Royal Albert Hall during the annual BBC Proms festival in London

© Oli Scarff/Getty Image

Classical music takes center stage. Classical music takes center stage

We're looking at the West-Eastern Divan youth orchestra rehearsing for a performance in the BBC Proms. The Proms (short for promenade concerts) is an annual music festival held in London over eight weeks from July into September. The first Proms took place on August 10, 1895, in the Queen’s Hall in Langham Place, London. After the Queen's Hall was destroyed by a bomb during the Blitz, the Proms moved here to the Royal Albert Hall in 1941. This year marks the 125th festival and includes 150 concerts and educational events. While the focus is on classical music, the Proms in the Park event closes out the season in nearby Hyde Park with performances from Barry Manilow, Chrissie Hynde, and other pop artists.