Nicola Lisle talks to Oxford Proms founder Edmund Jones about this year’s summer concert series

It’s August, so it must be time for the Oxford Proms. Now a well-established event, this annual concert series handily fills a quiet period in Oxford before the city’s cultural scene explodes back into life in the autumn.

This year’s trio of concerts features a mix of popular classics and lesser-known but nevertheless delightful works, all performed by world-class soloists in two of Oxford’s historic buildings, the Sheldonian Theatre and St Michael at the Northgate.

A Mozartian theme links the three concerts, as Oxford Proms founder Edmund Jones explains: “We’ve got a major work by Mozart in each of the concerts. In the first concert, Concerto Classics, we’ve got the clarinet concerto, which is one of Mozart’s best-known works.

“The other two are mature works and are both wonderful. One is a trio for clarinet, viola and piano called Kegelstatt, which is German for ‘skittles’, because Mozart composed it in his head while playing a game of skittles. It’s rarely heard because of the combination of instruments.

“The other work is in the final concert, Viva Virtuoso, and is a duo for violin and viola. It’s not often played because of the logistics of getting the violin and viola out in a recital to do it, but it’s a wonderful piece so we’re looking forward to doing that.”

The opening concert is also remarkable for featuring works that represent every family of instruments – woodwind (Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto), percussion (Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.5, ‘Emperor’), strings (John Williams’ Theme from Schindler’s List) and brass (Vivaldi’s Concerto for two trumpets).

Nestling amongst all this is the world premiere of Dithyramb by resident composer Tim Perkins. “It’s a sort of Greek dance, very lively,” Edmund says. “It lasts about four minutes, so for a contemporary piece it’s very easy to listen to.”

Soloists include pianist and Oxford Proms regular Mami Shikimori, Banbury-born clarinettist Lucy Downer, trumpeter Stephen Cutting and Edmund himself on the violin.

The conductor is Catherine Underwood, who read music at Worcester College and is another Oxford Proms regular.

“I’ve known Catherine since she was a teenager,” Edmund says. “She was a very talented trumpet player, and I remember her playing a Haydn trumpet concerto aged 13. I came across her again when I moved to Oxford and she’s played trumpet in our orchestra ever since we started.

“This year she’s excused from playing the trumpet to take over conducting duties. She’s very experienced and quite well known in Oxford, so we’re looking forward to playing for her.”

Edmund is hoping to encourage youngsters along to this year’s concerts, and has recently been visiting schools in the area to try and engage children’s interest.

“It’s got to be interactive, so I take a violin and viola and get the children to have a go,” he says. “I also get various children to come out and play a note on the piano to see how that compares to the sound of the violin, and we have a little competition to see who can hold the longest note – and of course the violin always wins! And that goes down very well. At the end I give them the chance to ask questions.

“So hopefully we’ll get children coming to the concerts. Kids are free, so that is an inducement for them to come.”

Where&When

Oxford Proms

August 20-27

Sheldonian Theatre & St Michael at the Northgate

Details: www.oxfordproms.co.uk

Tickets: 01865 305305 or ticketsoxford.com