BBC Proms 2017
Friday 21 April 2017
The 2017 season of the BBC Proms has been announced and we are delighted that many of our alumni, recent visitors and current students will feature in this year’s programme.
Outstanding RCM singer Rowan Pierce, recent recipient of the RCM’s prestigious President’s Award, takes a starring role this year as solo soprano in Handel’s Israel in Egypt alongside the Choir and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. RCM vocal alumni Louise Alder, Sophie Bevan, Ruby Hughes, Ben Johnson and Elizabeth Watts also all feature throughout the season.
Other graduates of the RCM taking centre stage as soloists include cellist Natalie Clein, pianist Pavel Kolesnikov and violinist Alina Ibragimova, who joins us for a violin masterclass in May. Alumnus conductor Sir Andrew Davis will lead the BBC Symphony Orchestra through a programme which marks 50 years since the death of Malcolm Sargent, whilst celebrated RCM graduate John Wilson conducts both his own orchestra and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
We’re proud that many of our Junior Department students will once again by performing as members of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, who this year offer up Stravinsky’s thrilling The Rite of Spring.
New music this season includes the world premiere of The Spark Catchers by recent RCM composition graduate Hannah Kendall and the European premiere of Hibiki by alumnus and RCM Research Fellow in Composition Mark-Anthony Turnage.
As ever, the Proms will feature works by famous historical Royal College of Music composition alumni, including Britten, Holst and Vaughan Williams, as well as former RCM Director Hubert Parry. Sea Sketches by composer Grace Williams, a student of Vaughan Williams during his tenure as RCM professor, will be presented as part of three special waterside performances in Hull, UK City of Culture 2017 – the first Prom outside London since 1930.
In addition, the season stars a host of recent visitors to the RCM, including conductors Nicholas Collon, Bernard Haitink and Vladimir Jurowski and jazz trumpeter Guy Barker. Performing under Haitink’s baton is the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, who held a residency at the RCM in 2016.
The 2017 BBC Proms takes place between Friday 14 July and Saturday 9 September. Please visit the BBC Proms website for details of the full 2016 season.
