Cornish homeless piano player stuns people with musical skills

A man from Cornwall who was rough sleeping has stunned people in Penzance with his incredible piano skills.Rhys Wynne-Jones walked into the NightChurchPz project at St Mary's Church and asked to play its piano, wowing volunteers and group members with his music.

Rhys says he learnt to play when he was 12, and the piano has become a solace for him after going through a very difficult time.He told ITV News: ''The piano is a coping mechanism. It's not just that it's my friend, it's someone I trust and someone I love dearly. Playing the piano has always been there when things go dark, when I go to the piano I find who I am.''

Rhys is now in temporary accommodation with the help of the St Petrocs charity, but had spent time rough sleeping.

Rhys says: ''I became nocturnal in that situation because sleeping rough at night is not safe. Doorways are not safe, you're in public view at all times. The stigma and the public perception of homeless people is very challenging to deal with.''

He approached the NightChurch project in January seeking support, and a piano to practice on. NightChurch Co-ordinator Alice Phoenix says she couldn't believe it when she heard him play.

She said: ''People will often ask if we've got a piano, and you just expect them to tinker around on it and have a bit of fun. He started playing Bohemian Rhapsody from beginning to end and I swore, my volunteers started crying. There were other people who'd come to NightChurch who were crying and rushed in to watch him play.

"It's part of what NightChurch is about. I think lots of people have holes in souls and Rhys had a piano-shaped hole, and we were able to help him with that.''Rhys now plays at the project every Wednesday night, and is starring in a fundraising concert on Saturday 20 July.

He says he believes he has what's known in music terms as 'perfect pitch' - the ability to identify the pitch of a note just by hearing it. He can also recall and play a piece of complex music by ear.Rhys says: ''Every time I hear music I imagine myself playing it, and I can see the notes in my head as the music is playing. It really does help, especially if there's a song I love. I can be like, that's a lovely song, come down here and just play it straight off.''