Page 46 - Coverage Book_Aurora Orchestra Autumn 2020

a certain melancholy around what’s happening, because we won’t have the usual
6,000 people packed into the Royal Albert Hall to hear the orchestras and the
singers.

It hurts, but it also gives us opportunities. I’ve been working on the Proms since
2007, and this year I feel an extra intensity, an additional push to make sure this
connection happens. We can’t have an audience, but millions will be able to watch
and listen at home. We know that they’re more keen to experience it: during
lockdown, more people than ever have been listening to music, and more young
people than ever have been listening to classical music.

I’m presenting two Proms this year: I’ll be on stage with the players of Aurora
Orchestra, presenting Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony and Richard Ayres’ new
piece on Thursday 10 September, and the young musical superstars, Sheku and
Isata Kanneh-Mason – the eldest of seven musical siblings – broadcast on Friday 11
September.

The Aurora Prom will use the space of the Royal Albert Hall to delve inside
Beethoven’s music in the presentation with their conductor, Nicholas Collon. The
Kanneh-Masons will perform alone on stage, which I think will be one of the most
intimate moments in the season. Music speaks to a deep human need, and in these
Covid times the Proms are going to do their best to answer that need.

Josie d’Arby
I’m really looking forward to the Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason recital Prom. Every
time I mention Sheku I worry people might think it’s because we’re both black – it
really isn’t. I am not someone who venerates either music or musicians but it has
happened to me at times to be totally captivated by someone’s gift on stage.

As I sat in the middle of the front row for his first category final performance in BBC
Young Musician, his string broke. My heart was in my mouth, he left the stage and
when he came back on, rather than back off he went harder at it. I thought, “Wow,
this kid’s got guts.” His choices, the maturity, his stage presence, his understanding
of the emotions, his tone and timing, it was all very moving and I promise it had
nothing to do with race and everything to do with seeing a true artist in embryo back
then.

Sheku and Isata, his sister, always have a great connection on stage and a fresh yet
authentic take on the greats of the Western classical canon. They programme very
well and are coming into their own as performers. I also know they’re chomping at
the bit to get back to live performance so this will be very exciting for them. And
special for us. I can’t wait.