Check out the star-studded line-up, from a celebrity conductor to a royal cellist.
Few music festivals are more than one hundred years old, but that’s just one of the many reasons that the BBC Proms is special. With roots dating back to 1895, the event is one of the world’s biggest classical music festivals.
Today, it has become a staple in the London calendar and takes place annually in the Royal Albert Hall. Running from 18 July to 14 September, it’s bursting with local and international talent. So, whether you’re a classical music connoisseur or curious, here’s how to watch the show(s).
BBC Proms history
BBC Proms aims to bring classical music to the widest possible audience. Impresario Robert Newman hoped that low ticket prices and an informal atmosphere would attract a new audience, and Henry Wood was one of the first conductors at the inaugural event.
It wasn’t until 1927 that the BBC took over the management of the concerts, and the festival received its current name. Fun fact: The name is short for "promenade concerts," which were shows where people could stand and listen.
Over the years, the BBC Proms has been home to not only entertaining but historic events. The festival even ran during World War I and World War II. The show still went on, although some seasons were shortened. Plus, in 2011, a pro-Palestinian protest outside the Royal Albert Hall forced the show to come off air.
When you attend the BBC Proms, there is no formal dress code. If you want to dress up, you can; if you don’t, nobody is judging. The audience is encouraged to get into the spirit of the event, and you will find people waving the British flags at the Last Night of the Proms. If you attend this event, Jerusalem, Rule, Britannia, and the British national anthem are traditionally played at the end.
BBC Proms 2025 line-up
This year’s season features 86 concerts across the UK, including flagship events at London’s Royal Albert Hall and regional performances in cities such as Bradford, Belfast, Bristol, and Gateshead. More than 3,000 musicians will take part, including 21 renowned international ensembles like the Vienna Philharmonic and Royal Concertgebouw, making this one of the most expansive Proms seasons to date.
A significant milestone this year is the increased spotlight on female talent. With a record number of 15 women conductors participating, including Elim Chan, who leads the historic all-female "Last Night of the Proms", the season champions diversity in classical music. Highlights include world premieres by composers such as Rachel Portman, Camille Pépin, and Mark Simpson, alongside special tributes to music greats like Shostakovich, Ravel, Berio, and Arvo Pärt.
Among the standout concerts is a theatrically styled “Traitors Prom”, inspired by the hit BBC show and hosted by Claudia Winkleman. Another major draw is the overnight "From Dusk Till Dawn" performance curated by Anna Lapwood, which takes audiences on a nocturnal musical journey from 11pm to sunrise. Fans of cinematic scores will enjoy the National Youth Orchestra’s performance of Holst’s The Planets paired with music from Star Wars, while the Aurora Orchestra will impress by performing Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony entirely from memory.
There’s something for all tastes, from Anoushka Shankar’s return with orchestral interpretations of her Grammy-nominated work, to a Proms debut by St. Vincent. Pianist Yunchan Lim will perform Rachmaninov’s Fourth Piano Concerto, and one-handed pianist Nicholas McCarthy will present Ravel’s rarely played Left Hand Concerto, marking a Proms first since the 1930s.
Happy Proms.
GO: Visit www.bbc.co.uk/proms for more information.