Teen pianist returns to festival she played, aged 11

A pianist is to return the music festival where she played her first full recital when she was just 11.

Jeneba Kanneh-Mason, 19, from Nottingham, first appeared at the Southwell Music Festival in 2014.

She said she was “really looking forward” to returning to the event, in August.

The organisers said they were excited to welcome her back, nearly a decade on from her debut “astonishing performance”.

Ms Kanneh-Mason recently made her BBC Proms debut with the Chineke Orchestra.

She said: “I am really looking forward to returning to Southwell Music Festival.

“I remember playing at the festival in 2014 when I was 11 years old.

“This was my first ever full-length recital and I was greeted so warmly by the festival and the audience.”

The four-day festival runs from 25 to 28 August.

Southwell Music Festival artistic director Marcus Farnsworth said: “I am so excited to welcome Jeneba back to the festival, nearly a decade on from her astonishing performance in 2014.

“Even as an 11-year-old, Jeneba had a strong and unique musical personality.

“It has been a joy to watch her career blossom since then and I know her performance this August will be a very special one for our audience.”