The future of the BBC Proms hangs in the balance, with cuts looming, gender imbalance rife and post-Brexit travel woes. But Hattie Butterworth argues it’s a testament to the artform’s resilience.
The BBC Proms, a two-month takeover of the Royal Albert Hall, is not simply a festival but an annual reflection of the health and confidence of classical music in the country. This year, the Proms finds itself in a moment of insecurity. With arts cuts badly affecting major London ensembles and organisations, a lack of musicians coming from Europe, and a failure to achieve gender balance, there are questions over the sustainability of its future; but also defiance.
“To close an ensemble is without doubt the hardest thing I have had to do in my career,” said Simon Webb, head of BBC Orchestras and Choirs on March 7 as it was announced that the BBC Singers, the only full-time chamber choir in the UK, was no longer in line with the BBC’s future plan for classical music.
Less than two months later — following petitions, high-profile support and accusations of “cultural vandalism” — the decision to close the group was suspended. The choir won back its viability, and was instead invited to sing at no less than five BBC Proms concerts at this year’s festival. Shot into stardom, the potential closure of the BBC Singers now means holding onto them ever-more tightly...Keep reading on Evening Standard.
The BBC Proms, a two-month takeover of the Royal Albert Hall, is not simply a festival but an annual reflection of the health and confidence of classical music in the country. This year, the Proms finds itself in a moment of insecurity. With arts cuts badly affecting major London ensembles and organisations, a lack of musicians coming from Europe, and a failure to achieve gender balance, there are questions over the sustainability of its future; but also defiance.
“To close an ensemble is without doubt the hardest thing I have had to do in my career,” said Simon Webb, head of BBC Orchestras and Choirs on March 7 as it was announced that the BBC Singers, the only full-time chamber choir in the UK, was no longer in line with the BBC’s future plan for classical music.
Less than two months later — following petitions, high-profile support and accusations of “cultural vandalism” — the decision to close the group was suspended. The choir won back its viability, and was instead invited to sing at no less than five BBC Proms concerts at this year’s festival. Shot into stardom, the potential closure of the BBC Singers now means holding onto them ever-more tightly...Keep reading on Evening Standard.