How the 2026 BBC Proms will celebrate American music in historic year

Music
21 Apr 2026 • 5:47 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

How the 2026 BBC Proms will celebrate American music in historic year

  • The BBC Proms 2026 will feature a season-long celebration of American music, marking 250 years since the signing of the US Declaration of Independence.
  • The festival will include the highly anticipated return of the Los Angeles Philharmonic after nearly 25 years and the Proms debut of The Met Orchestra.
  • New works from American composers Wynton Marsalis and Jessie Montgomery will premiere, alongside debut performances from the Spanish National Orchestra and Mahler Academy Orchestra.
  • The programme also features cross-genre musical explorations, including a 40th anniversary concert of Paul Simon’s Graceland with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and a celebration of soul legend Marvin Gaye.
  • The Proms will run from 17 July to 12 September, featuring 86 concerts across eight weeks with over 70,000 tickets available for £8.

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