Harry, 11, gives ‘performance of a lifetime’ as he receives standing ovation at rock show

A young boy from Snettisham’s dreams came true when he received a standing ovation after being invited to play the drums alongside a rock band in Lynn last week.

Harry Murrell, 11, who is a pupil at Smithdon High School in Hunstanton, has a passion for all things music – playing the drums, acoustic and electric guitar, and singing.

So, when he went to the Rock For Heroes show at Lynn’s Alive Corn Exchange last Thursday with his mum Debbie Murrell and nan Mary Cleland, he was delighted to be able to show off his impressive drum skills for the band and the packed-out audience – for which he received a huge standing ovation.

His dad Paul Murrell told the Lynn News: “He’s still buzzing. He’s done smaller venues before – school halls for example – but for an 11-year-old to have an audience and reaction like that – the whole family is so proud of him.”

Harry, who has been playing drums for two years, is able to listen to a piece of music two or three times and is then able to play it, his father said.

He added: “I don’t know where he gets his musicality or confidence from. No one else in the family plays instruments at all.”

Paul said his son received “amazing” support from both his previous school, Snettisham Primary School, and his new one, Smithdon, where he started last month.

Harry “so wants” to be in a rock band when he is older, Paul said, as he added: “He’s already asking when he can play like that again.”

Harry said he will remember the moment – which his dad described as the “performance of his lifetime” – for a long time to come.

“It was my dream come true to play with a top rock band to a full house at the Corn Exchange,” he said.

Members of the band came to find Harry during the interval and gave him a plectrum and the drum sticks to keep – which he now wants to have framed.

And Rock For Heroes posted a video clip of Harry playing with them on stage along to an impromptu song about him to their Instagram page, calling him a “future star”.

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They said: “We love having the younger generation in our audiences and even better when they are budding young musicians like Harry.

“We had the absolute pleasure of meeting this lovely, talented young man at our performance at @alivecornexchange and he stole the show with his serious drum skills.

“Watch out James, your job is on the line.

“An overwhelming standing ovation for a future star!”