After leading the BBC Proms for nearly a decade, David Pickard has decided to step down as the event's director. He will remain in post until October 2024, overseeing the 2024 Proms and planning for future seasons.
David was appointed director of the BBC Proms in 2015, to fulfil the BBC’s mission to bring the best classical music to the widest possible audience. Over the years he has expanded the breadth of the Proms, reaching new audiences across the UK and increasing the diversity of artists, composers and collaborators.
The 2023 BBC Proms, for example, featured the first ever weekend-long Proms festival outside London at the Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead. This was also the first year in Proms history that both the First Night and Last Night of the Proms were conducted by women (Dalia Stasevska and Marin Alsop respectively).
It also featured a notably broad range of classical music, from the UK premiere of György Kurtág’s opera Endgame and Aurora Orchestra’s memorised performance of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring to concerts celebrating Northern Soul and Bollywood.
Under David’s tenure, some of the world’s most exciting musicians and ensembles have made their BBC Proms debuts, from cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and soprano Lise Davidsen to Chineke! and the Sinfonia of London. His time in charge has also seen visits from prestigious orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Budapest Festival and Boston Symphony Orchestras. There have also been BBC commissions from some of the world’s most acclaimed living composers, including Thomas Adès, Hildur Guðnadóttir, George Benjamin, Hannah Kendall and Judith Weir.
David Pickard says: 'It has been an immense honour and privilege to run the world's greatest classical music festival alongside an incredible team, working with many of the most exciting orchestras, musicians and artists on the planet. By the end of next summer I will have planned and delivered nine Proms seasons and it feels like the right time to move on and explore new projects. After the critical and box office success of the 2023 Proms, I look forward to delivering one more season in 2024.'
Sam Jackson, Controller of BBC Radio 3, said: '“'David has done a fantastic job as Director of the Proms and I thank him for all his hard work over the years. It was a pleasure working alongside him this season, where I saw first-hand his commitment to musical excellence and reaching broader audiences – leading to record-breaking figures on BBC Sounds and iPlayer.
'David has consistently championed classical music at the BBC, in particular the BBC’s own orchestras and choirs, ensuring they remain the beating heart of every Proms season. I look forward to working with him again next year and giving him a proper send-off after the Last Night of the Proms.'
Prior to his current role, David spent 14 years as general director of Glyndebourne, and eight years as chief executive of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
The recruitment process for a senior leader overseeing the BBC Proms will start in the new year.