91Èȱ¬ commissions and key premieres
Larcher is one of the 91Èȱ¬-commissioned composers
The Proms is proud of its commitment to new music. There are 12 world premieres, including nine of the 11 major 91Èȱ¬ commissions, and a further 14 key premieres this season.
The 91Èȱ¬-commissioned composers are Georges Aperghis, Sally Beamish, Pascal Dusapin, Graham Fitkin, Robin Holloway, Simon Holt, Thomas Larcher, Joby Talbot, Kevin Volans, Judith Weir and Stevie Wishart.
There are also major premieres for Michael Berkeley, Judith Bingham, Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Elliott Carter, Marc-André Dalbavie, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Thierry Escaich, Anders Hillborg, Colin Matthews, Sir John Tavener and – perhaps surprisingly – Benjamin Britten (whose Piano Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge receives its London premiere on ) and Brahms (when Dejan Lazić introduces his recent piano version of the Violin Concerto on ).
For the first time Proms Saturday Matinees at Cadogan Hall focus on new music, offering audiences an even broader range of new work. The series begins with a 75th-birthday tribute to Sir Richard Rodney Bennett () and includes a world premiere for piano and chamber orchestra by Paris-based Greek composer Georges Aperghis (); four new songs by Stevie Wishart based on texts by the 12th-century composer and mystic Hildegard of Bingen (); and the UK premiere of Sir John Tavener's Popule meus for cello, strings and timpani ().
Among the highlights for British composers are the world premieres of Graham Fitkin's Cello Concerto for Yo-Yo Ma (), Robin Holloway's Fifth Concerto for Orchestra performed by the 91Èȱ¬ Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Donald Runnicles (), and Colin Matthews's No Man's Land dedicated to the late conductor Richard Hickox and performed by his City of London Sinfonia (). There are also eagerly anticipated UK premieres for Sir Harrison Birtwistle's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra played by Christian Tetzlaff () and Angel Fighter for voices and ensemble ().
Highlights for international composers include the world premiere of Kevin Volans's Piano Concerto No. 3, written in homage to Liszt (), and the world premiere of a new Concerto for violin, cello and orchestra by acclaimed Austrian composer Thomas Larcher, performed by the husband-and-wife team of Viktoria Mullova and Matthew Barley ().
A focus on French music brings two UK premieres by one of France's leading contemporary composers, Pascal Dusapin, and the first London performance of Marc-André Dalbavie's sparkling Flute Concerto, written for virtuoso soloist Emmanuel Pahud ().
Bringing further insight into some of these major contemporary figures, four Proms Plus Portraits at the Royal College of Music offer the chance to hear chamber music by Pascal Dusapin, Graham Fitkin, Thomas Larcher and Kevin Volans prior to premieres of their works later that evening, as well as the composers themselves discussing their music.
