Alison Balsom will bring her live performing career to a close at the Last Night of the Proms in 2025, choosing Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto in E-flat for a farewell she has called her “last night on stage.”
Her decision arrives alongside an interview for BBC Radio 4’s This Cultural Life, with the Royal Albert Hall concert planned for television broadcast on the evening of 13 September 2025.
Also Read: What Yeremy Pino will bring to Crystal Palace this season
Balsom has presented the moment as a clear endpoint to roughly four decades of playing, saying she followed her path with honesty and now feels it has reached its end. She has selected the Hummel concerto as her showcase, viewing it as a fitting conclusion to years of concerto performances.
In recent interview coverage, Balsom explains that top-level solo work cannot be done part-time, likening rare, high-pressure shows to walking into a Grand Slam final after long gaps. Trumpet conditioning, she notes, falls within days, making occasional appearances unworkable without constant preparation. She also points to the mental and emotional strain of touring and a wish to put family life first after many years on the road.
The Last Night of the Proms is set for 13 September 2025 at the Royal Albert Hall, featuring the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Chorus, and BBC Singers within the event’s traditional celebratory mix.
Also Read: Heidi Gardner and Michael Longfellow are also leaving SNL
Balsom’s performance of Hummel’s E-flat concerto is placed as a central moment in the evening, with the concert scheduled for an evening broadcast on BBC television. Listings confirm the date, performers, and broadcast plans for the finale night.
Balsom’s farewell carries a personal link to her Proms story: she was a featured soloist at the 2009 Last Night, and her 2025 return with Hummel provides a clear bookend to that earlier appearance.
