RYEDALE’S international cellist, Tom Pitt, returned straight from playing London’s Proms for a first concert on home turf.

He switched from putting out chairs for audiences years ago as volunteer at a Ryedale Festival to performing for the people who sit on them, when he played at two concerts at the weekend as part of the musical extravaganza.

Tom, who is staying with parents Jo and Christopher Pitt at their farm in Whenby, near Sheriff Hutton, comes from a non-musical family.

Tom said: “Someone came to my school and asked for hands up for anyone who wanted to play the cello – I’d never heard of it.

“I remember the walks to school were a lot longer when I was carrying the thing on my back. It was nearly as big as me.”

Tom, 37, began playing piano at four, when his mum “thought it would stop him fidgeting”.

He said: “It’s great to be playing in Ryedale – it’s a terrific festival.”

International status has also been secured in his role as principal cellist with Concerto Copenhagen with which he performed at The Proms.

Having over the last three years toured in every country in Europe Tom’s next dates include Australia and Japan.