BBC Proms: Paraorchestra and The Breath
Bristol Beacon: Friday 22 August 2025
About BBC Proms: Paraorchestra and The Breath
Paraorchestra return to BBC Proms Bristol this August with Symbiosis - a dynamic collaboration with Ríoghnach Connolly and Stuart McCallum, better known as genre-defying and deeply affecting duo, The Breath.
In Symbiosis, The Breath’s rich tapestry of uncompromising compositions for voice, guitar, flute, and shruti will be supercharged and lifted by ‘responding composer’ Oliver Vibrans, who has orchestrated parts for an array of rare and unusual instrumentation for Paraorchestra.
In this special collaboration we invite you to observe the orchestra as a living, breathing sonic organism. A 36-piece Paraorchestra ensemble seamlessly fuses with the earth-elemental vocals and folkloric lyricism of Connolly and virtuoso guitar playing of McCallum, submerging you in a rich and poetic soundworld.
Rather than simply accompanying The Breath, Vibrans and Paraorchestra are transforming and expanding their songs into new landscapes that are lush, unpredictable, and emotionally resonant. Expect to be surprised, delighted, and uplifted.
We have fallen in love. The Breath are in a lane of their own, as storytellers, as powerful music makers, and with the glorious Oliver Vibrans working as a conduit between them and us, the signs are already of something new, unusual, thrilling and life-affirming.
Charles Hazlewood, Artistic Director
Credits
Creative team
Charles Hazlewood
Artistic director and ConductorRíoghnach Connolly
Voice, flute, and shrutiStuart McCallum
GuitarsOliver Vibrans
Responding composer
Musicians
Flute (dbl bass & picc)
Holly Melia
Lila Bhattacherjee
Recorder (sop, tenor & bass)
James Risdon
Clarinet (dbl bass)
Lloyd Coleman
Matthew Scott
Saxophone (alto dbl. tenor)
Fliss Gorst
Tom Thorp
Flugelhorn (dbl cornet)
Sarah Campbell
Jonny Abraham
Euphonium
Sion Jones
James Hobbis
Trombone
Billy Yates
Ross McDonnell
Bass Trombone
Ross Brennan
Percussion
Meadow Brooks
Beth Higham-Edwards
Mandolin (dbl octave mandola)
Nick Hart
Harmonium, Synth & Percussion
Elliot Glavin
Harp
Hannah Runting
Violin
Tzu Fan Tang
Siobhan Clough
Nina Lim
Ruth Potts
Viola
Charley Lake
Tilly Chester
Barnaby Adams
Wei Wei Tan
Violoncello
Josh Mountford
Hattie McCall Davies (db smallpipes)
Zosia Jagodzinska
Hattie Wiltshire
Maya Kashif
Contrabass
Patrick Phillip
Cole Morrison
Backing Vocals
Zoe Kyoti
Biff Roxby
Production team
Sighted Guide (James Risdon)
Zoe Broome
Musician Assistant (Tilly Chester)
June Botero
Runner/Admin Assistant (Matthew Scott)
Gabrielle Sheppard
Medical Assistant
Aurelia Drazbaite
Transcriber
Liam Taylor-West
Senior Producer
Sarah Dennehy
Assistant Producer
Caitlin Fairweather
Production Manager
Dean Sudron
Orchestra Manager
Tom Wraith
Front of House Sound
Chris Hewitt
Production Engineer
James Melling
Monitors Engineer
Ed Adams
BSL Interpreter
Becky Barry
Project Coordinator
Tiara Pillant
Stage Patch
Patrick Phillips
Marketing Managers
Ben Horton
Roberta Pia
You might also like:
Suede with Charles Hazlewood and Paraorchestra
Queen Elizabeth Hall, London: Friday 19 September 2025
Paraorchestra and Charles Hazlewood join Suede for the band's first ever orchestral headline show to mark the release of their new album 'Antidepressants.'Dance Like Nobody's Watching
Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre: Saturday 4 October 2025
Venture down from the glittering concert halls of Vienna to an underground utopia of musical escapism.