Entertainment

Josie Lawrence joins bill of Ten Pieces Prom for classical music education

The comedian will be joined by theatre actor Paapa Essiedu.
The comedian will be joined by theatre actor Paapa Essiedu.

Comedian Josie Lawrence and theatre star Paapa Essiedu will appear at the BBC Proms as part of a classical music education initiative.

They will take part in the Ten Pieces Prom, which returns to the Royal Albert Hall for the fourth year running.

It will see the Ten Pieces Children’s Choir welcome more than 400 children from across Greater London to the Royal Albert Hall stage, alongside the BBC Symphony Orchestra and BBC Singers under conductor Rafael Payare.

Ten Pieces Prom in 2017 (Pete Dadds/BBC)

The prom includes collaborations with English PEN, an arts charity that works with young people from asylum-seeker and refugee backgrounds, and London Music Masters, an organisation focused on reaching children and young people in London’s inner-city schools.

The actors will join Naomi Wilkinson to guide the audience through the family friendly concert where some of the greatest pieces of classical music will be heard.

Lawrence, best known for her turns in Whose Line Is It Anyway?, EastEnders and Humans, will be joined by award-winning theatre company founder Essiedu, best known for his title role in Hamlet at the RSC in 2016.

Paapa Essiedu will join the classical music education initiative (BBC)

Lawrence said: “I am delighted to be making my BBC Proms debut this year.

“Ten Pieces is a brilliant initiative reaching so many children across the country and teaching them about the joy of getting creative with the arts.

“I can’t wait to see you all on Sunday for a whirlwind ride through some of the biggest and best pieces of music as I join the fantastic forces of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and BBC Singers.”

The Ten Pieces Prom will take place on July 29. Tickets for performances at 1pm and 5pm are available on the Royal Albert Hall website. The event will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.