At times it’s easy for the Snape Proms to be overshadowed by its grander, older sibling The Aldeburgh Festival, but, whereas the Festival reaches out to an international audience, the Snape Proms is more about providing the people of Suffolk with a diverse programme of music created by some of the world’s leading musicians.
The Snape Proms, first staged in 1986, is one of the highlights of the county’s cultural calendar.
It’s the quality of the artists invited to take part and the ecclectic nature of the programme that marks it out as something special.
One of the strengths of the Snape Proms is that it offers a month of different musical options, so there is bound to be something that tickles your musical fancy.
This year Snape Proms regular Clare Teal kicks of the month-long event with her tribute to Ella Fitzgerald accompanied by the Hollywood Orchestra led by Guy Barker.
Accessibility remains at the forefront of their thinking when it comes to the Proms. Terezija Hirs, from Snape Maltings, said: “As always, approximately 4,000 Prom tickets for the season will go on sale at just £6.50. The seats at the front of Snape Maltings Concert Hall are removed and Prom tickets will give audiences the chance to get the closest view of the action. For each event 20 £6.50 Prom tickets go on sale on the morning of each concert.
“It’s an amazing way to see some of the most outstanding artists from all around the UK as well as America, Australia, Russia, Germany and South Africa perform in Suffolk’s internationally renowned concert hall in its 50th anniversary year.”
Highlights: Two-time Grammy winning singer and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier (Aug 13) who fuses elements of jazz, folk, trip-hop, classical, Brazilian music, a cappella, gospel and soul is one of a number of stars making their debuts at Snape this year.
One of British jazz music scene’s enduring institutions National Youth Jazz Orchestra returns to Snape (Aug 7) with classic big band music by Duke Ellington and Count Basie.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, South Africa’s greatest cultural ambassadors, return to Suffolk (Aug 2) to perform their Grammy-nominated 2016 album Walking in the Footsteps of our Fathers. Other stars include Barbara Dickson, singer songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, acclaimed British folk artists Eliza Carthy and Seth Lakeman.
This year, the Snape Proms offer a striking number of symphony orchestra concerts including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, John Wilson Orchestra, New London Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, Suffolk Youth Orchestra and the world’s first professional black and minority ethnic symphony orchestra, Chineke.
The classical programme includes the first Snape Proms appearances by internationally renowned sopranos Renée Fleming and Danielle de Niese along with performances by pianists Elisabeth Leonskaja and Stephen Hough, the Nash Ensemble playing Schubert’s Trout Quintet and The King’s Consort playing an all Bach programme.
The season ends with BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night, hosted by Len Goodman.
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