PROMS

There's nothing quite like being at a Prom.


A unique experience: the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall
The vastness of the venue, the enthusiasm and warmth of the Prommers squeezed into the arena down below, the sense of venerable tradition extending back more than a century - all this makes for a unique audience experience.

For musicians, being invited to the Proms is also something special. For young artists, it's evidence that they've arrived; for older ones, it's a reassurance that they're still at the heart of things. Even the starriest performers cherish the prospect. But what does it feel like to walk out into that vast arena, knowing there are 5,000 in the hall hanging on your every note, plus millions worldwide listening in? Four well-known musicians reveal what it was like for them.

ROGER NORRINGTON

Sir Roger Norrington first appeared at the Proms more than 40 years ago. This year he's appearing twice - on July 22 with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, and on the Last Night (Sept 13).

I remember my first appearance was shared with Flash Harry, as we called Sir Malcolm Sargent. It was one of those extravagant Proms where you had a different band in each half. I conducted my own choir in some Baroque music, and then Flash Harry did some Beethoven.

"I was pretty young then, and he kindly offered me some tips. "You know, dear boy, I normally add some piccolo here," he said, pointing to his score. I remember my BBC fee was 15 guineas, and when it was repeated on the radio I got seven guineas. Since then I must have played almost every year.

"What I love about the Proms is the sheer size of that space. It's as if the whole world is gathered round on all sides, like a vast family. The funny thing is, it feels private as well, because the Prommers are right there in front of you. The acoustics are strange, but in a way I quite like. You always know when a recording has been made in the hall; it's that warm haze.

"Am I nervous about doing the Last Night? You bet. There's a new piece for five orchestras - one in the hall, and the others joining in by satellite. But they've made it fail-safe, so, if the technology fails, we can keep going in the hall on our own."

NISHAT KHAN

The sitarist Nishat Khan belongs to the most famous dynasty of Indian classical musicians. His father gave the first Indian music Prom in 1971, and Nishat appeared in 1989 alongside his father and three brothers. In his late-night Prom on Sept 1, Nishat is playing alongside the BBC Singers, who will perform Messiaen.

"Playing in the Proms was an incredible experience in the true sense of that word. People use words like 'incredible' for almost anything, but it was so powerful. First, my father played a solo, and then we four brothers played; finally, we all played together. It felt like planting a seed in this beautiful garden.

"It's a special kind of nostalgia I feel for the Proms. You have all these people gathered together like a congregation in this building, which for me is always associated with the grandeur of Britain's past. The Albert Hall is so grand, it's like being in a Roman amphitheatre, or you could even say it's like a maharajah's palace, with all the red seats and drapes.

"The audience listened so carefully. I think the British are attuned to this music, because of its nostalgic feeling of India.

"I truly feel this is the greatest music festival, and I feel so privileged. I am especially pleased my music will be heard next to music by Messiaen, as his music has many affinities with Indian music."

AMANDA ROOCROFT

Lancashire soprano Amanda Roocroft was greeted ecstatically at her debut in 1989 and is currently on top form, excelling in roles such as Tatyana in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin. She plays Mìla in Janác?ek's opera Osud on Aug 21.

"Until I appeared at the Proms, I didn't know what they were all about. I was a country bumpkin and never went to London until I started working there.

"My first Prom appearance was right at the beginning of my career, and it was Mahler's Fourth Symphony. Mark Elder was conducting, and he asked me to make a dramatic entrance on the big chords just before the last movement. Walking into that huge ring with all those faces looking down was amazing - I felt like a boxer. But I wasn't scared. I was too young to realise what the stakes were; it was just a real thrill. I just thought, 'I have to make the most of this because I might not be asked back.'

"People say the audience is uncritical, but what makes them special is the way they can have fun and be completely serious. For us, it means that we take the music just as seriously but ourselves less seriously. That's a very healthy thing in our profession. It's always a joy appearing at the Proms. It makes you feel like one of the elite."