGED EVEREST FOR BETTER OR WORSE? >> FOR NEPAL OF COURSE EVEREST 162 00:21:10,035 --> 00:21:17,743 HAS BEEN THE BLESSING. FOR SHERPAS, FOR THE COUNTRY, THE BIGGEST REVENUE SOURCE. >> IT'S A BIG PART OF YOUR 163 00:21:17,809 --> 00:21:25,150 FAMILY'S LIVELIHOOD. >> YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT ONLY US WHO IS GETTING BUSINESS, BUT THAT TAXI 164 00:21:25,217 --> 00:21:29,521 DRIVER, THE HELI PILOT, THE LODGES, THE PORTERS, THE WHOLE ECONOMY'S SUSTAINING, YOU KNOW. SO YOU CANNOT -- JUST SAY THAT 165 00:21:29,588 --> 00:21:33,558 ONLY WE ARE PROFITING. SO EVERYONE IS PROFITING FROM THIS. >> NIMA SHERPA, OUR 166 00:21:33,625 --> 00:21:39,798 INSPIRATION. >> THANK YOU GUYS. >> COMMERCIAL EXPEDITIONS HAVE TRANSFORMED EVEREST INTO HIGH- 167 00:21:39,865 --> 00:21:55,180 ALTITUDE LUXURY. TODAY, SOME CLIMBERS PAY UP TO $180,000 FOR PREMIUM PACKAGES THAT COME WITH PRIVATE CHEFS, A 168 00:21:55,247 --> 00:22:07,626 MOVIE THEATRE, AND ESPRESSO MACHINES. FOR BETTER OR WORSE, THIS IS EVEREST NOW. 169 00:22:07,693 --> 00:22:15,400 AND STARTING IN 2013, NIMA'S FATHER, TASHI LAKPA SHERPA, HELPED BUILD IT, TURNING AN ISOLATED MOUNTAINSIDE INTO AN 170 00:22:15,467 --> 00:22:26,244 ECONOMY. WHAT WAS ONCE A WEEKS-LONG, BONE-CHILLING WAIT AT BASE CAMP FOR A SUMMIT WINDOW -- THAT 171 00:22:26,311 --> 00:22:34,720 LULL IN THE WEATHER WHEN IT'S SAFE TO ATTEMPT A MOVE TO THE TOP -- CAN NOW FEEL LIKE SUMMER CAMP ON A GLACIER. 172 00:22:34,786 --> 00:22:41,426 >> HOLA. >> SMALL LUXURIES ASIDE. >> YOU HAVE COUGH. >> TWO NIGHTS HERE TEST EVERY 173 00:22:41,493 --> 00:22:49,201 OUNCE OF RESILIENCE. BREATHING, EATING, AND SLEEPING ARE STRUGGLES. AND THE BATHROOM IS A BED OF 174 00:22:49,267 --> 00:22:57,542 ROCKS IN A FLAPPING TENT. THE WIND IS BRUTAL, THE COLD PIERCING, AND THE TERRAIN OFFERS NO SHELTER FROM THE 175 00:22:57,609 --> 00:23:06,118 ELEMENTS. >> CAMP 2, THIS IS CAMP 2, 6500 METERS. >> AS ALWAYS, IT'S THE SHERPAS 176 00:23:06,184 --> 00:23:12,290 WHO SHOULDER THE BURDEN, ESPECIALLY ON EXPEDITIONS THAT EXTEND BEYOND OURS AND PUSH UP TO HIGHER CAMPS AND ULTIMATELY 177 00:23:12,357 --> 00:23:21,099 TO THE SUMMIT. A JOURNEY THAT CAN TAKE WEEKS. >> EVEREST! >> THROUGH IT, THEY NAVIGATE 178 00:23:21,166 --> 00:23:30,308 EVEREST'S DEADLIEST TERRAIN -- THE KHUMBU ICEFALL. A MAZE OF SHIFTING TOWERS OF ICE AND BOTTOMLESS CREVASSES. 179 00:23:30,375 --> 00:23:38,383 IT'S THE ELITE SHERPAS CALLED ICEFALL DOCTORS, WHO GO IN FIRST. THEY BUILD THE ROUTE WITH 180 00:23:38,450 --> 00:23:52,898 LADDERS LASHED TOGETHER OVER SHEER DROPS. EVERY STEP IS A GAMBLE. SHERPAS CROSS FAR MORE THAN ANY 181 00:23:52,964 --> 00:24:03,508 CLIMBER, RISKING EVERYTHING FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S SUMMIT. TO MAKE IT SAFER, INNOVATION IS TAKING FLIGHT. 182 00:24:03,575 --> 00:24:09,781 FOR THE FIRST TIME, EXPEDITION COMPANIES INCLUDING SEVEN SUMMIT TREKS ARE USING DRONES TO FERRY LOADS IN HIGH 183 00:24:09,848 --> 00:24:17,255 ALTITUDES. >> THE DRONES ARE FLYING AROUND AS WE SPEAK RIGHT NOW. >> THE DRONES ARE NOW HELPING 184 00:24:17,322 --> 00:24:23,295 THE ICEFALL DOCTORS, THEY'RE HELPING TO TAKE THE LADDERS, THE ROPES. AND AT THE SAME TIME THE DRONES 185 00:24:23,361 --> 00:24:30,702 ARE HELPING TO BRING DOWN ALL THE TRASH AND MANY THINGS. >> THE HOPE IS THAT THE NEW TECHNOLOGY MIGHT REDUCE THE 186 00:24:30,769 --> 00:24:36,374 NUMBER OF FATAL ACCIDENTS. >> SO THESE ARE JOBS THAT SHERPAS WOULD HAVE DONE IN THE PAST? 187 00:24:36,441 --> 00:24:42,247 >> THE JOB HAS NOT GONE AWAY. IT'S JUST MAKING THE JOB EASIER, AND SAFER, AND FASTER. >> SO IF IT TAKES A PORTER 188 00:24:42,314 --> 00:24:47,485 HOURS TO CLIMB FROM BASE CAMP TO CAMP 1, HOW QUICKLY CAN A DRONE DO IT? >> THREE MINUTES. 189 00:24:47,552 --> 00:24:53,859 >> THREE MINUTES? >> THREE AND A HALF MINUTES, YEAH. >> WOW. 190 00:24:53,925 --> 00:25:03,902 >> INEXPERIENCE CAN BE DEADLY. ESPECIALLY AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD'S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN. >> FROM EVEREST SUMMIT. 191 00:25:03,969 --> 00:25:12,244 >> IN THE DEATH ZONE WHERE EVERY MINUTE COUNTS, ONE STALLED CLIMBER CAN TRAP DOZENS BEHIND THEM FOR HOURS, TURNING 192 00:25:12,310 --> 00:25:23,588 EVEREST INTO THE WORLD'S HIGHEST TRAFFIC JAM. WHEN THE INEVITABLE RESCUE IS NEEDED, IT'S SIMONE MORO WHO 193 00:25:23,655 --> 00:25:34,633 GETS THE CALL. THE ITALIAN HAS BEEN FLYING HELICOPTERS FOR NIMA'S FAMILY, AND CLIMBING THIS MOUNTAIN FOR 194 00:25:34,699 --> 00:25:41,773 YEARS. IN APRIL, HE PULLED OFF THIS DANGEROUS RESCUE MISSION. SO HIGH UP THERE WAS BARELY 195 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:49,080 ENOUGH AIR TO KEEP THE ROTOR BLADES SPINNING. >> YOU CAN'T IMAGINE HOW MANY PEOPLE, THEY COME UP, SOME WITH 196 00:25:49,147 --> 00:25:56,521 NOT ENOUGH ACCLIMATIZATION, SOME OTHER WITH WITH NOT ENOUGH PREPARATION, AND THEY START TO FEEL BAD. 197 00:25:56,588 --> 00:26:03,828 AND IF I DON'T GO AND PICK THEM, AND QUICKLY TOOK THEM DOWN, THEY DIE FOR PULMONARY EDEMA, CEREBRAL EDEMA. 198 00:26:03,895 --> 00:26:12,337 AND THIS HAPPEN QUITE OFTEN, EVEN IN THE NIGHT WHILE THEY ARE SLEEPING IN THE LODGE. IN THE MORNING THEY GO, THEY 199 00:26:12,404 --> 00:26:25,216 >> EVEN FOR THOSE WHO SURVIVE THE NIGHT, ANOTHER DANGER OFTEN LOOMS. >> THIS ONE IS BIG. 200 00:26:25,283 --> 00:26:30,221 >> THIS AVALANCHE STOPPED JUST SHORT OF OUR TENTS, ONE OF MANY THAT FOLLOWED A 5.5-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE WHEN WE WERE ON THE 201 00:26:30,288 --> 00:26:34,626 MOUNTAIN. >> FOR SURE THIS IS AN EXTRA STRESS THAT YOU FEEL IT. >> OH, WE FELT THE STRESS. 202 00:26:34,693 --> 00:26:39,164 I HEARD THE AVALANCHE ALL NIGHT. >> BUT HONESTLY, THE BASE CAMP, FOR SUCH KIND OF DANGER YOU 203 00:26:39,230 --> 00:26:43,902 HAVE A HIGHER DANGER HERE THAN NOT HIGHER. >> I'M GLAD YOU'RE TELLING ME THIS ON OUR FINAL DAY AS WE'RE 204 00:26:43,969 --> 00:26:52,444 ABOUT TO LEAVE. >> IT WAS INTENTIONAL THAT WE DIDN'T TOLD YOU ANYTHING. >> WHEN HE'S NOT FLYING AROUND 205 00:26:52,510 --> 00:26:59,985 THE MOUNTAIN, MORO, ONE OF THE WORLD'S TOP CLIMBERS, IS SCALING THEM. AND NOW HE'S TAKING NIMA WITH 206 00:27:00,051 --> 00:27:08,660 HIM. TOGETHER THEY ARE TRAINING TO CONQUER MORE PEAKS THIS TIME WITHOUT FIXED ROPES, 207 00:27:08,727 --> 00:27:15,066 SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN OR SUPPORT TEAMS. IT IS SURVIVAL AS SPORT. >> IT'S SNOWING. 208 00:27:15,133 --> 00:27:20,405 ALSO VERY COLD. >> THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND ME. WHAT'S WHAT'S DIFFERENT IN 209 00:27:20,472 --> 00:27:27,345 HERE? >> I THINK WE WE ARE A LITTLE BIT BETTER IN SUFFERING MAYBE. >> YOU'VE HEARD ME COMPLAINING. 210 00:27:27,412 --> 00:27:35,520 >> BUT PEOPLE LIKE SIMONE, ME, LIKE MY DAD, MY UNCLE, LIKE, WE KNOW WE WE COME FROM ZERO. WE'RE WE'RE NOBODY IN THIS 211 00:27:35,587 --> 00:27:41,326 IN THIS WORLD. AND WE CREATED SOMETHING FOR OURSELF. >> SO, LIKE, THIS IS YOUR 212 00:27:41,393 --> 00:27:46,031 LEGACY, BUT THE MOUNTAIN IS ALSO YOUR LEGACY. YOU KNOW, USUALLY YOU DON'T TALK TO 19-YEAR-OLDS ABOUT 213 00:27:46,097 --> 00:27:50,835 THEIR LEGACIES. >> YEAH. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT LEGACY FOR NOW. 214 00:27:50,902 --> 00:27:55,006 MAYBE ONE DAY THEN THE I WILL HAVE MY OWN LEGACY MAYBE AFTER 20, 30 YEARS, YEAH? >> ALL RIGHT, WE'LL CIRCLE BACK 215 00:27:55,073 --> 00:28:08,386 IN 30 YEARS. IN KATHMANDU, THOUGH. I'M NOT COMING BACK ALL THE WAY UP HERE. 216 00:28:08,653 --> 00:28:20,065 [ STOPWATCH TICKING ] >>> LET US MAKE THE CASE THAT E MOST SUCCESSFUL MUSIC CONSERVATORY IS NOT IN PARIS, 217 00:28:20,131 --> 00:28:28,573 VIENNA OR BERLIN BUT RATHER -- IN A HOUSE ON A TREE-LINED STREET IN NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND. IT MIGHT BE AN UNPRETENTIOUS 218 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:34,279 STRUCTURE, BUT IT'S THERE THAT SEVEN EXTRAVAGANT TALENTS WERE NOURISHED ON A VARIETY OF INSTRUMENTS BEFORE SETTING OFF 219 00:28:34,345 --> 00:28:41,119 TO PERFORM AT THE WORLD'S GREAT CONCERT HALLS, OFTEN AS FEATURED SOLOISTS WITH THE WORLD'S GREAT ORCHESTRAS. 220 00:28:41,186 --> 00:28:47,258 EACH OF THE SEVEN IS STILL UNDER AGE 30, REPRESENTING THE YOUNG CROSSOVER STARS THAT THE EVER-GREYING CLASSICAL MUSIC 221 00:28:47,325 --> 00:28:54,999 WORLD SO URGENTLY NEEDS. OH, AND ONE OTHER THING -- THEY'RE ALL SIBLINGS. PRESENTING THE KANNEH-MASONS. 222 00:28:55,066 --> 00:29:09,814 ♪ IT'S RARE THESE DAYS TO FIND L SEVEN KANNEH-MASON SIBLINGS UNDER ONE ROOF. 223 00:29:09,881 --> 00:29:18,490 BUT WHEN THEY ARE BACK IN THEIR CHILDHOOD HOME IN NOTTINGHAM, OLD HABITS RETURN QUICKLY. AMID THE DIN, IT'S HARD TO KEEP 224 00:29:18,556 --> 00:29:26,764 THOUGHTS TOGETHER, MUCH LESS KEEP TEMPO. EVERY ROOM SPOKEN FOR AS THE SIBLINGS PRACTICE BACH OR 225 00:29:26,831 --> 00:29:32,403 BEETHOVEN OR BRAHMS. THIS WAS THE SETTING THAT PRODUCED WHAT IS SURELY THE MOST STATISTICALLY IMPROBABLE 226 00:29:32,470 --> 00:29:40,645 STORY IN CLASSICAL MUSIC HISTORY. SEVEN SIBLINGS, EACH A VIRTUOSO BY ALMOST ANY DEFINITION. 227 00:29:40,712 --> 00:29:49,888 ROLL CALL -- JENEBA, 23, AMINATA, 20, SHEKU, 26, BRAIMAH, 28, ISATA, 29, KONYA, 25, AND MARIATU, 16. 228 00:29:49,954 --> 00:30:01,766 THE GRETL VON TRAPP, AS IT WERE. ♪ THE KANNEH-MASON SIBLINGS HAVE 229 00:30:01,833 --> 00:30:06,304 TOURED THE WORLD, RECORDED ART- TOPPING ALBUMS, WON PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS. THEY PERFORM WITH EACH OTHER IN 230 00:30:06,371 --> 00:30:16,648 EVERY COMBINATION. AND AS WE SAW AT CARNEGIE HALL LAST WINTER, THE BOND BETWEEN THE SIBLINGS EXPRESSES ITSELF 231 00:30:16,714 --> 00:30:27,559 AS A KIND OF MUSICAL BANTER. ♪ >> WE NOTICED WHEN YOU PLAY TOGETHER THERE REALLY SEEMS TO 232 00:30:27,625 --> 00:30:32,397 THIS UNSPOKEN CONNECTION. THIS TELEPATHY. WHAT IS IT LIKE PLAYING WITH A SIBLING VERSUS ACCOMPANIMENT 233 00:30:32,463 --> 00:30:43,641 YOU'RE NOT RELATED TO? >> WELL, BECAUSE WE'RE SO CLOSE, I THINK THERE'S, LIKE, A SPEED AT THE -- THE WAY THAT WE 234 00:30:43,708 --> 00:30:54,485 INTERACT, AND I THINK THAT KIND OF UNSPOKEN COMMUNICATION IS JUST VERY QUICK BECAUSE OF HOW CLOSE WE ARE, BECAUSE WE WOULD 235 00:30:54,552 --> 00:30:58,256 LISTEN TO EACH OTHER PLAYING AROUND THE HOUSE. >> YEAH. >> SO WE KNOW EACH OTHER'S 236 00:30:58,323 --> 00:31:04,529 PLAYING VERY WELL. >> THAT DYNAMIC HELPED THE KANNEH-MASONS BUILD A DEVOTED FANBASE. 237 00:31:04,596 --> 00:31:10,835 >> I ALSO PLAY THE CELLO. >> A DIVERSE, YOUNG FANBASE IN A GENRE DESPERATE FOR A WIDER AUDIENCE. 238 00:31:10,902 --> 00:31:18,376 >> THE OVERARCHING QUESTION TO THIS WHOLE STORY IS HOW DO SEVEN SIBLINGS ACHIEVE THIS LEVEL OF TALENT AND SUCCESS? 239 00:31:18,443 --> 00:31:26,017 >> WELL, I THINK THE ENVIRONMENT IS SO IMPORTANT, AND BECAUSE OUR ENVIRONMENT WAS SO INTENSELY MUSICAL AND LOVING 240 00:31:26,084 --> 00:31:33,558 AND SUPPORTIVE, IT WAS KIND OF BOUND TO HAPPEN IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, AS IN US FEELING LIKE WE COULD ACHIEVE WHAT WE HAVE 241 00:31:33,625 --> 00:31:36,961 ACHIEVED IN -- ON OUR INSTRUMENTS. >> I'M HEARING A LOT OF NURTURE. 242 00:31:37,028 --> 00:31:40,732 >> UH-HUH. >> YEAH. >> MORE -- MORE THAN NATURE. >> YEAH. 243 00:31:40,798 --> 00:31:45,503 I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE ALL BELIEVE. I THINK IF THERE WERE A NATURE PART, IT WOULD BE HAVING THAT 244 00:31:45,570 --> 00:31:50,208 BASE LEVEL OF INTEREST. YOU CAN'T FORCE A CHILD TO LIKE SOMETHING. >> THERE WAS NEVER A GRAND PLAN 245 00:31:50,275 --> 00:31:55,113 HERE, SAY THE PARENTS. KADIE KANNEH, BORN IN SIERRA LEONE, AND STUART MASON, BORN IN LONDON, HAD TAKEN MUSIC 246 00:31:55,179 --> 00:32:01,286 CLASSES IN SCHOOL. BUT THAT'S IT. WHEN THEY STARTED RAISING KIDS, MUSIC WAS JUST ANOTHER ENTRY IN 247 00:32:01,352 --> 00:32:05,857 A PACKED SCHEDULE OF AFTER- SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. >> THEY WENT TO CRICKET, DOWN THE ROAD, DO YOU REMEMBER? 248 00:32:05,923 --> 00:32:09,527 >> OH, GOSH. YES. THE -- THE -- THE -- FORGET CRICKET, YEAH. 249 00:32:09,594 --> 00:32:12,897 >> LOTS OF FOOTBALL, CRICKET, KARATE. >> I'D FORGOTTEN, YES, YES -- TENNIS. 250 00:32:12,964 --> 00:32:16,234 >> LOTS OF THINGS -- GYMNASTICS. >> GYMNASTICS, YES. AND SO I THINK, IN THE END, 251 00:32:16,301 --> 00:32:20,538 WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS FUEL YOUR CHILD'S CREATIVE JUICES, REALLY. >> IT DOES NOT SOUND AS THOUGH 252 00:32:20,605 --> 00:32:24,108 YOUR CHILDREN WERE, CONCEIVED, TO HAVE IN MIND, TO BE MUSICIANS. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU -- 253 00:32:24,175 --> 00:32:28,579 >> NO, NO. NO, IT WAS -- YEAH. >> NO, IT ALL HAPPENS, ACCIDENTALLY, REALLY. 254 00:32:28,646 --> 00:32:34,952 >> THE ELDEST, ISATA, STARTED ON PIANO WHEN SHE WAS 6. SHE TOOK TO IT. AND AS THE KANNEH-MASON CLAN 255 00:32:35,019 --> 00:32:42,493 GREW, THE YOUNGER SIBLINGS AS YOUNGER SIBLINGS DO -- IMITATED THE BIGGER KIDS. A GLORIOUS CHAIN REACTION. 256 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:52,804 AS TO WHICH INSTRUMENTS THEY CHOSE -- THERE WAS HEALTHY COMPETITION, PERHAPS WITH A DASH OF FREUD THROWN IN. 257 00:32:52,870 --> 00:32:58,876 >> SHEKU WAS SAYING THAT HE TOOK UP CELLO IN PART BECAUSE YOU HAD THE VIOLIN AND HE WANTED TO PLAY A BIGGER 258 00:32:58,943 --> 00:33:03,181 INSTRUMENT. >> YEAH. I THINK -- I THINK THERE COULD -- COULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING 259 00:33:03,247 --> 00:33:06,684 ABOUT, I THINK, I STILL -- >> AND IT HELPS IT'S -- OBJECTIVELY A BETTER INSTRUMENT. 260 00:33:06,751 --> 00:33:10,855 SO THEN >> YOU'RE GONNA TAKE THAT? >> I THINK THE VIOLIN IS MORE POPULAR. 261 00:33:10,922 --> 00:33:21,766 THERE'S MORE REPERTOIRE. >> IT BECAME CLEAR EACH ALSO HAD TALENT. BLAZING, ABUNDANT TALENT, WHICH 262 00:33:21,833 --> 00:33:27,905 STUART, AN EXECUTIVE IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY, AND KADIE, A FORMER ENGLISH PROFESSOR, WERE DETERMINED TO FOSTER. 263 00:33:27,972 --> 00:33:34,645 IT WAS INTENSE. THE KIDS ATTENDED LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEN PRACTICED THREE AND FOUR HOURS A DAY. 264 00:33:34,712 --> 00:33:44,322 ALL SEVEN WERE SELECTED FOR THE JUNIOR PROGRAM AT THE RENOWNED ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC IN LONDON, TWO HOURS EACH WAY 265 00:33:44,389 --> 00:33:51,529 EVERY SATURDAY. ANY EXTRA INCOME WENT DIRECTLY TO INSTRUMENTS AND LESSONS. KADIE SAYS THAT MORE THAN ONCE, 266 00:33:51,596 --> 00:33:56,234 THEY NEARLY DEFAULTED ON THEIR MORTGAGE. >> SOME PEOPLE MIGHT HEAR THE STORY AND SAY, "BOY, I WONDER 267 00:33:56,300 --> 00:34:00,071 WHAT KIND OF PRESSURE THAT MUST HAVE BEEN. THAT'S-- MUST HAVE BEEN A REAL HOT HOUSE." 268 00:34:00,138 --> 00:34:04,175 WAS IT A HOT HOUSE? >> NO. IT'S NOT A HOT HOUSE. I THINK IT'S -- IT'S A HOUSE OF 269 00:34:04,242 --> 00:34:08,079 CHILDREN WHO HAD A LOVE OF MUSIC. THEY DID WORK HARD. >> IT'S AN INTERESTING BALANCE, 270 00:34:08,146 --> 00:34:12,617 ISN'T IT, BECAUSE THEY TOLD US THIS IS WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO. SO THEN, WE HAD TO BE HONEST TO SAY, "WELL, IF THIS IS WHAT YOU 271 00:34:12,683 --> 00:34:19,757 WANT TO DO, THEN YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD." BECAUSE THE REALITY IS, IF YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT 272 00:34:19,824 --> 00:34:25,530 ANYTHING, YOU HAVE TO GO FOR IT. >> BUT IF THEY SAID, "MUSIC'S NOT FOR ME. 273 00:34:25,596 --> 00:34:31,669 I WANT TO BE A CHAMPION DARTS PLAYER OR A FLORIST--" >> GREAT. GREAT. 274 00:34:31,736 --> 00:34:39,444 >> AS THE KIDS GREW, THE HOME GREW INTO AN INFORMAL MUSIC SCHOOL. EVERY WEEK, THEY'D ALL GATHER 275 00:34:39,510 --> 00:34:43,815 FOR WHAT THEY CALLED THEIR SUNDAY CONCERTS. EACH WOULD PLAY A PIECE, WHILE THE OTHERS WOULD GIVE NOTES. 276 00:34:43,881 --> 00:34:49,520 >> PUT US IN THE ROOM. WHAT ARE THOSE LIKE? >> WELL, THE ROOM WAS THE HALLWAY, USUALLY, EVERYONE 277 00:34:49,587 --> 00:34:52,824 WOULD BE SITTING ON THE STAIRS, KIND OF LOOKING DOWN AT THE SPACE. >> LOOKING DOWN. 278 00:34:52,890 --> 00:34:56,127 >> LOOKING DOWN AT YOU. >> AT THE UNLUCKY PERFORMER. >> YEAH. >> AND THEN WE TAKE IT IN TURNS 279 00:34:56,194 --> 00:35:00,765 AND PERFORM. >> YEAH. >> AND IT'S SO SCARY, 'CAUSE YOU FINISH PERFORMING AND THEN 280 00:35:00,832 --> 00:35:06,037 EVERYONE'S LIKE, "WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST?" >> YEAH. >> THESE WERE REALLY CRITICAL 281 00:35:06,103 --> 00:35:09,974 -- THESE WERE REALLY HELPFUL TO YOUR GROWTH AS MUSICIANS -- >> YEAH. UH-HUH. 282 00:35:10,041 --> 00:35:14,212 >> YEAH, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GET USED TO PUTTING YOURSELF UNDER THAT PRESSURE, OTHERWISE YOU'LL GO ONSTAGE, AND IT'S SO 283 00:35:14,278 --> 00:35:23,454 EASY TO JUST CRUMBLE UNDER THE NERVES. >> IF MOM AND DAD WEREN'T TYPICAL STAGE PARENTS, THE 284 00:35:23,521 --> 00:35:29,193 PRESSURE CAME INSTEAD FROM ONE ANOTHER. AS SIBLINGS, THEY CAN DISPENSE WITH THE NICETIES. 285 00:35:29,260 --> 00:35:37,268 THEY REMAIN EACH OTHER'S TOUGHEST CRITICS, MOST DEMANDING COACHES. >> I THINK PRESSURE COMES FROM 286 00:35:37,335 --> 00:35:44,775 KNOWING THE STANDARDS IN THE MUSIC WORLD. AND I SUPPOSE THAT'S NOT A NEGATIVE PRESSURE, BUT JUST A 287 00:35:44,842 --> 00:35:50,314 FEELING OF, "THIS IS WHAT'S REQUIRED OF ME." >> IN TERMS OF CAREER STRATEGY, KADIE SAYS THE KIDS HAVE ALWAYS 288 00:35:50,381 --> 00:35:56,320 CALLED THE SHOTS, AND IT'S NEVER BEEN ABOUT CLICKS, LIKES OR COMMERCE. >> WE'RE THE KANNEH-MASONS. 289 00:35:56,387 --> 00:36:11,469 >> IN 2015, THEY AGREED TO APPEAR ON "BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT" GOOD EXPOSURE BUT ONLY IF THEY COULD INCLUDE REAL 290 00:36:11,536 --> 00:36:20,111 CLASSICAL REPERTOIRE, RATHER THAN A POP-HEAVY SETLIST. >> YOU SURELY COULD HAVE MILKED THIS STORY AND THE NOVELTY OF 291 00:36:20,177 --> 00:36:24,448 SEVEN KIDS, AND SHOPPED A REALITY SHOW. >> YES. >> HOW DID YOU MAKE THESE 292 00:36:24,515 --> 00:36:28,719 COMMERCIAL DECISIONS, WHAT TO PURSUE AND WHAT NOT? >> BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT THAT. 293 00:36:28,786 --> 00:36:32,557 THEY WANTED TO BE CLASSICAL MUSICIANS AND BE REALLY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DID. >> THEY HAD THEIR CONVICTIONS. 294 00:36:32,623 --> 00:36:38,396 >> YES. >> YES. >> HERE IS SHEKU KANNEH-MASON. >> FROM THERE, THE INVITES AND 295 00:36:38,462 --> 00:36:48,539 ACCOLADES, YOU MIGHT SAY, CRESCENDOED. SHEKU WON A MAJOR BRITISH MUSIC AWARD, AND CAUGHT THE EYE OF A 296 00:36:48,606 --> 00:36:55,713 CERTAIN COUPLE IN SEARCH OF A WEDDING ENTERTAINER. WHEN HE PERFORMED AT THE MARRIAGE OF PRINCE HARRY AND 297 00:36:55,780 --> 00:37:08,426 MEGHAN MARKLE IN 2018, THE WORLD HEARD HIM PLAY. ♪ AND SUDDENLY, SHEKU WAS A 298 00:37:08,492 --> 00:37:14,565 NAFIDE STAR, THE FIRST CELLIST EVER TO CRACK THE TOP TEN ON THE UK ALBUM CHARTS. HERE HE IS POSING FOR BRITISH 299 00:37:14,632 --> 00:37:21,539 GQ. IRONIC, BECAUSE OF ALL THE KANNEH-MASONS SHEKU PRESENTS AS THE QUIETEST. 300 00:37:21,606 --> 00:37:25,876 PERHAPS THE LEAST COMFORTABLE WEARING THE CLOAK OF CELEBRITY. BUT GET A CELLO IN HIS HAND -- >> WOULD YOU MIND PLAYING FOR 301 00:37:25,943 --> 00:37:31,649 US? >> WITH PLEASURE. >> AND HE TRANSFORMS. ♪ 302 00:37:31,716 --> 00:37:55,506 D DRAWS PACKED AUDIENCES, AS WE SAW IN LONDON. THE SIBLINGS CAME OUT TO SUPPORT, AS THEY TRY TO DO 303 00:37:55,573 --> 00:38:04,749 WHENEVER ONE OF THEIR OWN TAKES THE STAGE. SHEKU'S PERFORMANCE QUIVERS WITH INTENSITY. 304 00:38:04,815 --> 00:38:20,431 YES, THAT'S SWEAT GLISTENING ON THIS $3 MILLION DOLLAR VENETIAN CELLO HE HAS ON LOAN. ALL SEVEN STILL PERFORM AS A 305 00:38:20,498 --> 00:38:30,141 FAMILY FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT KONYA HAS PIVOTED, DEVOTING HERSELF TO WRITING FICTION. AMINATA TRIED OUT ACTING 306 00:38:30,207 --> 00:38:39,950 SCHOOL, BUT MUSIC TUGGED HER BACK AND SHE DECIDED TO RETURN TO CONSERVATORY. BRAIMAH BRANCHED OUT, TOO 307 00:38:40,017 --> 00:38:48,092 TOURING WITH THE DANCE POP BAND CLEAN BANDIT, BEFORE RETURNING TO CLASSICAL. THE YOUNGEST, MARIATU, PLANS TO 308 00:38:48,159 --> 00:38:56,067 GO PRO. >> AS TO THE FOUR CURRENT PROFESSIONALS, THEY'RE BUSY RECORDING OR TOURING. 309 00:38:56,133 --> 00:39:01,439 AND IN THE SPRING, SHEKU WILL TAKE THE STAGE AS ARTIST IN RESIDENCE AT THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC. 310 00:39:01,505 --> 00:39:08,813 >> YOU'VE COME INTO THE PUBLIC AS THIS UNIT, AS THE KANNEH- MASONS. HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE 311 00:39:08,879 --> 00:39:16,087 COLLECTIVE WITH ALSO TRYING TO CARVE OUT AN IDENTITY AS INDIVIDUALS? >> I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT 312 00:39:16,153 --> 00:39:21,525 PROBABLY GETS EASIER AS YOU GET OLDER, BECAUSE YOU START TO JUST GET MORE CONFIDENCE AND MORE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT KIND 313 00:39:21,592 --> 00:39:26,063 OF THINGS YOU WANT TO BE DOING. AND ALSO MUSICALLY, I THINK THAT GETS EASIER. I MEAN, WE PLAY DIFFERENT 314 00:39:26,130 --> 00:39:30,568 INSTRUMENTS. WE'RE DIFFERENT AGES. WE PLAY A DIFFERENT REPERTOIRE. >> THOUGH THERE ARE, WELL, SOME 315 00:39:30,634 --> 00:39:36,107 STRINGS ATTACHED. >> OUT OF ALL THE SISTERS, WE LOOK THE MOST SIMILAR. SO A LOT OF THE TIME, PEOPLE 316 00:39:36,173 --> 00:39:39,410 COME UP TO ME AND BE LIKE, "OH, YOU PLAYED SO WELL LAST NIGHT AT CARNEGIE." AND I WAS LIKE, "THAT WASN'T 317 00:39:39,477 --> 00:39:42,847 ME." SO WE TRY TO DO LIKE -- >> THIS HAPPENED TO ME. >> DID IT HAPPEN TO YOU? 318 00:39:42,913 --> 00:39:46,117 >> A FEW DAYS AGO. >> THIS IS THE FIRST TIME -- THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED. >> NO. 319 00:39:46,183 --> 00:39:49,754 SOMEONE SAID, "OH, I SAW YOU ON TV THIS MORNING." I SAID, "NO. YOU DIDN'T. 320 00:39:49,820 --> 00:39:56,093 I WAS ASLEEP. IT WAS MY SISTER." >> THEY CONFESS, THEY REMAIN FIERCELY COMPETITIVE WHEN SAY, 321 00:39:56,160 --> 00:40:03,000 APPORTIONING DINNER OR PLAYING BOARD GAMES. SO WE WONDERED ABOUT COMPETITION IN THEIR CAREERS. 322 00:40:03,067 --> 00:40:07,772 >> YOU SHOULD BE INSPIRED BY THOSE AROUND YOU. AND IF SOMEONE IS DOING SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE NOT ABLE 323 00:40:07,838 --> 00:40:14,645 TO, I THINK YOU SHOULD -- FEEL THAT -- ENCOURAGEMENT AND INSPIRATION TO WANT TO DO THAT. BUT I THINK AS SOON AS THAT 324 00:40:14,712 --> 00:40:18,883 COMPARISON STARTS TO BECOME ABOUT THE EXTERNAL THINGS, LIKE, "OH, YOU'RE DOING THIS CONCERT," I -- THEN -- THEN I 325 00:40:18,949 --> 00:40:23,254 THINK EVERYTHING CAN JUST CRUMBLE VERY QUICKLY. >> YEAH. AND I THINK THAT KIND OF 326 00:40:23,320 --> 00:40:28,692 RIVALRY, IF YOU FEELING GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF AS A MUSICIAN IS BASED ON, "OH, HA-HA, YOU DIDN'T GET THIS CONCERT AND I 327 00:40:28,759 --> 00:40:35,366 DID," I THINK THAT'S A VERY WEAK BASE TO BE -- >> SO, YOU'LL JOKE ABOUT WHO GOT THE BIGGEST PIECE OF PIZZA, 328 00:40:35,432 --> 00:40:41,205 BUT YOU GUYS DRAW A LINE. THAT'S NOT GOING TO CONTAMINATE OUR MUSIC. >> WE DRAW THE LINE AT MUSIC 329 00:40:41,272 --> 00:40:45,810 BECAUSE OUR INSTRUMENTS ARE SUCH, LIKE, AN INTEGRAL PART OF OURSELVES. AND IT WOULD BE LIKE DEEPLY 330 00:40:45,876 --> 00:40:55,820 ATTACKING THE OTHER PERSON. >> YET ANOTHER WAY THE KANNEH- MASONS MAINTAIN HARMONY. AN ORCHESTRA GREATER THAN THE 331 00:40:55,886 --> 00:41:09,667 SUM OF ITS PARTS. THIS MOST REMARKABLE OF SEPTETS. ♪ 332 00:41:14,572 --> 00:41:26,250 [ STOPWATCH TICKING ] IS SPONSO UNITEDHEALTHCARE. COVERAGE YOU CAN COUNT ON FOR YOUR WHOLE LIFE AHEAD. 333 00:41:26,317 --> 00:41:29,787 >>> THERE ARE SOME WORDS THAT DON'T ROLL OFF THE TONGUE. MIQUINCENTENNIAL IS ONE OF THEM. 334 00:41:29,854 --> 00:41:36,627 BUT WE'LL GET PLENTY OF PRACTICE IN 2026, WITH THE CELEBRATION OF THE 250th ANNIVERSARY OF THE DECLARATION 335 00:41:36,694 --> 00:41:43,634 OF INDEPENDENCE. IT'S A CHANCE TO TAKE STOCK. HOW WELL ARE WE LIVING UP TO OUR REVOLUTIONARY IDEALS -- 336 00:41:43,701 --> 00:41:51,175 THAT ALL ARE CREATED EQUAL, WITH UNALIENABLE RIGHTS, AMONG THEM LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS? 337 00:41:51,242 --> 00:41:56,981 STARTING IN JANUARY, WE'LL SET ASIDE TIME AT THE END OF THIS BROADCAST TO HEAR FROM LEADERS IN THE ARTS, SCIENCE AND 338 00:41:57,047 --> 00:42:05,856 BUSINESS. EXPECT FAMILIAR FACES, AND SOME SURPRISES. THEY HAVE AGREED TO SHARE THEIR 339 00:42:05,923 --> 00:42:11,929 "REFLECTIONS ON AMERICA", INCLUDING HOW, OVER THE NEXT 250 YEARS, WE MIGHT CONTINUE WORKING TOWARD A MORE PERFECT 340 00:42:11,996 --> 00:42:17,868 UNION. I'M BILL WHITAKER. WE'LL BACK NEXT WEEK WITH ANOTHER EDITION OF "60 341 00:42:17,935 --> 00:42:37,187 MINUTES." HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS.