EVERY year the BBC Proms brings with it tons of discussion, reflections, and chatter about what was the most impactful Prom or which new piece is going to be the next BIG work which becomes part of the regular concert programme.

This year is no exception, even though we are about half-way through there have been some interesting talking points and works that have sprung forward.

The Proms this year have embarked on arguably their biggest push to have elements of the Proms featuring across the UK — including Belfast, Gateshead, and Liverpool (to name a few). I must admit, when I initially saw this in the programme, I had a sense of trepidation.

As the first of these “regional Proms” was Hebrides Ensemble playing Xenakis in Belfast, my heart sunk a bit as it felt more like an attempt to tick the “mark the centenary box” without allowing it into the Albert Hall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfJXj0xmmmg

However, this feeling has changed somewhat. What this concert did was bring in an audience who wanted to see a Prom and introducing evocative music of Iannis Xenakis to a new audience, as opposed to the traditional adoring fans.

This was quite an important step to take, though I feel there needs to be a much bolder goal with it, seeing the initial success of it I do hope they are bolder moving forward.

Imagine if over the span of the Proms each significant city in Britain had their own Prom, which not only brought the glamour and prestige of the largest classical music festival in the world but could be a chance to celebrate local composers and musicians!

With so much of the art world in Britain being dominated by London, to mould the Proms in such a way that could show off talent and voices who are overlooked simply because of where they live.

Arguably this Proms causes a lot of division between composers, audiences, game composers, film composers, and many others in the artistic world, as the question of whether a medium which is built for a format like video games suits a concert halls still remains to have a clear-cut answer.

Game music stands separate from electronic music, as the production wasn’t as elaborate, and experimenting didn’t function in the same way. And ultimately, the little earworms were meant to fill a void but not function narratively.

As the video game world has gotten so elaborate, with games being so high-tech and driven by so much wealth production of video game soundtracks and music has become much more grandiose in character. The music for video games like Dark Souls feels extremely distinct from Mario’s distinct little jingle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB6sOhQan9Y

I feel the Gaming Prom is a necessity because its musical influence is huge and for many it is the first chance they get to engage with orchestral music, but this should come with rigorous discussion. This means having composers critiquing and challenging the quality of the music from a concert perspective — just because a piece in a videogame suits the mood does not mean it sparks same response.

So overall, I want the format to stay, but I want the sphere to be more self-critical and expand itself and try to move away from hackneyed stereotypes.

The television broadcasts also cause a bit of a stir, as indignant supporters of the Proms wonder why the beloved festival is not shown more on British television — especially considering the BBC’s role in the festival.

Across the entire season, only 23 Proms make it to our TV screens. The First and Last night are a given and considering the reactionary response to people questioning whether Rule Britannia should remain in the last night of the Proms, I can only imagine the bedlam if it was ever suggested that the last night gets removed from our TV screens.

Now, not having the luxury of being a fly on the wall during the discussions between BBC Execs and the Proms organisers, it is hard to truly understand how accepting or how hostile the BBC Execs are to the Proms on TV.

The two elements that really influence this are the reduction in BBC channels, the announcement of BBC Four and CBBC joining BBC Three as online services amid other cuts means the literal space for the Proms is significantly smaller — however one has to ask why the BBC hasn’t resorted to a dedicated arts channel like Arte, it would free up space for other programming and would also mean broadcasting of the arts could be more adventurous.

The second being the difference in vision between the BBC and the Proms. Without inventing hostility between the departments, when you compare how adventurous the Proms are this year (and have been in previous years), you have to ask why the TV broadcasting isn’t as adventurous?

Overall, with the broadcasting issue, I hope it vastly improves in some form — be it through dedicated streaming or arts TV channel. Though some may see this as a culture snob trying to dictate to TV viewers what they should enjoy, but when we are in a situation where the Proms organisers are wanting to improve and make the Proms reflective of British society, it feels like the cards are stacked against them.

Overall, it is a wonderful thing the Proms are still going, despite hostility to arts and culture we see in many guises.

My hope is there is an upswing in interest in the Proms as this genuine source of national pride could still be so much more — however it needs input to help make it happen.

If it is only Etonians and Oxbridge graduates watching the content of the Proms, the Proms won’t reflect our class — however if we in the workers’ movement demand more of our cultural institutions imagine what the Proms could look like.

This is ultimately my dream for the Proms — until then, I’ll keep tuning in to see what catches my fancy.