A new venue - and a new producer - for Proms in the Park in Wales

This year marks a series of firsts for BBC Proms in the Park. The first time this event has been held in north Wales, the first time it’s been held at a sporting venue ...and the first time I’ve produced it - gulp!

Proms in the Park is one of my favourite events, it brings the BBC Proms season to a close with a big celebration of music around the UK. I’ve worked on several over the years but in a completely different role. I’d usually spend the day interviewing the artists before setting off, with my camera crew, to film in the middle of the crowd during the concert itself. It was great roaming around seeing people setting up their deckchairs and filling their picnic tables with all sorts of delights. All around the champagne corks were popping! On top of that I had the best view of the stage and I have to admit I would get a little carried away singing along at the top of my voice!

This year I’ve been tasked with producing the event. This involves booking the artists, discussing repertoire choices and putting together a running order for the show. There’s also the small matter of editing a TV programme that transmits just 24 hours later.

So, as the enormity of the task (and the panic) set in I thought back to my previous Proms in the Park experiences of wandering around the crowd. If I was an audience member sitting on the pitch in Parc Eirias, Colwyn Bay, what kind of show would I want to see? I’d want world class artists, to hear the orchestra play some big powerful well-loved pieces, and above all I’d want to have fun.

So, who should the artists be? 2016 couldn’t have started any better for Amy Wadge as she won a Grammy for Thinking Out Loud - a song she co-wrote with Ed Sheeran. She’s a singer-songwriter that I’ve admired for a long time and I could only imagine how her stunning compositions would sound with the accompaniment of an orchestra.

I’m lucky enough to work on BBC Young Musician. With every series I’m blown away by the talent - and 2016 was an exceptional year. The Final was the best I’ve witnessed. Sheku Kenneh-Mason was triumphant with a performance of Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto that will stay with me for a very long time. During the series I filmed with Sheku and his family on several occasions. They are the nicest, most generous people I’ve ever met. I can’t wait for him to share his music with the audience in Colwyn Bay.

I love opera. It makes me laugh, it makes me cry and it can leave me breathless. In Wales - I don’t know how we do it - but we manage to produce some of the best singers in the world. Some voices can fill a concert hall but in a stadium like Parc Eirias you need something more. Personality - and bags of it! As his Radio Wales show proves, there’s one person who has enough personality to fill two stadiums - the one and only Wynne Evans.

And finally who should our special guest artist be? Well I have to admit I’ve been a little self indulgent here. As someone who grew up in the 80s I spent hours in front of the mirror, hairbrush in hand, singing along to the songs of Spandau Ballet. Would there be any chance that Tony Hadley would like a weekend in the Riviera of the north? Nervously I dialled his agent’s number. The answer - “Tony would 100% love to be involved”. Woo-hoo! Will I be singing along to his set on Saturday night? You bet!

So next on the list was the repertoire. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work closely with the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales during the last few months. We’ve had several fun-filled meetings discussing music choices, going from the sublime - to the ridiculous! Again we approached this process as though we were audience members. What would keep us entertained? In the end we’ve chosen pieces that are challenging, varied and engaging. There are even plenty of opportunities for the audience to sing along!

So to the third requirement - will it be a fun-filled evening? Well, you’ll just have to come along and see!

BBC Proms in the Park - Colwyn Bay

Saturday, September 10