The BBC Proms, a two-month takeover of the Royal Albert Hall, is not simply a festival but an annual reflection of the health and confidence of classical music in the country. This year, the Proms finds itself in a moment of insecurity. With arts cuts badly affecting major London ensembles and organisations, a lack of musicians coming from Europe, and a failure to achieve gender balance, there are questions over the sustainability of its future; but also defiance.
“To close an ensemble is without doubt the hardest thing I have had to do in my career,” said Simon Webb, head of BBC Orchestras and Choirs on March 7 as it was announced that the BBC Singers, the only full-time chamber choir in the UK, was no longer in line with the BBC’s future plan for classical music.
