Crouch End Festival Chorus has been invited to take part in the First Night of this world-famous season of concerts on Friday 16th July. They will join three other choirs and the BBC Symphony Orchestra with its Chief Conductor, Jirí Belohlávek, in a centenary performance of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony.

CEFC’s Musical Director, David Temple, comments,

“Even though we have appeared in many BBC Proms concerts, this is our first ‘First Night’ and to be singing such a majestic work as Mahler’s Eighth Symphony makes the whole occasion a major highlight in the choir’s history.”

The concert will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Two.

Mahler’s Eighth Symphony is known as the Symphony of a Thousand. When it was first performed in 1910, the combined forces of choirs, boys’ choir, huge symphony orchestra and eight soloists did indeed number over a thousand. This time, the BBC Symphony Chorus, the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, CEFC and Choristers of St Paul’s Cathedral School and Westminster Cathedral will join soloists Mardi Byers, Twyla Robinson, Malin Christensson, Stephanie Blythe, Kelley O’Connor, Nikolai Schukoff, Hanno Müller-Brachmann and Tomasz Konieczny.

This is seventh time CEFC has appeared at the BBC Proms. Last year, it sang Berlioz’ Te Deum with the Bach Choir, BBC Symphony Chorus and BBC Symphony Orchestra under conductor, Susanna Mälkki. In 2008, the choir took part in the Verdi Requiem, again with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus under Jirí Belohlávek.

The BBC Proms is the world’s largest classical music festival, with more than 90 concerts – featuring many of the world’s greatest artists and orchestras – as well as a host of extra events including talks, workshops, films, free performances and family events.

The Proms runs from Friday 16 July to Saturday 11 September 2010, and full information on the season is available at bbc.co.uk/proms.Local

Food Junctions is a new ‘festival within a festival’ bringing together an extraordinary group of people to celebrate a subject close to all of our hearts (and stomachs): food.

Part of the Reveal festival in Kings Cross and the Camley Street Natural Park’s 25th Anniversary Festival, Food Junctions has been organised by staff and students at UCL (University College London) in collaboration with Camden Council, local schools, businesses and campaign groups.

Jam-packed with a smorgasbord of free events, Food Junctions is all about celebrating food and its place in the lives of Londoners. With over 200 contributors the festival will feature a wide range of talks, hands-on workshops, demonstrations, tasting sessions, art and architecture installations, performances, films and much more.

The festival is designed to promote healthy living and local food production as well as to encourage visitors to explore the world of food politics, culture and research.