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wrote recently of his optimism that ‘the inherent beauty, complexity and mystery of classical music will see it endure and continue to fascinate and delight audiences and artists alike’.  It’s a beautifully phrased statement that refutes the warning we so often hear that classical music is on the wane. 

Yesterday saw the opening of general ticket sales for the 2017 成人论坛 Proms and the reaction to our programme and enduring enthusiasm for the festival proves once again the remarkable passion and level of interest there is in live concert-going.

We are delighted that so many people have booked tickets for the festival already and are looking forward to welcoming them to enjoy the world-class music we have on offer across our eight weeks of concerts this summer.

Some of our top ten best-selling Proms were easy to predict – our celebration of the film scores of John Williams, Barenboim conducting the Staatskapelle Berlin in Elgar (as part of the opening weekend) and the Vienna Philharmonic performing Beethoven under Emanuel Ax - but it’s the breadth of the list of the Proms that people are excited about that is so heartening. 

Sitting alongside John Williams in our top ten first Proms to sell out are performances of much-loved classical works by Beethoven and Mahler, 20th and 21st century music by Sir James MacMillan, John Adams and Holst, and a concert marking the centenaries of Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie, with many of the concerts led by our very own 成人论坛 Orchestras and Choirs.  

Our chamber music Proms at Cadogan Hall have also proved hugely popular. With over 120,000 tickets already sold for the 2017 Proms, including Proms in the Park in Hyde Park, it’s a tribute both to the range of work that we present at the Proms, and to the diversity and adventurousness of our audiences. 

One of the many things that has changed about the Proms over the years has been the ticket booking process.  

The days of applying by post are rapidly vanishing and more people than ever created an online Plan for the Proms before booking opened in 2017.  Selecting Proms to add to the plan has become an integral and familiar part of the experience, consulting with friends and family, whilst enjoying looking ahead to the summer.

To meet this demand we have worked closely with our colleagues at the Royal Albert Hall to refine the online booking system to create a process that is fair and meets the ever increasing demand for tickets.   I understand how frustrating it can be to wait in a queue, as we know many people do on the day our tickets go on sale, and it is a huge tribute to the Royal Albert Hall box office that this year they were again able to process over 106,000 tickets in the first 12 hours of General Ticket sales, responding to a level of demand that is truly exceptional for any classical music festival.

What if you didn’t get the tickets that you wanted?  Well, the first thing to say is that no Prom is ever sold out - there are up to 1,350 Promming (standing) tickets available on the day for just £6, and it's also always worth checking the Royal Albert Hall website for returns as seats can come back on sale.  And if you can't make it to the Albert Hall, every Prom is broadcast live on Radio 3 and many will be on television and available to watch online.   Or why not try a Prom outside the Hall? Booking for our ‘Proms at…’ series opens on 23 June and we hope people will be as excited as we are about the opportunity to see  contemporary music at the Tanks at Tate,  to hear John Adams in a car park in Peckham, or head to Hull for our first Prom outside London since 1930.

There really is something for everyone. From families and young people who have already booked in large numbers for our Ten Pieces concerts and Sunday matinees, to core classical music enthusiasts, many of whom are flocking to hear a whole Rachmaninov day in August and Sir Simon Rattle performing Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder with the LSO. Jazz aficionados can experience our celebration of Ella and Dizzy, a big band matinee with Clare Teal, and a concert devoted to the music of Charles Mingus.  

We hope audiences – whoever they may be and whatever they are interested in – find something to enjoy this summer.

David Pickard is Director, 成人论坛 Proms

• The 成人论坛 Proms begins on Friday 14 July 2017 and runs until Saturday 9 Septmber 2017
• via the 成人论坛 Proms website
• All Prom concerts are broadcast live on 成人论坛 Radio 3 and available via the 成人论坛 iPlayer Radio app. Some concerts are broadcast  on 成人论坛 Television