Proms on the Wicket

Guernsey’s Proms has been held since 2005 and staged in various locations over the years.

The 18th staging will return to the KGV as Proms on the Wicket with live performances, films on the Big Screen and the live screening of the second half of the Last Night of the Proms from the Albert Hall.

The last few nights of the 2022 BBC Proms series were cancelled following the death of Her Majesty The Queen so the local event was also postponed. Bel Canto, the Guernsey Welsh Male Voice Choir and the Mini Big Band Collective were all due to perform at the event and all agreed to reschedule to this year’s event.

Schedule

• 14.00    Sing 2 on the big screen
• 16.20    Family Prom: Mini Big Band Collective playing favourites from films and stage musicals
• 17.30    La La Land on the big screen
• 20.00    Evening concert: Bel Canto and Guernsey Male Voice choir, finishing with a combined Les Miserables medley
• 21.30    Second half of the Last Night of the Proms live from the Albert Hall

Event organiser Natalie Davidson said: “Having been able to hold Proms during the two Covid years, it was a very difficult decision to postpone the event last year but, under the circumstances, the right thing to do. I was so grateful to the three groups who were due to perform who immediately committed to be part of the event this year.

“Moving the event to the KGV a couple of years ago has enabled us to extend Proms into the afternoon and this year’s event will see the first ‘Family Prom’ with the Mini Big Band Collective, which is something we’ve wanted to do at the event for a number of years.”

The evening concert will showcase our local singers with performances from the Guernsey Welsh Male Voice Choir and Bel Canto. These long-standing choirs have been entertaining audiences in Guernsey and further afield for the best part of 20 years.

The Guernsey Male Voice choir, conducted by Fiona Le Tissier, is made up of Welsh and non-Welsh singers and alongside the traditional Welsh repertoire performs a varied mix of choral classics to the modern day. They memorably performed earlier this year in Cardiff before the Wales v England Six Nations match.

The all-female voices of Bel Canto, conducted by Christine Anthony MBE, will provide an excellent contrast. A large proportion of the choir have sung with Christine for many years, starting as students of the Guernsey Music Service when she formed the Guernsey Girls and Guernsey Youth Choirs.

To keep with the music theme, in addition to the live music, two musicals will be shown on the big screen: Sing 2 at 2.30pm and La La Land at 5.30pm.

Proms on the Wicket will remain free to attend thanks to the support of principal sponsor Aspida Advisory Services, gold sponsor Guernsey Arts and supporters Guernsey Press, Specsavers and Utmost Worldwide. Organisers hope donations to help cover the costs to stage the event will be made on the gate in exchange for an all-important union jack flag.

Wayne Bulpitt, Joint Chair, Aspida commented: “Aspida is delighted to be principle sponsor for this year’s Proms on the Wicket again. We are very much looking forward to the Mini Big Collective’s mini-Prom in the afternoon with well-known numbers from musical show and films. We hope parents and carers will bring their children, dressed up as their favourite characters, and enjoy the live music.

“With the variety of live music on offer, the two excellent musical films and the singing and flag waving of the Last Night of the Proms there is something for everyone to enjoy.”

For more information, please contact Natalie Davidson at ND Events on 07781 132016 or by email.