THIS IS LONDON JUNE EDITION 2025 - Flipbook - Page 16
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Sam Jackson
BBC PROMS
Running from 18 July to 13 September,
the Proms returns this summer for an
unforgettable eight weeks of music. With
works from Sibelius, Mendelssohn, Ravel,
Rachmaninov, Beethoven, Mahler and
more, this Proms season is jam-packed
full of classic composers and music. Hear
them performed by some of the greatest
orchestras in the world in a season that
guarantees the ultimate concert
experience.
THIS IS LONDON spoke to Sam
Jackson, controller of BBC Radio 3 and
BBC Proms about what visitors can expect
from this year’s programme.
How do you keep the Proms fresh
each year?
I'd break this down into three distinct
facets: artists, repertoire, and creative
ideas. This year, around 80 soloists or
conductors will be performing at the
Proms for the very first time. Some of the
most exciting young talent in the world,
from the five-time GRAMMY winner
Samara Joy to the extraordinary pianist
Bruce Liu, will be making their debut at
the festival.
When it comes to repertoire,
meanwhile, we always include plenty of
well-known favourites - but we also have
the opportunity to programme pieces that
have rarely, if ever, been performed at the
Royal Albert Hall before. And finally: we
always challenge ourselves to come up
with innovative creative ideas that will
draw in audiences old and new.
In 2025, this ranges from our CBeebies
'Magical Bedtime Story' Prom, to our allnight Prom 'From Dark Till Dawn', to our
two Traitors Proms hosted by Claudia
Winkleman.
What’s the best way for a visitor to
come along?
Quite simply: come as you are! Pay
eight quid and stand with other people
in the throng of the arena. Pay a little
more if you'd like a seat. Dress to
impress if that's your thing; come in
jeans and trainers if that makes you
happy. No one will bat an eyelid. If you
can, pick up a programme because it'll
be packed with really interesting articles
and context about the music you'll hear
– but equally, that's not essential.
Simply come with open ears and an
open mind, ready to be transported to a
special place by some fantastic music.
Any big changes or surprises you
can tell us about for 2025?
We've got a few surprises up our
sleeves for the Last Night of the Proms –
but you'll have to wait till mid-September
to discover what those are! What I can say,
though, is that we've commissioned lots
of new music this season, and that'll
include a world premiere on the Last
Night by the outstanding British composer
Rachel Portman: the first woman ever to
win an Oscar for Best Original Score.
What’s your secret spot in London?
Restaurants and cafes near
Broadcasting House are often full of BBC
people - but if you wander up Great
Titchfield Street, there's a wonderful,
independent Italian restaurant called
Conchiglia which never has any of my
colleagues in it and is home to what I
reckon could be the best pizza and pasta
in London. I only discovered it last year,
after hearing Radio 4 went there for their
Christmas lunch, and it's now my go-to.
For further information and the full
programme, visit www.bbc.co.uk/proms
How did your journey at the BBC
Proms begin?
My first experience of the festival was
at the age of nineteen, when I was
fortunate enough to be accepted onto the
BBC's work experience scheme. This
involved being a runner at the Royal
Albert Hall for eight weeks, where I was a
very small part of the team delivering the
TV broadcasts. I still remember the joy of
hearing an orchestra perform there live for
the very first time, and today, I count
myself incredibly fortunate to be in charge
of the BBC Proms.
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