'Seeing the King play a carrot recorder was surreal'
A community music leader said it was "surreal" to witness the King playing a carrot recorder at Windsor Castle.Lucy Revis, director of Sheffield Music School, was invited to a reception for hundreds of people who contribute to music in their local areas."I really want the people of Sheffield to know about the music here, and this raises our profile - I was so grateful to be invited," she said."There was a bit of a surreal moment… I was standing with champagne in my hand, turned around, and there was the King playing a carrot. You don't see that every day."
The London Vegetable Orchestra brought instruments, including the carrot recorder, to the reception.The 350 guests included leaders of community music groups and music-related projects, many of whom are volunteers.Temporary side effects from cancer treatment led the King to cancel a string of engagements last week, but he was described by guests as "in great spirits".
As well as the school, Ms Revis directs Tracks, a project offering workshops and performance opportunities.The project had been struggling to fund all the services it wanted to offer, until Ms Revis made a successful bid to the Ed Sheeran Foundation earlier this year.The grant will be used to set up a new youth club and take on more alternative provision students.Sheeran visited the music school last May and took an interest in the Tracks project, which Ms Revis said was "incredible"."I'm a big Ed Sheeran fan - not just because he gave us money," she joked.
Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
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