David Pickard emphasises there is “no place” for pro-Russian views at the prestigious classical music festival

The director of the BBC Proms, David Pickard, has stated there is “no place” at the renowned classical music festival for any performers supportive of Vladimir Putin’s regime. His comments come as the Proms announce a special concert by the newly formed Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra.

Led by Canadian-Ukrainian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson, the orchestra includes refugee musicians and Ukrainians now based in European orchestras. The Ukrainian Ministry of Culture is making a rare exemption to allow military-aged men in the orchestra to perform on 31 July without returning to military service. This event will also be recorded and broadcast on BBC4.

Although the BBC Proms has avoided a full ban on Russian performers, Pickard highlighted that any public supporter of the Russian regime would be excluded. “We do have Russian artists coming this summer, many of whom have openly opposed the regime,” he explained. “But if someone were to express those views, bluntly put, there would be no place for them at the Proms.”

Pickard also stressed the difficulty of asking musicians to publicly state their political positions, given the potential risks to their safety and the safety of their families.

In addition to the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, the 2024 Proms will feature a diverse line-up of presenters and events. BBC News presenter Clive Myrie, acclaimed for his war reporting from Kyiv, will host the First Night of the Proms on BBC Two. Radio 1 DJ Clara Amfo and Scottish DJ Edith Bowman are also part of the presenter team.

Naturalist Chris Packham will host Earth Prom, exploring the BBC’s natural history unit and Sir David Attenborough’s groundbreaking documentaries. An innovative event, The Prom At Printworks, will combine music, dance, theatre and soundscapes from Philip Glass and Handel at a south London events space.

For the first time, the Proms will also introduce Gaming Prom, presented by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Robert Ames, showcasing iconic video game soundtracks.

The Last Night Of The Proms will feature star soloist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and the world premiere of James B Wilson’s latest work under the leadership of Dalia Stasevska. All concerts will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and available via BBC Sounds, with 22 Proms also scheduled for BBC television and BBC iPlayer broadcasts.