Eighteen HarrisonParrott artists feature at the annual BBC Proms in London.
Five of the artists are set to make their BBC Proms debuts at this year’s festival, the first of which is made by cellist Sol Gabetta who performs Elgar’s Cello Concerto at the First Night of the Proms on 15 July. Returning to conduct the First Night for the second year running is Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo.
On 18 July pianist Behzod Abduraimov makes his Proms debut, performing Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.3 with the Münchner Philharmoniker under Valery Gergiev. HarrisonParrott is delighted to manage the orchestra’s tour to London.
Violinist Esther Yoo makes her Proms debut on 23 and 24 July, performing at two BBC Ten Pieces concerts. The BBC New Generation Artist plays Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending with the BBC Philharmonic and Alpesh Chauhan. These performances conclude a successful season for Esther, which has featured the release of her debut album for Deutsche Grammophon and her BBC Radio 3 Wigmore Hall debut.
On 5 August violinist Pekka Kuusisto makes his much-anticipated Proms debut performing Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Thomas Dausgaard.
The final HarrisonParrott artist Proms debut takes place at the Last Night of the Proms on 10 September. Soprano Lauren Fagan joins the lineup of singers for the concert conducted by Sakari Oramo and featuring tenor Juan Diego Flórez.
As well as the First and Last Nights of the Proms, Sakari Oramo conducts two further concerts with BBCSO on 10 and 14 August. These two performances feature works by Dutilleux, Gruber and Beethoven, and Haydn, Bray and Mahler respectively.
Making his 25th Proms appearance this year, pianist Stephen Hough performs Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini on 23 August with BBCSO under the baton of Alexander Vedernikov.
Two other HarrisonParrott cellists perform at the 2016 Proms. On 3 August Alban Gerhardt plays Dvořák’s Cello Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and its Principal Conductor and Artistic Director, Charles Dutoit. Truls Mørk then returns to the festival on 25 August to perform Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No.1 with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Vasily Petrenko.
Also making a return to the Proms this year is François Leleux who plays Richard Strauss’ Oboe Concerto with the Aurora Orchestra and Nicholas Collon on 31 July — the oboist last appeared at the festival in 2009 with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Proms regular Oliver Knussen conducts the BBCSO on 4 August in a programme featuring Brahms’ Piano Concerto No.2 and the UK premiere of de Leeuw’s Der nächtlige Wanderer. On 16 August Harry Christophers leads a late night prom of Bach & Pärt with The Sixteen.
Two of Jörg Widmann’s compositions feature at this year’s Proms. On 1 August, the BBC Philharmonic under John Storgårds perform the UK premiere of Armonica and then on 17 August the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra conducted by Daniel Barenboim play Con Brio.
On 27 August soprano Barbara Hannigan returns to the Proms to give the London premiere of one of her signature pieces — let me tell you by Abrahamsen — with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Chief Conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla. The recording of the work with Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks and Andris Nelsons was released on Winter & Winter in January 2016 to great acclaim.
Other singers appearing at this year’s Proms include bass Ain Anger who brings his acclaimed interpretation of Pimen (Boris Godunov) to the festival on 16 July. Conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano, this performance follows the Royal Opera House Covent Garden’s new production earlier this season. Proms regular, tenor John Daszak, joins the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Vladimir Jurowski on 24 July for Beethoven’s Symphony No.9, and soprano Golda Schultz performs in a chamber concert at Cadogan Hall on 25 July. Finally, Finnish soprano Karita Mattila brings her powerful portrayal of Emilia Marty in Janáček’s Věc Makropulos to the Royal Albert Hall on 19 August, performing with BBCSO under Jiří Bělohlávek.
