THE York Proms Picnic Concert returned to great success last weekend as the Museum Gardens echoed with the sound of beautiful orchestral music and the excited chatter and laughter of over 1500 people.

The fourth York Proms, which came after an enforced three year break due to the pandemic, was basked in glorious sunshine and an eager crowd cheered, sang and waved their flags along to a programme of music that gave a nod to the Queen’s Platinum Jubiliee.

The Sunday evening performance rounded off with the Proms Finale favourites and a fireworks display. Dale Bartleson, from YO1 Radio, compered the event, straight after competing in the Dragon Boat Racing on the Ouse that day.

The community stage, sponsored by YO1 Radio, saw the exceptionally talented York Youth Orchestra open the event with pieces by Karl Jenkins, Britten and Elgar. Lucy’s Pop Choir got the crowd going with chart topping numbers like Human, by Rag n Bone Man, then Dan Wester took to the stage with his guitar to perform a set of acoustic folk.

The York Proms main show opened with the National Anthem and saw Natasha Agarwal and John Anthony Cunningham perform solos from opera and operetta, including Toreador from Carmen, and Vilja, from The Merry Widow.

Co-founder, Rebecca Newman, took to the stage for the first time since before the pandemic, and before the sudden death of her husband and co-founder in August 2020, to sing a duet with Natasha and also a solo aria, then went on to perform a new song release for the charity Widowed and Young to a standing ovation by the crowd who were touched by her story of loss and resilience.

Over £1300 was raised on the day for the charity through donations and flag sales in memory of Jay Fewtrell who sadly died aged 38 at the couple's home in Rawcliffe from a heart attack caused by Sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease he had been diagnosed with six weeks before he died.

A fitting jubilee section saw John and Natasha perform songs including Rose of England, I Vow To Thee My Country and Yeoman of England, before delighting crowds with the familiar proms favourites like Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory.

Local suppliers, Ainsty Ales, Bistro Guy and Café Racer Yorkshire kept the crowd nourished and No1, on Clifton, delivered luxury pre-ordered picnics.

Rebecca said: "A tremendous effort was made to ensure the event could survive and would be a success on Sunday, with dozens of volunteers and local businesses in security, health and safety, printing, audio visual, and the York Museums Trust, all working hard to give the crowd the best evening they could. Thanks to the hard work of everyone, the York Proms has survived the pandemic and will return on Saturday 17th June 2023."

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