BBC Proms makes its Sunderland debut at The Fire Station
- BBC Proms comes to Sunderland for the first time, marking a cultural milestone for the North East
- The event at The Fire Station kicks off four-day BBC Proms in the North East with a programme of world-class music, from 24-27 July
- Jazz saxophonist, hip-hop artist, curator, and presenter Soweto Kinch hosts a special edition of his nightly BBC Radio 3 show ‘Round Midnight in Sunderland, a first for the city
- Special guests include NYC/LA-based jazz innovator Theo Croker, the Joe Webb Trio and Newcastle-based rising star Rivkala (24 July, The Fire Station, Sunderland)
- The festival offers a wide range of accessible performances, from classical and jazz to folk and family-friendly concerts, with tickets starting at £8.
This summer, the BBC Proms makes history in the North East. For the first time, the world-famous festival comes to Sunderland. Over four days from 24–27 July, audiences can enjoy live music across Gateshead and Sunderland in a unique regional programme.
The BBC Proms is the world’s biggest classical music festival, best known for its summer season at London’s Royal Albert Hall. In recent years, the Proms has grown beyond the capital to reach new audiences across the UK. In the North East, it has found a natural home.
The event signals a cultural milestone, not just for Sunderland, but for the entire region. Since 2022, The Glasshouse has been proud to bring the Proms to the region. What began as a single-venue partnership with the BBC has grown into a cross-city celebration of live music with The Fire Station now joining as a key partner.
Led by The Glasshouse in partnership with The Fire Station, this is the most ambitious Proms programming yet in the North East, building on three years of collaboration with the BBC. This expanded weekend of events reflects something bigger happening in the region: cultural organisations working together to share great music with more people, in more places.
For the first time, The Fire Station hosts the opening night of the Proms in the North East, on Thursday 24 July. Jazz saxophonist, hip-hop artist, curator and presenter Soweto Kinch headlines with his BBC Radio 3 ’Round Midnight Prom, joined by genre-defying trumpeter Theo Croker and the Joe Webb Trio. Opening the concert is rising North East talent Rivkala, who made a standout appearance on the BBC Introducing stage at last year’s Proms at The Glasshouse.
This exciting mix of music reflects the rich diversity and creative energy of Sunderland’s music scene, and its newly established status as a Music City. The concert will be recorded for national broadcast on BBC Radio 3, sharing the music with audiences across the UK.
Tamsin Austin, Venue Director, The Fire Station, said:
“To open the BBC Proms weekend in Sunderland and Gateshead here at The Fire Station is a proud and exciting moment. The Fire Station has always championed bold programming and brilliant artists, and this event is exactly that. Soweto Kinch’s Prom, featuring jazz / hip hop trumpeter Theo Croker, pianist Joe Webb’s dynamic trio, and our own Rivkala shows the talent and creative spirit we have in the city. We’re thrilled to be part of it.”
The Fire Station’s debut as a Proms venue brings the festival to new audiences – including many who may never have experienced a Prom before.
The BBC Proms continues founder Henry Wood’s mission to bring ‘the best classical music to the widest possible audience’ with accessible ticket prices, including promming (standing) tickets priced at £8. Last year, over 5,000 people attended concerts at The Glasshouse, with 3,500 experiencing the Proms for the first time. National broadcasts across BBC Radio 3 ensured that performances from Gateshead reached audiences far beyond the region.
Sam Jackson, Controller, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Proms, said:
“Bringing the BBC Proms to Sunderland is a major step in our mission to connect with more audiences across the UK. This collaboration with The Fire Station, The Glasshouse and Royal Northern Sinfonia offers audiences access to world-class music making on their doorstep, with every note broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
Highlights at The Glasshouse
From Friday 25 to Sunday 27 July, The Glasshouse presents six major Proms concerts, with Royal Northern Sinfonia at the heart of the programme:
- Friday 25 July: JADE & Royal Northern Sinfonia
BRIT Award-winning pop artist JADE joins Royal Northern Sinfonia for a one-night-only orchestral concert, featuring brand-new arrangements by Robert Ames, reimagined hits, and fresh material. This concert will be broadcast on BBC TV, live on BBC Radio 3, and on Sunday 27 July at 8pm on Radio 1.
- Saturday 26 July: Angeline Morrison: The Sorrow Songs
Singer-songwriter Angeline Morrison brings her beautiful arrangements of folk songs of the Black British experience in The Sorrow Songs joined by The Sorrow Songs Band. Special guests include English folk legend Eliza Carthy and percussionist Alex Neilson. Broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.
- Saturday 26 July: Bach and Mendelssohn with Royal Northern Sinfonia
Acclaimed Music Director Dinis Sousa leads Royal Northern Sinfonia, joined by pianist David Fray, mezzo-soprano Adèle Charvet, tenor Benjamin Hulett, and massed choirs including Huddersfield Choral Society in Mendelssohn’s vast and choral-symphonic Lobgesang (Hymn of Praise). Broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, with a TV broadcast to follow.
- Sunday 27 July: CBeebies Wildlife Jamboree
Two performances of the CBeebies Prom: Wildlife Jamboree welcome younger families to join Duggee, the Squirrels, and CBeebies presenters Chantelle Lindsay and Puja Panchkoty, alongside Royal Northern Sinfonia.
- Sunday 27 July: Sean Shibe and Friends
On Sunday afternoon, the festival closes with an imaginative performance from guitarist Sean Shibe and friends. Celebrating the centenary of Pierre Boulez’s birth, the programme features a performance of his acclaimed surrealist work, Le marteau sans maître, Cassandra Miller’s Bel canto and a BBC co-commission from Tyshawn Sorey. This concert will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.
- Free music all weekend: the Concourse Stage returns with free music from BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists, alongside a BBC Young Composer workshop for under-18s (Sat 26 July).
This year’s BBC Proms weekend in the North East is a major cultural moment for Newcastle, Gateshead and Sunderland – reflecting the strength of local talent and collaboration. The festival also comes as the North East’s music scene gains momentum nationally, building on recent milestones including Sunderland named a Music City, the MOBO Awards coming to the region for the first time this year, Newcastle becoming home to the Mercury Prize, and the continued national success of North East artists like JADE and Sam Fender.
Abigail Pogson, Chief Executive, The Glasshouse, said:
“This year’s BBC Proms weekend shows that great music belongs everywhere. To see Sunderland host the opening night for the first time speaks to what’s possible through collaboration. It’s a powerful moment for music in the North East. It’s international, bold and diverse – exactly what we stand for here.”
According to UK Music’s 2023 report, music tourism to the North East rose by 29%, and events like the BBC Proms continue to raise the region’s profile as a vibrant cultural destination.
In 2023/24, The Glasshouse generated £14.1 million in social value, returning nearly £11 to the economy for every £1 of public funding. Every year, it contributes £38.6 million in economic value, help to create jobs, attract visitors and grow the region’s reputation as a must-visit location for music lovers.
Tickets for ‘Round Midnight with Soweto Kinch at The Fire Station are on sale now at:
Tickets for all events at The Glasshouse are on sale now at https://theglasshouseicm.org/seasons/bbc-proms-in-the-north-east/
/ENDS
Media contacts:
Orla Noble, Premier Comms, orla.noble@premiercomms.com | 07808 282795
Jo Hawkins, BBC Proms, jo.hawkins@bbc.co.uk | 07834 62067
The Glasshouse:
Jackie Thompson, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Jackie.thompson@theglasshouseicm.org | 0191 443 4602
Beverley Knight, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, beverley.knight@theglasshouseicm.org | 0191 443 4583
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LISTINGS
Thursday 24 July 2025 – The Fire Station, Sunderland
‘Round Midnight with Soweto Kinch
Time: 20:00
Broadcast: BBC Radio 3 (deferred)
Performers: Soweto Kinch, Theo Croker, Joe Webb Trio, Rivkala
Friday 25 July 2025 – Sage One, The Glasshouse
JADE & Royal Northern Sinfonia
Time: 20:15
Broadcast: BBC Radio 3 (live), BBC iPlayer/TV, BBC Radio 1 Sunday 27 July, 8pm.
Performers: JADE, Robert Ames (conductor), Royal Northern Sinfonia
Saturday 26 July 2025 – Sage Two, The Glasshouse
Angeline Morrison: The Sorrow Songs
Time: 17:30
Broadcast: BBC Radio 3 (live)
Performers: Angeline Morrison and the Sorrow Songs Band + special guests Eliza Carthy and Alex Neilson
Saturday 26 July 2025 – Sage One, The Glasshouse
Bach and Mendelssohn with Royal Northern Sinfonia
Time: 19:30
Broadcast: BBC Radio 3 (live), BBC Four/iPlayer
Performers: Dinis Sousa (conductor), David Fray (piano), Adèle Charvet (mezzo-soprano), Benjamin Hulett (tenor), soprano (TBC), Royal Northern Sinfonia, Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia, Voices of the River’s Edge, Huddersfield Choral Society
Sunday 27 July 2025 – Sage One, The Glasshouse
CBeebies Wildlife Jamboree
Times: 13:30 & 16:00
Performers: Royal Northern Sinfonia + CBeebies presenters Chantelle Lindsay and Puja Panchkoty.
Sunday 27 July 2025 – Sage Two, The Glasshouse
Sean Shibe and Friends
Time: 15:00
Broadcast: BBC Radio 3 (live)
Performers: Sean Shibe (guitars), Alphonse Cemin (conductor), Ema Nikolovska (mezzo-soprano), George Barton (percussion), Sam Wilson (percussion), Iris van den Bos (percussion), Adam Walker (alto flute), Emma Wernig (viola), Matthew Hunt (clarinet), Mira Benjamin, Colin Alexander, Alphonse Cemin.
About The Fire Station
The Fire Station is the North East’s state-of-the-art live music and performance venue in the heart of Sunderland’s Cultural Quarter.
Opened in December 2021, The Fire Station is a striking, mid-scale auditorium with a flexible capacity of 500 to 800. Built alongside the beautifully restored Edwardian fire station building, it has quickly established itself as a cultural landmark for the city and the wider region. Playing a key role in Sunderland’s journey to establish itself as an internationally recognised Music City, The Fire Station has become a key platform for both nationally touring artists and emerging local talent. Its diverse programme and growing reputation help position Sunderland on the global cultural map.
Now hosting over 300 events a year and welcoming around 100,000 visitors annually, The Fire Station offers an eclectic programme spanning indie rock, jazz, theatre, stand-up comedy, and more.
The Fire Station is a key part of Sunderland’s ongoing regeneration, boosting the local economy and drawing visitors to the city centre’s growing Cultural Quarter.
Whether you’re an indie rock champion, adventurous jazzer, theatre devotee, comedy fan, or simply looking for a great night out, The Fire Station promises unforgettable live experiences in the heart of Sunderland.
About the BBC Proms
As the world’s biggest classical music festival, the BBC Proms offers eight weeks of world-class music-making from a vast array of leading orchestras, conductors and soloists from the UK and around the world. Across 86 concerts, the festival offers a summer of music that allows for the most diverse and exciting musical journeys. One hundred and thirty years after it was founded, the driving factor in building a festival of this scale is to offer exceptional music-making at the lowest possible prices, continuing founder-conductor Henry Wood’s original ambition of bringing the best classical music to the widest possible audience. With every Prom broadcast on BBC Radio 3, available across multiple platforms and 25 Proms programmes televised on the BBC, the Proms reaches far beyond the Royal Albert Hall. This year’s BBC Proms season runs from Friday 18 July to Saturday 13 September 2025.
About The Glasshouse International Centre for Music
The Glasshouse International Centre for Music is a home for live music lovers.
It’s a place where you can hear rock legends or pop icons on the same night as folk trios or string quartets. Where new musicians are nurtured and showcased on the same stages as platinum-selling performers. And where youth choirs and tambourine-shaking toddlers practise in the same spaces as its acclaimed orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia.
Because as an international centre for music they’re focused on creating and celebrating outstanding music – whether that’s unearthing or growing talent from the region or bringing the world’s best artists to their stages. And as a charity they’re focused on making sure all of that is available to anyone – no matter where you’re from, how old you are, how much money you have, or what challenges you face.
Which is why every year more than 2 million people are able to join for top-notch gigs, concerts, and classes – in their venue at Gateshead Quays, out in communities across the North East, and through livestreamed performances and digital lessons.
Whether you’re making it up or taking it in, you’ll find music lives and grows there.
More about The Glasshouse International Centre for Music
- Since opening in 2004, The Glasshouse has hosted over 10,000 performances, welcoming nearly 5 million audience members and a total of 8 million visitors through its doors. It would take more than 27 years to see every show if you attended one every day.
- Over two decades, the charity has delivered around 233,000 music lessons, reaching young people and adults 2.8 million times across its education programmes (1.8 million of which were young people).
- As its resident orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia has toured globally, performing across four continents and livestreaming to audiences across five. Royal Northern Sinfonia also continues to bring world-class music to communities across the country, with 58% of performances in “levelling up for culture” areas.
- The Glasshouse has supported the careers of thousands of artists like Ward Thomas who have worked their way from free stages to headline shows in its main hall, achieving national and global recognition.
- A recent report quantified its annual social value through education, inclusion and community programmes at £14.1 million.
- Since 2004, The Glasshouse has welcomed over 400,000 delegates for conferences and events, hosting organisations such as Greggs, NHS, and British Engines. Through conferences and events it has generated £10.6 million, helping to fund the venue and support live music and education programmes.
- Over the past two decades, The Glasshouse has generated £681.2million to the UK economy with £38.6m each year in ongoing impact. It supports 700 jobs directly and indirectly.
- The iconic building, designed by Foster + Partners, has 630 panes of glass and stands 40 metres tall. In its opening year, it was exhibited at the Venice Biennale and won the RIBA Inclusive Design Award in 2005.
Celebrating 20 years – In December 2024, The Glasshouse marked its 20th birthday. Over the next year, the charity will reflect on two decades of achievements and look ahead to its third decade, with major initiatives like the Music Academy and Music Pass for newborns, making music accessible to all.
About Royal Northern Sinfonia
Internationally renowned, calling Gateshead home.
37 musicians at the top of their game. Electrifying music, old and new. All the talent, determination and creativity of the North East on a worldwide stage. From their home at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Royal Northern Sinfonia share the joy and wonder of orchestral music with thousands of people across the North of England – and beyond – every year.
From symphonies to string quartets, film soundtracks to choral masses, and original performances with awesome artists from Sheku Kanneh-Mason to Self Esteem, the orchestra’s members have got one of the most varied jobs there is. They’re always looking for fresh new sounds from up-and-coming composers, inviting local communities to share a stage, and doing everything they can to inspire and prepare the musicians of tomorrow to one day take their place.
They’re also working hard to smash the barriers that can stop brilliant people getting into classical music. They’ve teamed up with national partners to support women conductors to develop their careers, to help global majority musicians get vital experience in the orchestra world, and to celebrate disabled and non-disabled musicians breaking new ground together in RNS Moves. And they bring new musical opportunities to the region, headlining the first-ever BBC Proms weekend outside London.
Because they whole-heartedly believe orchestral music is for anyone – big cities and tiny villages, brand-new babies and life-long listeners, die-hard fans and curious minds – they travel far and wide to make sure there’s top-notch classical music on offer for anyone ready to say, “I’ll give that a go”. You’ll find them in churches, castles, and community venues across the North, as well as spearheading concert seasons in Carlisle, Kendal, Middlesbrough, and Sunderland.
With 65 years of success to build on, they’ve signed a dynamic young artistic leadership – Music Director Dinis Sousa, Artistic Partner Maria Włoszczowska, Principal Guest Conductor Nil Venditti and Associate Conductor Ellie Slorach – to lead the way into a bold, bright future. They’re joined by Conductor Laureate Thomas Zehetmair.
Wherever the orchestra play and whoever they share a stage with, every performance is a chance to see, hear and feel the music.