Late Night Proms
From star violinist Nigel Kennedy performing solo Bach to the Proms debut of the Spaghetti Western Orchestra, and from Renaissance choral music to Steve Reich's Minimalism, the intimate and atmospheric Late Night Proms bring an eclectic range of music to the festival. ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Four will capture the special atmosphere of four of the Late Night Proms.
The Late Night Proms include:
- The Belcea Quartet and cellist Valentin Erben perform Schubert's powerful and moving String Quintet, written just months before his death ().
- ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 3 World Routes Academy returns with a vibrant programme of South Indian classical music from leading Indian vocalist Aruna Sairam and her protégé Hari Sivanesan, who plays one of India's oldest instruments, the veena ().
- The folk-influenced work of Percy Grainger is explored by the Northern Sinfonia and John Harle with guests including Northumbrian smallpiper Kathryn Tickell and English folk singer June Tabor (). Recorded for broadcast on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Four on 14 August.
- Renaissance vocal specialists The Tallis Scholars and the group's director Peter Phillips mark the 400th anniversary of the death of Tomás Luis de Victoria with the magisterial Requiem ().
- Nigel Kennedy returns to the Proms for an all-Bach solo recital which promises to be a highlight of the season (). Recorded for broadcast on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Four on 9 September.
- Steve Reich, one of the founding fathers of American Minimalism, who celebrates his 75th birthday in 2011, joins Synergy Vocals and Ensemble Modern in a Late Night Prom featuring three of his seminal works: Clapping Music, Electric Counterpoint and Music For 18 Musicians ().
- The inimitable Spaghetti Western Orchestra makes its Proms debut with a quirky take on the film music of Ennio Morricone (). Recorded for broadcast on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Four on 26 August.
- Violinist Viktoria Mullova and her husband, cellist Matthew Barley, create a programme of gypsy music and jazz, including a piece by Kodály, with a small ensemble of friends including jazz pianist Julian Joseph ().
- Andrew Manze conducts his first Prom as Associate Guest Conductor of the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Scottish Symphony Orchestra, joined by pianist Angela Hewitt for Schumann's rarely performed Introduction and Concert Allegro (). Recorded for broadcast on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Four on 2 September.
- Marc-André Hamelin gives a solo piano recital exploring the piano music of Liszt ().
- Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra bravely hand over control to the audience, taking requests and creating the first Audience Choice Prom ().
- Jazz vocalist Claire Martin joins the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Big Band and Jiggs Whigham to celebrate the centenary of Stan Kenton, the famous band leader of the Forties and Fifties ().