Ben Palmer 🇪🇺

Still processing a truly extraordinary day yesterday, my debut performances at @bbcproms. Hugest thanks to the astonishing @BBCSSO, to @HansZimmer @IainFarrington @AURORAmusic @Nina_Bennet @ChrisGPackham & @MeganMcCubbin, and everyone who came. My heart is pretty full right now.

And it’s a wrap on our trio of Home Alone Live concerts with @conductorben @RSNO. And what a blast it’s been. Audiences in Edinburgh and Glasgow couldn’t have been lovelier, and we are so glad to have had you with us 🎶🎅🏼 Grateful thanks to Kristyna Sedlata for the picture ❤️📸

And the magic begins…😍👏🏼🎶 @conductorben @RSNO #homealone @theusherhall

Brilliant screening of Bride of Frankenstein last night with live soundtrack played by the incomparable @BBCSSO and conducted masterfully but @conductorben - live music, nothing better.

This afternoon was pure magic! #HowToTrainYourDragon , Live in Concert @RoyalAlbertHall performed by the incredible @royalphilorch under the brilliant baton of @conductorben Powell’s score soared, the Hall shimmered-cinematic perfection! 🎶🐉 #RoyalAlbertHall #LiveOrchestra

@DrMatthewSweet I loved the live orchestra episodes we did together, and as a fan of the show I shall miss you dreadfully x

Heavens. telegraph.co.uk/radio/what-to-…

📣 Feeling very lucky to have such an amazing 2025-26 season ahead, with returns to some favourite orchestras, and lots of exciting debuts. There are a few things I can’t share quite yet, so do keep an eye on my website diary for updates. benpalmer.net/diary

We’re hiring for a Music Programmer at Classic FM! Do you have a deep love for classical music? Are you excited by the idea of curating music that reaches millions every week? Apply now ⬇️🎵 careers.global.com/jobs/R0008598?…

@davidpickard23 @chrislesjohnson @theoae The audience refused to stop clapping, because everyone suddenly realised that when the applause stopped, the orchestra would cease to exist. Extraordinary.

@chrislesjohnson @theoae That was such an emotional evening. The ‘Nimrod’ encore finished everyone off.

So sorry to hear that Roger Norrington has died. Happy memories of wonderful projects with @theoae. A real pioneer. I will never forget the impact of those Beethoven symphony recordings.

Confession - I actually didn’t really *get* Brahms until one night in the recently built Sage Gateshead I heard Roger Norrington tear through the First Symphony with the Northern Sinfonia. It isn’t really an exaggeration to say it changed my life.

"Music should be fun", Sir Roger Norrington once said, "it should entertain – and never, ever, be pompous." Farewell to a fearless conductor with a singular and always thrilling approach to music, from every era. Sir Roger Norrington, who was a leading figure in the period-instrument movement, has died at the age of 91. Sir Roger had distinctive and influential approach to historically informed performance which he took far beyond the Baroque and Classical periods and passionately applied to 19th and 20th Century music. He had deep connections to many leading orchestras, including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, who he famously conducted in the Last Night of the Proms in 2008.

@larkingrumple @CommLawyer Interesting, I’d forgotten.

@conductorben @CommLawyer I saw him play Mahler 1 with the OAE.

Heartbroken to hear Roger Norrington, my great hero, mentor, friend, and supporter has died at the age of 91. I’ll miss him dreadfully. Pictured here, many years ago, enjoying reindeer for lunch after rehearsals in Helsinki.

@CommLawyer Because, if you actually listen to recordings from the 1920s, like this one of Elgar himself conducting Enigma, you can hear that Roger was correct about both the tempi and the sound. youtu.be/kaPtKoL-FsM?si… PS: Roger never played Mahler on period instruments, only modern orchs.

@conductorben I am of course sorry to hear of RN's passing but some of his work was, to my mind, ill-conceived at best. Why play Mahler on period instruments and without vibrato when recordings of his contemporaries Walter and Klemperer attest to how inappropriate that was?

@Bnicklincs Thanks, Nick. Long time - hope all’s well.

I remember the esteem that you held him in. I became a convert to his recordings of Beethoven Symphonies through you and have many happy memories of your time with SCO.

President Macron speaking at Guildhall, "The European Union was stronger with the UK, and the UK was stronger with the European Union" "We want to write our future and not be the story written by another continent.. The only way to chose our future is to do it together"

President Macron, "As the channel tunnel is celebrating it's 30th anniversary this year let's make a wish here today" "Let's not allow the channel to grow wider" "There are 300,00 French people living in the UK and 150,000 British people living in France" "There is a risk our societies are growing apart, that our young people do not know each other, and may end up as strangers, at a time when international events remind us on a daily basis of our common future" "Let's fix it" "Let's work together in order to facilitate the exchange of citizens, researchers, intellectuals, artists" "Let's allow our children to have the same opportunities we had"

@owainpark @BBCSingers Best news, huge congratulations x

I’m thrilled to be stepping into the role of Chief Conductor of the BBC Singers 🎶 Taking over from Sofi Jeannin in autumn 2026 is an honour. She’s done such inspiring work with the group since 2018, and I’m grateful to follow in her footsteps. owainpark.co.uk/bbc-singers-ch…