Presenting... Naomi Wilkinson and Lemn Sissay

This year the Ten Pieces Proms will be presented by two of our film stars, Naomi Wilkinson and Lemn Sissay. We caught up with both of them to find out how they are preparing for the show.

What has your involvement been with the Ten Pieces project so far?

Naomi in a Ten Pieces Live Lessons rehearsal with the BBC Philharmonic

I was absolutely delighted to be involved in the filming for the second Ten Pieces film, introducing two pieces from Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ with Bobby Lockwood. Since then, I attended the premiere of the film, presented a BBC Live Lessons alongside Alex James from Blur and I have been having a great time travelling around the country hosting the Ten Pieces schools concerts.

Your presenting partner in crime will be Lemn Sissay who you worked with on the Ten Pieces Live Lessons, are you looking forward to reuniting for the Proms?

It’s going to be brilliant to work with the super talented Lemn again. He was a lot of fun to hang out with during the Live Lessons and I’m hoping to pick up a few more poetry tips from him.

What does presenting the Ten Pieces Proms at the Royal Albert Hall mean to you?

I can’t tell you how excited I am, not just to go to the Proms for the first time ever, but also to have the opportunity to present at the Royal Albert Hall. It is going to be such an honour. When I first heard about the project I thought it was an awesome idea, especially as music has been such a big part of my life and brought me such happiness, so I really hope this concert will inspire more young people to give classical music a go.

How do you prepare for your performance, do you have any rituals?

Naomi rehearsing a script for Ten Pieces Live Lessons

I try to warm up my voice with some humming and other strange sounds that I have been assured help to prepare your vocal chords. And I spend a lot of time trying to thoroughly learn my script and make plenty of notes about where I am supposed to be throughout the performance.

Have you got a posh frock ready for the Ten Pieces Proms?

As it is my first Proms I think it will have to be something special. I haven’t organized my outfit yet, so I’d better hit the shops pretty soon!

Which of the Ten Pieces are you most looking forward to seeing performed and why?

I think Verdi’s ‘Dies Irae’ will be pretty epic on the night. Not only will the outstanding BBC Philharmonic Orchestra be playing the music beautifully, but a large choir will also be singing their hearts out and so it is sure to sound incredible.

Why is it important to have a Ten Pieces Proms?

It is so important to have a Ten Pieces Proms because classical music is definitely not just for old people. Since I was a young girl classical music has brought me such joy and I want to pass on that joy to young people. If we can introduce kids to a whole new world of music that they have never listened to before, then we might just spark the imagination of a modern day Mozart.

What are you hoping the audience will take away from it?

I hope that some of the kids who attend will leave wanting to start playing an instrument, or want to go online and find some more classical music to listen to. I really hope they will fall in love with the way an orchestra sounds and have an exciting and emotional experience that they won’t forget in a hurry.