BBC Proms 2026 season features James Bond, prog rock, and global premieres across 86 concerts
The 2026 BBC Proms season is set to commence on 17 July, featuring 86 concerts in cities including London, Gateshead, Bristol, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, and Mold. The festival will be inaugurated by Korean pianist Yunchan Lim, who will perform Ravel's piano concerto in G Major. Noteworthy events include a James Bond-themed prom on 25 August, hosted by Nick Mohammed, and a prog rock tribute curated by Stuart Maconie on 18 July. The season will showcase world premieres, such as Gwilym Simcock's concerto for Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Jess Gillam, and Ben Goldscheider. The Met Orchestra will make its debut with works by Mahler and Strauss, while Ladysmith Black Mambazo marks the 40th anniversary of Gracelands. Felix Klieser will perform Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 3 using his feet, and the season will wrap up on 12 September with Yuja Wang's performance of Barber's Piano Concerto.
Key facts
- Season runs from 17 July to 12 September 2026
- 86 concerts across six UK locations
- James Bond prom on 25 August hosted by Nick Mohammed
- Prog rock celebration curated by Stuart Maconie on 18 July
- World premiere of Gwilym Simcock concerto for Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Jess Gillam, Ben Goldscheider
- Met Orchestra New York makes Proms debut
- Paraorchestra performs Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians in Bristol
- More than 300,000 tickets available with 25% priced at £8
- 131st year of festival, 99th year of BBC involvement
Entities
Artists
- Daniel Craig
- Dame Evelyn Glennie
- Louise Alder
- Yuja Wang
- Miles Davis
- Benjamin Britten
- Alan Menken
- Yunchan Lim
- Thomas Atkins
- George Gershwin
- Gwilym Simcock
- Sheku Kanneh-Mason
- Jess Gillam
- Ben Goldscheider
- Gustav Mahler
- Richard Strauss
- Paul Simon
- Steve Reich
- Alessandro Vazzana
- Felix Klieser
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Stuart Maconie
- Genesis
- Emerson Lake & Palmer
- Jethro Tull
- Marvin Gaye
- Altın Gün
- Jules Buckley
- Nadine Shah
- Nick Mohammed
- Leonard Bernstein
- Aaron Copland
- Angel Blue
- Edmund Thornton Jenkins
- Sam Jackson
- Sakari Oramo
- Nicky Spence
- Samuel Barber
- Brian May
- Roger Taylor
- Freddie Mercury
Institutions
- BBC
- BBC Proms
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- BBC Young Musician
- BBC 6 Music
- NME
- Radio Times
- Royal Albert Hall
- Met Orchestra
- Ladysmith Black Mambazo
- BSO Resound
- Paraorchestra
- Beacon Hall
- Chineke! Orchestra
- Black Dyke Band
- BBC Sounds
- BBC iPlayer
- Radio 3
Locations
- London
- Gateshead
- Bristol
- Middlesbrough
- Sunderland
- Mold
- United Kingdom
- New York
- United States
- South Africa
- Turkey
- Finland
- California
- Charleston
- Yorkshire