The talented cellist who played at the royal wedding after being personally invited to perform by Meghan Markle has described the day as ‘amazing’, and ‘very cool’.
And Sheku Kanneh-Mason, 19, who was named the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year 2016, insisted he wasn’t hit by nerves on Meghan and Harry’s big day – despite the audience of millions tuning in around the world to watch the ceremony.
The rising star appeared on Lorraine Kelly’s ITV show on Wednesday with his £500,000 Amati cello to play a beautiful rendition of Bach’s prelude.
Recalling Saturday’s ceremony: ‘Being there was amazing, I don’t tend to get nervous before big performance.
‘This is a performance unlike anything I have done before. The atmosphere was amazing.’
Sheku, from Nottingham, played three tunes for wedding guests – Maria Theresia von Paradis’s Sicilienne, Gabriel Faure’s Apres un reve and Franz Schubert’s Ave Maria.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason appeared on ITV’s Lorraine to talk about playing at the royal wedding on Saturday
The talented cellist played three tunes for wedding guests Maria Theresia von Paradis’s Sicilienne, Gabriel Faure’s Apres un reve and Franz Schubert’s Ave Maria
The teen then picked up his £500,000 Amati cello to play a beautiful rendition of Bach’s prelude
Sheku also recalled the moment he found out he’d bagged a prestigious invite to perform at the ceremony, when he received a phone call from none other than the now Duchess of Sussex herself.
‘I was expecting a call, I didn’t know what it was going to be about [but] it wasn’t completely out of the blue, otherwise I would have been completely shocked,’ he said.
And of getting to play in front of music legends like Elton John at the ceremony, Sheku added: ‘It was such a good opportunity to perform for so many people.
‘It was very cool.’
His new album Inspiration has also reached the top 20 in the album charts, and he will feature on an album being released for the royal wedding.
Sheku’s entire family are very talented, and he played alongside them at a charity concert the first time he met Prince Harry
Sheku learning to play the cello aged six, he won the BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2016 at 17 years old
The teen explained how he met Prince Harry at a performance for the Halo Charity Trust, where he was playing alongside his family – who all play instruments.
‘It was a charity based in Antigua where my family are from, that’s where we were taking part and Prince Harry was supporting that, he was there.’
Sheku explained that his cello was over 400 years and he keeps it close by to him whenever he’s travelling.
Lorraine airs on ITV, weekdays at 8.30am