What's On / Proms Plus

Proms Intros

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Proms Intros feature conductors, soloists and composers in conversation – or introductions from music experts – sometimes alongside live music. They’re designed to leave you with a better understanding of the music you’re about to hear.

All Proms Intros take place at the Royal College of Music, just across the road from the south side of the Royal Albert Hall.

Friday 17 July, 5.00pm (before Prom 1)
Sean Rafferty and Petroc Trelawny present a special, live edition of BBC Radio 3's In Tune from the Royal College of Music, featuring Proms artists, music and a preview of the Proms Literary Festival.
Tickets available from BBC Audience Services

Saturday 18 July, 5.15pm (before Prom 2)
Louise Fryer is joined by David Wyn Jones (Cardiff University) and conductor/ musicologist Denis McCaldin to introduce Haydn's The Creation.

Sunday 19 July, 4.15pm (before Prom 4)
Tonight's conductor Lars Ulrik Mortensen and Dr Suzanne Aspden (University of Oxford) join Catherine Bott to introduce Handel's Partenope.
Edited version broadcast on Radio 3 during tonight's interval.

Monday 20 July, 5.15pm (before Prom 5)
Stephen Johnson talks to author and lecturer Jeremy Barham and composer David Matthews about Mahler's Symphony No.9.

Wednesday 22 July, 6.15pm (before Prom 8)
To celebrate the 800th anniversary of the University of Cambridge, Louise Fryer hosts a discussion with past and present Directors of Music at King's College - Sir David Willcocks and Stephen Cleobury - alongside Nicholas Cook, Professor of Music, University of Cambridge and composer Ryan Wigglesworth. Edited version broadcast on Radio 3 during tonight's interval.
Watch the webcast

Thursday 23 July, 5.45pm (before Prom 9)
Rob Cowan discusses British music with writerbroadcasters Stephen Johnson and Piers Burton-Page.

Friday 24 July, 5.45pm (before Prom 10)
Conductor Jun Märkl and shō player Mayumi Miyata talk to Tom Service about tonight's programme.

Tuesday 28 July, 5.15pm (before Prom 16)
Christopher Cook presents the first of three talks celebrating Stravinsky ballets, discussing The Firebird and Petrushka with musicologist David Nice, and Stephanie Jordan, Research Professor at Roehampton University.
Watch the webcast

Thursday 30 July , 5.45pm (before Prom 19)
Louise Fryer talks to Professor John Deathridge (King's College London) and Mendelssohn's great-great-great-great-niece, Sheila Hayman, about his music and life in the composer's 200th-anniversary year.

Saturday 1 August, 5.45pm (before Prom 22)
Petroc Trelawny is joined by Patrick O'Connor, David Benedict and guests to explore the world of MGM film musicals.
Edited version broadcast on Radio 3 during tonight's interval.

Thursday 6 August, 5.45pm (before Prom 29)
Conductor Gianandrea Noseda and General Manager of the BBC Philharmonic, Richard Wigley, join Martin Handley to introduce tonight's programme.
Edited version broadcast on Radio 3 during tonight's interval.

Friday 7 August, 5.45pm (before Prom 30)
Members of the Aurora Orchestra perform commissions by 2008 winners of the BBC Proms Inspire Young Composers' Competition. (Limited capacity)
Edited highlights broadcast by Radio 3 following Prom 46 on 19 August.

Sunday 9 August, 5.45pm (before Prom 33)
Rex Lawson introduces the pianola, and performances of music by Chopin, Stravinsky, J. Strauss II (arr. Schulz-Evler) and Sullivan (arr. Mackerras). Presented by Petroc Trelawny.

Thursday 13 August 6.15pm (before Prom 38)
In the second of three talks celebrating Stravinsky's ballets, Christopher Cook discusses The Rite of Spring with Director of the Royal Ballet, Monica Mason, and choreographer Millicent Hodson, who has reconstructed Nijinsky's original choreography for The Rite of Spring.
Edited version broadcast on Radio 3 during tonight's interval.
Watch the webcast

Friday 14 August 5.45pm (before Prom 39)
Young Composers Proms Inspire Day: The Aurora Orchestra performs the winning entries of this year's BBC Proms Inspire Young Composers' Competition. (Limited capacity).
Edited version broadcast by Radio 3 following Prom 46 on 19 August.

Tuesday 18 August, 5.15pm (before Prom 44)
Join Iván Fischer and members of the Budapest Festival Orchestra for a special family concert designed to introduce classical music to 5- to 12-year-olds in an entertaining and interactive environment.

Wednesday 19 August, 5.45pm (before Prom 46)
Andrew McGregor discusses the music of Shostakovich with musicologist David Nice and lecturer in Russian Dr Philip Ross Bullock (University of Oxford).
Edited version broadcast on Radio 3 during tonight's interval.

Thursday 20 August, 4.45pm (before Prom 47)
Join tonight's conductor Harry Bicket and musicologist Dr Berta Joncus for an introduction to Handel's oratorio Samson, with Catherine Bott.
Edited version broadcast on Radio 3 during tonight's first interval.

Saturday 22 August, 2.30pm (before Prom 50)
Members of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra perform Boulez's 8 Notations for piano - Karim Said, piano, Anthèmes for violin - Michael Barenboim, violin and Messagesquisse (1976/77) for solo cello and accompanying six cellos - Hassan Moataz el Molla, cello. Daniel Barenboim conducts the latter work, and introduces the performances.
Recorded for future broadcast on Radio 3.

Monday 24 August, 5.45pm (before Prom 52)
Suzy Klein discusses Schnittke and Shostakovich with composer, writer and broadcaster Gerard McBurney and Russian music expert Dr Marina Frolova-Walker.
Edited version broadcast on Radio 3 during tonight's interval.

Tuesday 25 August, 5.15pm (before Prom 53)
Sir Roger Norrington is joined by musicians from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Anthony Robson (principal oboe) and Nicholas Logie (viola) to discuss the influences of anniversary composers Purcell, Handel, Haydn and Mendelssohn on British musical life. Presented by Sara Mohr-Pietsch.
Edited version broadcast on Radio 3 during tonight's interval.
Watch the webcast

Wednesday 26 August, 5.45pm (before Prom 55)
Anthony Sayer, a veteran cellist of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Elizabeth Layton (leader) and principal trumpet Mark O'Keeffe join Ian Skelly to discuss the thrills and challenges of playing in an orchestra.

Friday 28 August, 5.15pm (before Prom 57)
In the last of three talks celebrating Stravinsky's ballets, Louise Fryer is joined by composer July ian Anderson and Stravinsky biographer Stephen Walsh to discuss Stravinsky's final ballet, Agon.
Edited version broadcast on Radio 3 during tonight's interval.
Watch the webcast

Saturday 29 August, 5.15pm (before Prom 59)
Join Dr Elmar Weingarten, Executive Director of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, and musicians from the orchestra in conversation with Rob Cowan.

Tuesday 1 September, 5.45pm (before Prom 62)
Rob Cowan talks to writer-broadcasters Denis McCaldin and Lindsay Kemp about Haydn's symphonies.

Wednesday 2 September, 5.45pm (before Prom 63)
Percussionist Colin Currie and Xenakis's Friend and biographer, Nouritza Matossian join Martin Handley to discuss Xenakis and his works in tonight's Prom.
Edited version broadcast on Radio 3 during tonight's interval.

Thursday 3 September, 5.15pm (before Prom 64)
Tonight's conductor Vladimir Jurowski joins pianist Tamara Stefanovich in discussion with Sara Mohr-Pietsch. Edited version broadcast on Radio 3 during tonight's first interval.

Saturday 5 September, 5.15pm (before Prom 67)
Stephen Johnson in conversation with composer John McCabe about the process of composition and his Horn Concerto, with musicians from the Royal College of Music.

Sunday 6 September 4.45pm (before Prom 68)
National Singing Ambassador Howard Goodall introduces Handel's Messiah and performances by Sing Up choirs. Part of Proms Singing Day.

Tuesday 8 September, 5.15pm (before Prom 70)
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies celebrates his 75th birthday and talks about composition and conducting with Martin Handley. Edited version broadcast on Radio 3 during tonight's interval.
Watch the webcast

Thursday 10 September, 5.45pm (before Prom 73)
Petroc Trelawny is joined by Proms Director Roger Wright to look back at the 2009 Proms season.

Saturday 12 September, 5.00pm (before Prom 76)
Bring an instrument, or anything small that can create a sound, and join us in creating the first ever Proms Hoffnung-inspired Orchestra!
Please note that this event will now take place from 5.00pm to 5.45pm. If you are bringing an instrument, you will need to put it in the Royal Albert Hall cloakrooms during the evening concert, as we cannot allow instruments into the auditorium. Space in the cloakroom is limited so smaller instruments would be preferable!

All Proms Plus events are free of charge.
Venue: Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall of the Royal College of Music.
Capacity is limited: we advise arriving early for the more popular events.
To get your copy of the Proms Plus booklet, email proms@bbc.co.uk