The 2026 BBC Proms have been announced and we’re immensely proud to see such a strong presence of RNCM alumni, honorands, and professional partners across the illustrious line-up.
From London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall to venues across the UK, the season offers an extraordinary programme of symphonic landmarks, contemporary premieres, choral celebrations, and genre-blurring performances.
Highlights for the RNCM community include Prog Rock: A Fanfare for the Common Man (Sat 18 Jul, Royal Albert Hall), presented by RNCM Honorary Member Stuart Maconie; Black Dyke Band (Sun 19 Jul, Royal Albert Hall), featuring alumnus David Childs (euphonium) and honorand Nicholas Childs (conductor); and Beethoven’s Ninth (Mon 20 Jul, Royal Albert Hall), performed by professional partner the BBC Philharmonic, conducted by honorand Gianandrea Noseda and featuring alumnus Abel Selaocoe (cello).
Further highlights include The Unthanks and friends (Thu 23 Jul, Middlesbrough), featuring professional partner the Royal Northern Sinfonia, conducted by alumna Ellie Slorach; Choirs on the Concourse (Sat 24 Jul, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Gateshead), featuring Roderick Williams and Junior RNCM alumna Jess Gillam, with music by composition graduate Shruthi Rajasekar; and Rachmaninov’s Second Symphony (Wed 5 Aug, Royal Albert Hall), with professional partner the Hallé and featuring alumna Alexandra Dariescu (piano).
This year’s Proms also feature compositions by alumni Michael Betteridge and Carmel Smickersgill, while vocal alumni David Butt Philip and Liam James Karai appear in Glyndebourne’s production of Ariadne auf Naxos (Wed 19 Aug, Royal Albert Hall). RNCM Companion and former International Chair in Conducting Sir Mark Elder also leads the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique and Monteverdi Choir in Weber’s Oberon (Thu 6 Aug, Royal Albert Hall).
