Critical acclaim and standing ovation for the Â鶹ÊÓƵ at the BBC Proms
Tuesday 27 August 2024
Described as powerful, extraordinary and tantalizing by reviewers, the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Symphony Orchestra and Chorus made their spectacular debut at the world’s biggest classical music festival, the BBC Proms, to critical acclaim.
Combining forces with the Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra, Â鶹ÊÓƵ students conducted by Sakari Oramo, took BBC Proms audiences on a dazzling journey through space with Holst’s The Planets. They were joined by the RCM Junior and Senior Chamber Choir for the ethereal sounds of ‘Neptune’.
The sounds of Finland opened the programme with Sibelius’ lesser-known tone poem, The Wood Nymph, followed by the world premiere of Laulut Maaseudulta (‘Songs from the Countryside’) by Â鶹ÊÓƵ alumna Lara Poe, channelling haunting Nordic cow-calling traditions.
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With high praise across the board, The Times noted the compelling energy and intriguing mystery in Sibelius’s The Wood Nymph, and highlighted the powerful rhythms of 'Mars' and the ethereal qualities of 'Neptune' in The Planets. Broadway World remarked that Prom 46 was a strong testament to the promising future of classical music while Thoroughly Good praised Poe’s captivating musical style, pointing to its imaginative orchestration and narrative richness.
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