A STUDENT who only picked up a guitar for the first time two years ago has spoken of his shock at being chosen to perform at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games and courted by a range of record companies.

Rising star Lovely Imiemoho, 17, only started studying music at Epping Forest College after dropping his business studies course a couple of years ago.

Since then he has seen his career rocket.

In July, after auditioning at the Royal Opera House, he was picked from over 1,500 hopefuls to be part of the choir of young people from throughout the country that will perform at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on July 27, 2012.

The 100 member strong choir is currently engaged in intensive monthly rehearsal sessions in preparation for the games.

Mr Imiemoho said that the choir would be performing a range of pieces by contemporary composers from around the world as well as a specially composed piece by a British composer for the opening ceremony.

“We have met some of the composers who wrote the pieces and it was really interesting to discuss their work with them.

“They sometimes thought we should be performing their work differently or wanted us to change parts and it was very interesting to be involved in those rehearsals.”

Mr Imiemoho is is also making a name for himself as a solo performer and has taken to the stage at a range of prestigious venues, including Camden’s Roundhouse, and is due to perform in London’s St Pancras Station as part of the Station Sessions festival for emerging talent on September 29.

Mr Imiemoho said: “I always knew I could sing and one day I just decided that I had to do music. Since then it seems that every time I perform I have people coming up to me and giving me opportunities.

“There are so many people who want to be professional musicians and I did not think everything would happen so quickly. It is a little bit of a shock.

“I am just so excited about performing in the Olympic Games opening ceremony because I never thought that I would get this far. “

Mr Imiemoho, who lists his influences as John Legend and Michael Buble, said that he has been approached with promises of wealth from record companies but for the time being wants to focus on developing his song writing skills and expanding his fan base.

"Some of the people I will be performing with at the games are world class classical singers and I am learning so much from them at the minute,” he said.

After a gig on Saturday at Waltham Abbey’s I Love Music festival, Epping Forest District Council invited him to apply for a grant of up to £1,500 to help him develop his career.

“It is incredible, I think I’d use it buy some instruments for the band I’m forming,” he said.

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