Proms Plus and Family Fun

Designed to enhance audience engagement by providing context, insight and entry points to the music, Proms Plus comprises six categories: Intro, Literary, Sing, Family, Portrait and Late.

Proms Plus Intro

The 28 Intros give the audience an opportunity to learn more about the repertoire in that evening’s Prom. Central to the 2014 Proms is a celebration of classical music from around the world with more international orchestras performing than ever before, and Proms Plus Intro puts the spotlight on the following countries: Turkey (29 July), the Czech Republic (24 August), Hungary (25 August), South Korea (27 August) and Singapore (2 September). Other talks focus on works ranging from Strauss’s operas (22 July, 30 & 31 August) and Janáček’s epic Glagolitic Mass (24 July) to the theology surrounding Bach’s St John Passion (26 July).

Proms Plus Literary

High-profile speakers explore the cultural themes behind the music and celebrate the literary world. Amongst events marking the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, Booker Prize-winning novelist Pat Barker and poet Owen Sheers discuss writers’, musicians’ and painters’ responses to war (20 July) and the award-winning novelist and poet Helen Dunmore joins writer Simon Heffer to explore the myths and realities behind the idea of the Lost Generation (17 August). Other highlights include poet and playwright Tony Harrison discussing his commitment to the classics, poetic language and political writing (7 August), the current National Poet of Wales Gillian Clarke exploring the legacy of Dylan Thomas in his centenary year (11 August), novelist and essayist Martin Amis discussing 'The Zone of Interest', his 14th novel, in which he revisits the Holocaust for the first time since his controversial book, 'Time's Arrow' (29 August) and poets Kate Clanchy and Andrew Motion exploring the writing of Philip Larkin and his collection Whitsun Weddings which was first published 50 years ago in 1964 (5 September).

Proms Plus Sing

A series of workshops aimed at providing a vocal insight into a range of works and composers featured at this year’s Proms, from the familiar to the less well-known. It offers singers of all levels of experience, or none at all, the chance to join choral leaders and members of the BBC Singers to delve into the repertoire before hearing the complete works performed at the Proms. Music explored includes Bach’s St John Passion (26 July), music from Kiss Me, Kate (2 August), Britten’s War Requiem (17 August) and Bach’s St Matthew Passion (6 September) as well as a Last Night singalong (13 September).

Proms Plus Family

A series of free family-friendly workshops at the Royal College of Music, introducing families to the music that will be performed at that evening’s Prom in a fun and interactive way. The sessions are led by presenters Rachel Leach, Natasha Zielazinski and Detta Danford, and families are invited to bring along their instruments and enjoy a journey through the music of works being performed that evening, from Strauss’s Till Eulenspiegel and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 (21 July), to Ravel’s Scheherazade (23 August) and the music of Aaron Copland (9 September).

Proms Plus Family Orchestra & Chorus

Families of all musical abilities are invited to join professional musicians in playing and creating music together. This year’s family orchestras will take inspiration from the first ever War Horse Prom (3 August) amongst others.

Proms Plus Composer Portrait

Four of the composers whose works are being performed at this year’s festival offer an insight into the creative composition process in events held at the Royal College of Music. David Horne (25 July), Sally Beamish (1 August), Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (14 August) and Sir Harrison Birtwistle (10 September) will all discuss their works with Radio 3 presenter Andrew McGregor, and introduce live chamber performances of their works.

Proms Plus Late

Relaxed and informal post-Prom events featuring poetry and music from exciting young talent in the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room, hosted by Georgia Mann-Smith.

Family Prom

For the first time, the BBC’s pre-school channel for children, CBeebies, collaborates with the BBC Proms in two special concerts with the BBC Philharmonic and conductor Stephen Bell. Encouraging learning through music, well-known characters from the Cbeebies channel will take to the Royal Albert Hall stage in two matinee performances (26 & 27 July).

Inspire

Now in its 16th year, the BBC Proms Inspire Young Composers’ Competition is the festival’s search for the nation’s brightest young composers. The deadline for entries is 22 May and winning and highly commended entries will be performed by the Aurora Orchestra conducted by Nicholas Collon at the Inspire Young Composers’ concert at the Royal College of Music (20 August). A series of four free composition workshops also take place throughout the Proms season.

For the third year running, seats are half-price for those aged 18 and under for all Proms concerts across the season (except for the Last Night).