”Relaxed” performances are inclusive by nature, and particularly appeal to audiences with special needs. Where classical music is often seen as strict or stuffy, this one-hour morning Prom is the complete opposite. This Prom sees children enjoying piggy-back rides, clambering over the seats, dancing with their dad, or running around the arena. All audience members – only a few hundred people in the 6,000-capacity Royal Albert Hall – are free to conduct along, stretch, shout, or make funny noises.
You might think that all this audience behaviour would detract from the programme; in fact the opposite is true. When the mighty, 9,999-pipe organ and hefty percussion kick in for the finale of Walton’s “Orb and Sceptre” (1953), shouts of “Wow!” only enhance the enjoyment of this classic.
Nothing can distract us from a glorious and inspiring performance of Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4 (1786), performed by German soloist Felix Klieser. Klieser has a striking disability — he was born with no arms — but he has mastered playing the French horn with his left foot. While you’ve probably already seen one of Klieser’s videos on YouTube, the live experience is unmatched: Klieser’s tone deftly navigates moments of whistle-like purity alongside hunting-like growls.
The highs and lows of the final “Allegro vivace” movement from Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 2 (1907) offers a perfect showcase for the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, introduced by a quick, insightful conversation between chief conductor Kirill Karabits and CBBC presenter Naomi Wilkinson. A brief excerpt from Skoryk’s film score to Ukrainian classic The High Pass (1981) complete the morning’s super-accessible programme of beautiful melodies.
Tickets for all 71 Proms are available from just £8 on the BBC Proms 2023 website.
