Well, it turns out that my friend is performing in the first Lunchtime Prom concert, playing Bach and Paganini, and will probably do an interview with Radio 3 as well.

Do lunchtime concerts get broadcast?

Who is your friend? (I'm too lazy to search for Prom listings!)

The 19 year old Chinese violinist Jiafeng Chen

Yes.

YAY!!

Wow, how do you know this dude?

My friend at the RNCM went to Chets with him.

So more a friend of a friend...?

How, um, remote. In the unlikely event that anyone's interested, I'm married to someone who's performing in one of this year's "proper" Proms (i.e. not a lunchtime chamber recital) - Husband is singing in the performance of Alexander Nevsky on 29th July, so if you're not going to the Forums Stalybridge concert, tune in!

If we're on the subject of Proms performers we know, I was at school with one of the viola players in the BBCSO; we both went to the same school as one of the rentaband period instrument flautists.

Oh, and I once received a cold and clammy peck on the cheek from Leonard Slatkin in front of a television audience of millions .

Oooh, envy.... hehe

How is Husband perchance, looking forward to the concert?

I-L I can't find your violinist friend's name in my Proms guide. Which Prom is he playing in?

I know someone who knows someone whose father used to be a techie for Iron Maiden.

My mum was in Oliver at school...the Artful Dodger was Ben Elton

WOW!! I'm impressed

It's only a lunchtime one which should have been today I believe *hides*

But the Proms don't start until tomorrow. Is your friend's friend actually playing in any kind of Prom or not?

The only mentions I can find for Jiafeng Chen performing in July are with Chet's Symphony Orchestra last week.

Shame really, he sounds to be a very able young man and it would have been good to hear a performance. Whether it was a prom or not.

He seems to be playing tomorrow in Trafalgar Square which will then broadcast the First Night of the Proms when they are on. Some sort of pre-Prom entertainment? http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/venues/trafalgar.shtml

Oh right. Thanks Trebor

In which case, the answer to IL's original question is no, the Trafalgar Square gig won't be broadcast.

My viola teacher's children's Godfather is principal violist in the BBCSO (I think it's the SO )

I saw one of his CSO concerts last week and by gum he was AMAZING!

He very well might have told me wrong info or mislead me or something. Either way, he's performing very soon in London

Thanks Trebor, that explains it then.

Deborah, her hubby and I were all involved in pre-prom entertaiments, but those were the ones the prommers did. Deborah played her clarinet. I sang, played my oboe and conducted (though not at the same time) and Mr Deborah sang.

Oh those were the days BC (before children)!

Nearly, but not quite - clarinet's never been to a pre-Prom entertainment.

But the Proms start today!

Season ticket, hip flask and comfortable shoes all packed, and there's a prize for the first person to post that they saw me on television.

Did you sing instead? I still can't quite get over the look of the tourists when we carried the timpani up exhibition road.


BtW just got the Arnold Recorder Sonatina... its lovely.

Quite right too. I have a signed copy of the Fantasy as well
No Arnold at the Proms though this year. Scandalous in his 85th birthday year! Get thee to Northampton for the gala birthday concert at the Derngate on October 22nd

That's a great pity. Arnold's work is very approachable. I'll think about Northants, unfortunately it clashes with half term.

Yay! I did that for my Grade 7 Beautiful 2nd movement and fun 3rd movement!

I'm slightly interested.