Last Night of the proms

[organist]

Some members may have spotted us at the Last night. At the Last night of the Proms Liz and I had the great honour of placing the chaplet on the bust of Sir Henry Wood at the beginning of the concert! Liz has been going to the Proms since she was 14 and I have been there since 1973. Both of us have sung at the Proms many times as members of the Philharmonia Chorus and we are now ending our 5th season as gallery Prommers. By the end of this season I had been to 65 concerts and 39 pre Prom events.
I am currently organist and choir master at St John Caterham having served at Our Lady of the Annunciation, Addiscombe, St Andrew, Coulsdon and St Michael, Beckenham. I organise the interfaith group at Westminster cathedral and I am also a guide at the cathedral. I was discussing with Michael who is a fellow guide and helps to organise the Prommers collection for musical charities the desire of the gallery Prommers to get more involved. The Arena tends to get all the attention! Michael asked if we would like to take part on the Last Night and of course we were thrilled! This really was a once on a lifetime event. The collection made a record amount this year over £116,000.
John Woodhouse
By Patrick Sawer, SENIOR REPORTER
11 SEPTEMBER 2016 • 8:42AM
John Woodhouse and his wife Liz have been coming to the Last Night of the Proms for more than 30 years and have always looked forward to a lusty rendition of Land of Hope and Glory accompanied by some enthusiastic waving of the Union flag.
It’s tradition after all.
So when they discovered there had been an organised attempt to turn this year’s Last Night into a show of support for the European Union they were far from happy.
“I just don’t think the Proms should be used as part of a political campaign,” said Mr Woodhouse, 69, a retired librarian. “It’s a music event and that’s how it should stay.”
Mrs Woodhouse, 68, a retired teacher who had come replete with a Union bowler hat and flag, was furious that the occasion was being used to make what she called “spurious” political arguments.
“I heard the people next to me in the queue for tonight saying that Brexit would mean musicians from the EU wouldn’t be coming here anymore. That is just nonsense,” she said.
Of course the Last Night of the Proms has always been a rather more international affair than the traditional massed waving of British flags by the audience would suggest.
Read the full article at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09 ... -flag-war/

[JW]

Was in the Upper Circle, John! Well done!

It was good to see flags from all over the world being waved by the audience, not just England, UK and Europe. We were naturally waving a UK flag but maintaining entirely friendly relations with the German couple next to us who had an EU flag. I think they were a bit bemused by it all.

The whole evening has an international flavour, while celebrating Britishness with a certain amount of humour. It was summed up by Diego Flores walking on dressed as an Inca Emperor to sing 'Rule Britannia'. And the whole evening being conducted by a Finn, and the respect given by everyone to the singing of the National Anthem.

[organist]

Absolutely agree. How did you get tickets? I have been asked by friends to get some for next year.

[JW]

Through the ballot for those who attend 5 Proms or more: http://www.royalalberthall.com/extra/booking-tickets-for-the-last-night-of-the-proms/

[organist]

If you buy a full season ticket you get the Last night!