Universal Music to blow Bristol city’s trumpet with classical music festival

Universal Music to blow Bristol city’s trumpet with classical music festival

Bristol, the British music-mad city that brought you acts like Massive Attack, is going classical in a big way this year with Universal Music Group (UMG).

UMG’s U-Live, the subsidiary that promotes and produces live classical-music events, has joined forces with Bristol Old Vic theatre to bring back the acclaimed Bristol Proms festival for the third year starting in July.

The UK’s leading trumpeter Alison Balsom (pictured) will be among the headliners at this year’s Bristol Proms, which takes place from 27 July to 1 August. She will be accompanied by a quartet featuring two trumpets, a cello and a harpsichord.

In addition to the involvement of UMG, the world’s largest recording company, Bristol Old Vic is part of the Theatre Royal, the UK’s oldest continually working stage theatre. The Proms also leads up to the city celebrating the 800th anniversary of its first elected mayor (making it an official city) in 2016, and the Bristol Old Vic’s 250th birthday the same year.

Furthermore, the event’s key media partner is Classic FM, Europe’s top national classical-music radio network, with almost 6 million listeners weekly. The station will have its radio DJs on site to present their shows live from the Bristol Proms.

In addition to Balsom, other major classical-music acts taking part include Miloš Karadaglić, the award-winning classical guitarist who makes his Bristol Proms debut with a session called From Bach To The Beatles. This will see him perform a broad repertoire from a Bach Chaconne to brand new Beatles arrangements.

Dickon Stainer, president of UMG’s Global Classics, says: “Bristol Proms has become an essential fixture in the UK cultural calendar. The feedback we’ve seen from our artists has been incredibly positive, demonstrating amply that Bristol Proms is a wonderful festival for classical artists.”

For more details, go to the Bristol Proms 2015 website here.
[Juliana Koranteng]