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An American conductor, Marin Alsop,
will make history this summer as the first woman in more than a
hundred years to conduct that great British institution, the Last Night
of the Proms. This year's Proms begin in July and will include
anything from the Tardis, celebrating the 50th anniversary of
Doctor Who, to hip hop, Nigel Kennedy and Wagner's Ring Cycle.
The last night will include Rule Britannia, pomp and circumstance
and a lot of flags. This is the woman who will conduct
the Last Night of the Proms this year. Strangely it tends to be men
who wagle a little stick around in public. Is there a fraudian doctor
in the house! Freudian doctor in the house! Marin Alsop is the
conductor of the Symphony Orchestra, and has done a lot to bring music
to the underprivileged. But conducting a last night, some say
Proms director Roger Wright fears a backlash.
It is wonderful to have McAllister all McAllister as the conductor for
the last night. It seems such a -- to have Marin Alsop as the
conductor of the last night. It seems a natural development, she
was loved by the audience and a big hit with the Sao Paulo orchestra
last year, and then arriving at the extraordinary moment at the end of
the festival. She's going to be a perfect conductor for the last
night in terms of the confidence and the range of music that she
conducts so magnificently. Proms will include a selection of
themes from Doctor Who. Would you like a cup of tea! It was fantastic,
and I did it a couple of years ago and I had a great time and I did a
little sketch there as well. I love the Albert Hall, I love the Proms,
I love classical music. Prom-goers love the eccentric character who
seems to have arrived from outer space. And violinist Nigel Kennedy
will be there too. And the Proms have gone punk. The
Stranglers will be likely to be swatting away Union Jacks rather
than dry ice on one of the nights. Is it true, punk as respectable as
Brahms, Beethoven, Sir Mick Jagger. With Proms audiences and with
audiences in general now, they are much less used to putting music in
particular boxes. What it is about is a quality music experience. When
Jamie Cullumwas at the Proms and Soft Machine was at the Proms many
years ago, it is about developing an audience for quality music.
the story making the headlines tomorrow, and who knows making one
or two of you fill your Mont Blancs with green ink is Marin Alsop's
turn on the rostrum on the last night. Things need to change, say
some. In the institutions we don't have very many women who are
teachers, professors and so on. And I think if that changed, if the
balance changed a little bit there, then it may help to inspire women
composers. In the sex war Miss Alsop's turn on the podium souoints
counts as a kind of baton round. Points as a kind of baton round.
Marin Alsop joins me now from Baltimore. Congratulations, how did
it come about, the first woman in 118 years? Well that sound quite
daunting doesn't it. But I have had the great privilege of conducting
at the Proms when I was the chief conductor of the symphony. I
appeared twice with that great orchestra. And last summer with my
orchestra from Brazil, we had an incredible evening at the Proms. So
I think this was just a natural outgrowth of that. It is great news.
I don't know if you could hear Dame Evelyn Glenni reflecting the fact
there is so few women and Musical Directors of major orchestras. Why
is that? It is a matter of comfort level. As a society we don't see
women in these roles frequently enough. It is changing but it is a
slow change. It is up to us, the women that are in these positions
and the men in these positions to create more opportunities for
audiences and the public to see more women in these roles.
Particularly as conductor, I mean, you really have to have more
opportunities to give it a try. are talking to us from the great
city of Baltimore, which musically people might remember Francis Scott
Key, a couple of hundred years ago composed The National Anthem after
being shelled by the Britain. I hope you are not going to play
something American at the end of the Proms? I have a lot of ambition,
let's just say. Are you really looking forward to it, audiences
are terrific, but the last night is extraordinary? I can't tell you
what a thrill it is, I love working with the British musicians and the
audiences have been incredible. I really feel as though the UK has
been a second home to me. I felt that way since the moment I
conducted. I can't wait. Tell us a bit about outreach and how, we
heard a little bit there about how people put music less in boxing
than they used to. But you are also quite influenced by the Venezuelan
system of trying to get people in poorer areas where they might not
be interested in classical music to get involved. Tell us about that?
feel strongly as do so many of my colleagues that music and art
should be accessible to everyone human being and include everyone.
Part of the issue is enabling kids to play instruments and be part of
a musical ensemble from a very early age. So here in Baltimore we
started an afterschool programme called Or-Kids, we started with 25
kids five years ago and now we have 600 kid. As a matter of fact
tonight I have a Scottish precussionists, Colin Curry
performing with me and my kids are doing an encore with him after his
concerto, you will be well represented tonight. We will expect
Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory and all the favourites. What
else can we expect? Absolutely, but as you say I will bring a little
bit of America with me. Doing some music by Len nerd Bernstein, the
wonderful mezzo soprano Joyce will be appearing, and others, we have
Wagner and something for everybody, a great evening. Just a final
thought, is this a big deal for you? Yeah it is a big deal. I think
people in America don't quite get it, but I have spent enough time in
Britain and especially in London. I get it. Thank you very much for
talking to us. That's it for tonight, we wanted to
leave you with the news that Storm Thorgersen, the artist whose album covers included
Pink Floyd's the Dark Side of the Moon has died. He was 69. Goodnight.