Away from the Albert Hall
This year’s ‘Proms at’ events
The Royal Albert Hall regularly appears on
BBC Music Magazine’s July cover as the iconic symbol of the BBC Proms, but London does not hog all the fun – this year sees 12 concerts staged in various towns around the UK. Indeed, the Proms first travelled outside London back in 1944, when the prospect of German bombs prompted a temporary move to the comparative safety of Bedford for much of the season. After that, it wouldn’t be until the early 2000s that the Proms spread its roots further, this time with the introduction of Proms in the Park events to co-ordinate with the Last Night – first in Gateshead, then with the likes of Belfast, Swansea, Glasgow and Manchester joining the party.
Last year, the Proms lunchtime Chamber Concerts moved from London’s Cadogan Hall to eight venues around Britain, and the same format is being followed in 2023: Derry (15 July), Aberystwyth (30 July), Dewsbury (6 August), Truro (27 August) and Perth (3 September) will welcome artists such as cellist Laura van der Heijden and The Gesualdo Six. On the evening of 8 September, meanwhile, the Hippodrome in Great Yarmouth will be filled with the sound of orchestral favourites performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra.
Taking things a step further, however, will be Sage Gateshead, which hosts a whole weekend of Proms events from 21-23 July. With local residents the Royal Northern Sinfonia leading the way, the stunning Tyneside venue will stage six concerts in all, ranging from traditional Mozart and Brahms to psychedelic jazz from Yazz Ahmed and Arun Ghosh and a Cbeebies: Ocean Adventure Prom.
This year sees 12 concerts staged in various towns around the country