Like every summer, the BBC Proms are in full swing. And like every other Proms, people have strong opinions. As soon as they are announced, there is the usual pile-on from parts of the media about dumbing down, and from some sections of the audience and even the profession, that because there are one or two concerts that are not for them, the whole festival is ruined.
The biggest criticism usually comes around concerts that don’t fit into the traditional classical music concert format. Pop cross-overs, film music, and this year the Traitors Prom and a concert by Jade Thirlwall, formerly of Little Mix.
If the BBC Proms is meant to be “the world's greatest classical music festival” with an aim “to bring the best in classical music to the widest possible audience”, how can those concerts fit?
I recently spoke with Sam Jackson, controller of BBC Radio 3 and the Proms on my podcast and it got me thinking.
Not all of the proms are for you. Not only is that ok, it’s the whole point. Here’s why…
