When 16-year-old Ewan McGregor played a French horn solo on national TV
11 March 2025, 09:11 | Updated: 11 March 2025, 09:33
A video of actor Ewan McGregor performing Mozart’s Horn Concerto No.4 live on Scottish TV when he was a teenager proves he has always had plenty of strings to his bow (or should we say… valves to his brass?).
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A video has come to the universe’s attention that features a 16-year-old Ewan McGregor playing the French horn live on national TV.
The teenage version of the Scottish actor can be seen playing the spirited ‘Rondo’ third movement from Mozart’s Horn Concerto No.4 in E flat major on Scottish Television in 1987.
“We move to Mozart and a horn concerto, performed by 16-year-old Ewan McGregor from Crieff,” the presenter says.
Crieff is a market town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, and the town McGregor grew up in.
Looking downwards to read from sheet music on a waist-height stand, McGregor has iconically disheveled late ‘80s hair (“The flock of seagulls haircut!” one commenter on social media calls it) and is wearing a slightly tired white school shirt tucked into grey trousers.
He is accompanied by a pianist who, in the entire length of the particular video doing the rounds, remains just a pair of disembodied, grey-sleeved hands – but they are very technically proficient hands.
Read more: Who is Felix Klieser? Meet the French horn virtuoso who plays with his left foot
People have commented on the video in droves, mostly making Star Wars Obi One Kenobi or Trainspotting Kenton references, in honour of the actor’s popular roles.
“16 year old Ewan/Obi-wan looks like He’d Never Give You Up”, one person has commented. Another wrote, “French Horn?!? Ewan really is the total package, isn't he?”.
The young musician, admittedly now more famous for his acting, is no doubt nervous but gives the difficult concerto a very solid performance. At just 16, he’s clearly a good horn player.
Many will remember McGregor donated his love – and, now we know, skill – for brass playing to the rather brilliant 1996 romantic comedy-slash-political activism film about a colliery brass band and its members’ plight during the closure of their pit, Brassed Off.
In 2016, he joined the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios, at their recording of the soundtrack to his directorial debut American Pastoral which was scored by Alexandre Desplat. Unable to resist his instrument of yore, McGregor tried his hand at one of the French horns during a recording break.
The music is strong with this one...
