Orchestral Zone

EIGHT CELEBRITIES WILL BEGIN THEIR BATTLE FOR A CHANCE TO CONDUCT THE BBC CONCERT ORCHESTRA BEFORE 30,000 PEOPLE AT PROMS IN THE PARK.

BBC Two’s Maestro series invites drum ‘n’ bass artist Goldie, Blur bassist Alex James, actress Jane Asher, newsreader Katie Derham, broadcaster Peter Snow, actor David Soul, comedian Sue Perkins and actor and comedian Bradley Walsh to learn the skills of conducting.

They each have their own mentor, including Jason Lai from Classical Star, and they will be judged each week by members of the BBC Concert Orchestra and a four-person panel chaired by Roger Norrington.

The first show in the series is a week-long ‘baton camp’ where they face an orchestra for the first time. On the final day of the camp they conduct the BBC Concert Orchestra before the panel for the fist time, with one student voted out.

The series’ website features videos of each student, plus a Maestro Protégé game, question-and-answer section with music consultant Peter Stark and poll on who is the top conductor (currently led by Von Karajan with 23 per cent of the vote).

Maestro, which is presented by Clive Anderson, begins tonight on BBC Two at 9pm.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/musictv/maestro