Rhys Wynne-Jones to Perform Charity Concert at Truro Cathedral

From Sleeping Rough to Truro Cathedral: Rhys Returns for Charity Night

A special evening of music and storytelling is coming to Truro Cathedral on Wednesday 25th March as Rhys Wynne-Jones, known as The Nightchurch Pianist, returns after what organisers describe as a whirlwind year.

The concert, which begins at 19:30, will raise funds for Centrepoint, which works to end youth homelessness, and Cornish charity St Petrocs. All profits from ticket sales, along with any additional donations collected on the night, will go directly to the charities.

Tickets for the event are available through the cathedral’s shop page: https://shop.trurocathedral.org.uk/products/25-03-2026-rhys-the-nightchurch-pianist-copy

From viral moment to national attention

Rhys Wynne-Jones first gained widespread attention in January 2024 when he went viral while playing Bohemian Rhapsody during Nightchurch Penzance.

At the time, Rhys was sleeping rough. Nightchurch Penzance, based at St Mary’s Church within the Penlee Cluster, opens the church at night for homeless, vulnerable and lonely members of the community, offering free food and activities.

After being known locally as the “mystery pianist” for several months, Rhys decided to organise a concert following his unexpected viral success. According to organisers, the event was not intended to help himself but to support friends who were also experiencing homelessness and to thank the church that had supported him.

The decision attracted national attention from local newspapers, BBC, ITV, The Times and Sky News.

The first concert raised £2,000 in one night. Since then, Rhys has been invited to perform in churches across Cornwall as part of what became known as The Nightchurch Piano Tour.

Including his first performance at Truro Cathedral, Rhys has now raised more than £37,500 for homeless, mental health and environmental charities. Over the past year he has also released his first EP titled Hi & Bye and received ITV West Country’s Pride of Britain Regional Fundraiser Award.

An energetic and varied performance

Audiences attending the concert can expect a mix of musical styles. According to organisers:

“Rhys plays a variety of musical styles from classical, film scores pop, rock and comedy whilst sharing funny and heartfelt stories from his life. His shows are energetic and unexpected…brace yourselves!”

Doors open at 19:00 and the performance begins at 19:30. The evening is expected to run until around 21:45 with an interval.

Special guest joins the evening

The first part of the evening will feature special guest Shane Solomon, a Cornwall based singer and performer known for performing at venues across the county.

Shane previously performed at Truro Cathedral alongside keyboardist Rick Wakeman MBE. Organisers say he is looking forward to joining Rhys on stage after following his story over the past year.

Ticket details

Tickets for the event are priced at:

• Adult: £10

• Under 11: £5

All funds raised will be shared between Centrepoint and St Petrocs, with a retiring collection also planned during the evening.