6th November 2023
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During the eight-week period from July to September, the BBC opens the doors of the Royal Albert Hall to welcome music lovers from across the country. Throughout the eight weeks, they showcase a range of music which caters to all ages, from renowned Classical artists and Orchestras to the CBeebies Prom: A Magical Bedtime Story.
It has become a tradition for my family and I to get tickets to the proms every summer and we typically like to make a day out of it. So, just like thousands of others this summer we embarked on the commute into central London for a jam-packed day of ‘promming’. After a forty minute train and a Gail’s we took the Piccadilly line over to South Kensington for Sir András Schiff’s eleven o’clock performance of Bach.
The hall was at full capacity, from the gallery to the ‘promming’ standing audience (a system in which you can buy inexpensive tickets on the day of the performances).
After a ninety-minute performance and a well-deserved standing ovation, the clapping from the audience grew louder and hundreds began to stomp their feet, heckling Schiff to come back for another round of applauses.
At home, classical music has almost always been on in the background and as my brother is a super-fan, it was only natural that we got tickets to the classical performances.
This year marks the Prom’s 130th anniversary, it’s a renowned musical event, but it isn’t just about the old stuff.
The variety of music they have to offer has only expanded, from the National Youth Orchestra’s performance of ‘The Planets and Star Wars’ on the 9th of August, to the BBC Scottish Orchestra’s rendition of The Traitor’s soundtrack on the 26th July. This summer of music is available for all ages and music tastes!
So after a quick pit to the shops in Carnaby Street and a trip to Dishoom for dinner, it was time to head back for the evening performance of Klaus Mäkelä’s and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Made up of one-hundred and twenty musicians, their selection of instruments ranging from trombones and tubas to piccolo’s and flutes covered the floor of the stage. It was an incredible performance!
The last night of the Proms, which fell on the 13th of September this year, is the most famous and notable evening of them all. Whilst we couldn’t get tickets, the evening consisted of a three hour performance from Elim Chan and the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus who performed a range of favourites.
Whilst it might not be for everybody, the BBC Proms is something I look forward to every summer. The opportunity to witness such a display of fantastic talent in a building of such grandeur, is an experience I would recommend to anyone looking for something fun to do in the summer.
