Singers get chance of a Proms date

TALENTED young singers across the region are being offered the chance to perform at a BBC Proms concert which will be broadcast live this summer.

In an unique – and free – opportunity, 16-year-olds and those up to the age of 30 can apply to join a new choir, being called Voices of the River’s Edge, whose first performance will be at the North East’s first BBC Proms concert, Folk Connections, at Sage Gateshead. The invitation applies to those with experience of singing in a group as well as firsttimers.

The deadline to show an interest is tomorrow, workshops will follow and those successful will ultimately take to the stage before an audience in the main hall at the Gateshead venue in July for a show to be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. They will be singing alongside folk musicians from the Spell Songs ensemble and Sage’s world-class orchestra Royal Northern Sinfonia.

This year sees the return to form for the popular BBC Proms with a a full repertoire not seen since 2019.

There will be a total of 84 concerts involving more than 3,000 musicians over an eight-week run in what is also the centenary year of the BBC.

International orchestras will be back too, this year with a newlyformed Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra too. With more Proms than ever taking place across the UK, this year’s partnership with Sage Gateshead is a welcome new addition.

Sage is aiming for a choir of 100 singers from across the North East and invites those interested to tell it about themselves and their singing by tomorrow so it can plan the first workshop. It says that limited dropin places also will be available on Saturday.

They will explore new pieces of contemporary and classical music, work alongside professional musicians and develop their voices.

All Proms concerts will be broadcast live BBC Radio 3, and available on BBC Sounds, and 22 will be broadcast on TV.

Alan Davey, controller of BBC Radio 3, Proms, orchestras and choirs, said: “We want audiences everywhere to know that the joy and communion of live music-making is back.”