Pop’s Florence and Sam Smith bring new sounds to BBC Proms line up
Florence Welch and Sam Smith will make their
BBC Proms debut in the forthcoming season which will feature more than 3,000 musicians over eight weeks.
The programme from
July 19 to September 14 will feature 90 concerts in total – 73 taking place at the home of the festival, London’s Royal Albert Hall and 17 hosted at venues across the UK.
Singer Welch, of indierock band Florence + The Machine, will perform her Brit Award-winning 2009 album alongside Grammy-winning composer Jules Buckley and his orchestra when she takes to the stage on September
11, marking her only UK performance of the year.
For their show on
August 2, Smith will sing a rendition of their Grammywinning 2014 debut album
with the BBC Concert Orchestra to mark the record’s 10th anniversary.
On securing exclusive performances with the artists, BBC Proms director David Pickard said: “This isn’t just another trip after Glastonbury, this is something very special and we’re excited about the idea of opening up a different type of music to the Proms, but retaining the sense that this is an orchestral festival.
“And hopefully it will bring in the sort of audience that might not necessarily come to the Proms but now feel very welcome.”
Controller of Radio 3 and
BBC Proms Sam Jackson also said the look and feel of Smith’s Prom will be “entirely appropriate for the festival” after the singer has become known for their dramatic outfits and shows.
“We’ve worked very hard with Sam Smith and their management on how we can create something that is authentically Proms,” Jackson added.
The programme also features an array of family events and concerts for children including a new Doctor Who Prom and a CBeebies Prom.
Every Prom will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, later available on BBC Sounds, and 24 programmes will be broadcast on BBC television and iPlayer.