Last month the nation was gripped by Royal Wedding fever, as millions tuned in to see Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the knot at Windsor Castle. As well as being a day to remember for the happy couple it was also an occasion that former Dean Close pupil Jason Richards will never forget, as the hugely talented organist gave the most unforgettable performance of his young career.

Jason is currently Organ Scholar at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, a position he earned after rising to prominence while studying at Cheltenham’s Dean Close school, achieving an incredible five Grade 8s with distinction on clarinet, percussion, organ, piano and singing. The opportunity to perform at the Royal Wedding, an event with a worldwide audience in the hundreds of millions, came as a surprise to Jason, who admits to having a few nerves ahead of the landmark performance. He said: “It was a day I’ll never forget, to get a chance to play at such a momentous occasion was a huge honour, I’ll remember it for the rest of my life. It was an enormous privilege to be asked to play at the wedding, I feel proud to have played a small part in a day that will go down in history.

“I was quite nervous in the morning but as soon as I arrived at the castle the nerves died down and I was really excited. My family were with me inside the castle which was very special. I had so many messages from other family members and friends wishing me well ahead of the performance, it was a great day, one I’ll look back on in years to come with so much fondness.”

Jason will start an organ scholarship at Cambridge University this September, where he’ll be working alongside the College’s Director of Music, Richard Pinel. “I’m really looking forward to starting at Jesus College, I’ll be learning from the best teachers and will be able to spend plenty of time developing my playing skills. I haven’t thought too much about my music career after university, I’m just enjoying the journey at the moment,” Jason said.

It was during his time at Dean Close school that the skilled musician became proficient on the organ, widely regarded as one of the most difficult instruments to play. Jason continued: “I had two fantastic teachers at senior school who really pushed me to achieve my best. The facilities at Dean Close really helped me improve my skills and I was very lucky to be offered a lot of opportunities to play and hone my skills.”

Any Gloucestershire residents wanting to see Jason in action will be pleased to discover he’ll be playing at the Cheltenham Music Festival next month, alongside another up and coming Gloucestershire musician, Laurence Kilsby. Jason added: “Laurence is a good friend who I’ve known for many years. It will be a lot of fun performing with him. The Cheltenham Music Festival is always a fantastic event, so get the opportunity to play there is fantastic.”