BBC Proms: Miles Davis Centenary at the Royal Albert Hall
BBC Proms on 20 August 2026 at the Royal Albert Hall turns the spotlight on one of the key figures of modern jazz. The "Miles Davis Centenary" programme marks the centenary of Miles Davis's birth with a concert that does not reduce his body of work to a single phase. Instead, the evening brings together orchestral jazz, melodies by George Gershwin, Spanish influences and repertoire from several of Davis's albums.
The concert begins at 19:00, and the doors of the Royal Albert Hall open at 18:00. On stage will be American trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, pianist Sam Harris, double bassist Harish Raghavan, drummer Kendrick Scott and the BBC Concert Orchestra, conducted by Miho Hazama. One interval is scheduled.
This clearly shows why BBC Proms is different from a traditional summer festival with multiple stages and simultaneous performances. The focus is on one carefully shaped concert programme in a large hall, but within a festival season spanning a broad range of genres and with the tradition of Promming, meaning access for part of the audience through standing places in the Arena and Gallery.
Tickets for this event are currently on sale.
Why Miles Davis is at the centre of the evening
Miles Davis was born on 26 May 1926, so 2026 marks the centenary of his birth. His importance to jazz does not rest on a single period: throughout his career, he continually changed the way he thought about the trumpet, improvisation, arranging and jazz's relationship with other musical languages.
The programme at the Royal Albert Hall draws precisely on that breadth. It features music associated with the albums "Porgy and Bess", "Sketches of Spain", "Birth of the Cool", "Miles Ahead" and "Quiet Nights". The evening therefore moves from an orchestral jazz sound towards Gershwin, Spanish colours and the precisely shaped aesthetic that became an important part of Davis's legacy.
A special place is given to "In Aranjuez with Your Love", based on the Adagio from Joaquín Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez", in the arranging tradition shaped by Gil Evans and Miles Davis. The same programme also includes the Gershwin songs "Bess, You Are My Woman Now", "Gone", "Summertime" and "I Want to Stay Here (I Love You Porgy)".
Confirmed programme for the evening
- George Gershwin: "Bess, You Are My Woman Now"
- George Gershwin: "Gone"
- George Gershwin: "Summertime"
- George Gershwin: "I Want to Stay Here (I Love You Porgy)"
- Manuel de Falla: "Will-o'-the-Wisp"
- Joaquín Rodrigo: "In Aranjuez with Your Love", based on the Adagio from "Concierto de Aranjuez"
- Cleo Henry: "Boplicity"
- Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin: "My Ship"
- Miles Davis and Gil Evans: "Miles Ahead"
- Michel Legrand and Johnny Mercer: "Once Upon a Summertime"
The arrangements and orchestrations are connected with the work of Gil Evans, Miles Davis and Miho Hazama. The concert is therefore not conceived as an imitation of a historical line-up. The BBC Concert Orchestra gives the repertoire a full orchestral framework, while the solo trumpet retains jazz mobility and room for individual expression.
Ambrose Akinmusire as a contemporary voice of the trumpet
The choice of Ambrose Akinmusire is particularly interesting. The trumpeter from Oakland has built a career in contemporary jazz that frequently crosses genre boundaries towards classical music and hip-hop. As a young musician, he attracted the attention of saxophonist Steve Coleman, and he studied at the Manhattan School of Music, the University of Southern California and the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.
In 2007, he won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition and the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Solo Competition. His development after that did not move towards reproducing tradition, but towards a distinctive personal sound and compositional language.
That makes him a logical choice for Davis's anniversary. Miles Davis constantly refused to remain within the same style, so the programme gains greater meaning when it is led by a trumpeter with a strong identity of his own rather than by someone trying to copy Davis's phrasing or tone colour.
Miho Hazama and the orchestral side of the programme
Miho Hazama conducts the BBC Concert Orchestra and is associated with the orchestrations of part of the repertoire. For years, her work has stood at the intersection of jazz composition, large ensembles and orchestral sound.
Since 2019 she has led the Danish Radio Big Band, since 2020 she has served as permanent guest conductor of the Metropole Orkest, and since 2025 also as special conductor of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra KORK. Her album "Dancer In Nowhere" was nominated for a Grammy. Such a profile suits a programme in which jazz freedom must be combined with precise control of a large ensemble.
Royal Albert Hall as part of the identity of a Proms evening
The Royal Albert Hall opened on 29 March 1871 and today accommodates around 5,500 people, depending on the event configuration. Its circular layout, galleries, large dome and distinctive acoustic elements give it an appearance and atmosphere that differ significantly from those of a standard concert hall.
For BBC Proms, this venue is particularly important because it is here that the tradition of Promming is most clearly visible. Part of the audience follows the concert standing in the Arena or Gallery instead of sitting in a numbered seat. For individual Prom concerts, around 1,000 standing places are reserved, along with a limited number of other places intended for Prommers.
BBC Proms 2026 runs from 17 July to 12 September. "Miles Davis Centenary" is part of a season that brings together symphony orchestras, opera, jazz, popular music and film music. The word festival here therefore does not mean camping, outdoor stages or a multi-day wristband. Its festival character comes from the density of the programme, the diversity of musical traditions and the opportunity for audiences to choose individual evenings or follow a larger part of the season.
It is worth securing tickets in good time.
Tickets, Promming and entering the hall
For a first visit to BBC Proms, the most important thing is to distinguish between a traditional seated place and Promming. Day Promming provides access to certain places on the day of the concert, primarily the standing areas in the Arena and Gallery. Season and weekend passes are also available for audiences wishing to attend a larger number of concerts.
For "Miles Davis Centenary", Day Promming places become available on the day of the concert, while season pass holders can claim their places earlier in accordance with the season's rules. For audience members who want a particular position and do not wish to stand, a numbered seat remains the simpler option.
This is not an event with traditional festival VIP areas, camping or multi-day wristbands. One ticket applies to this concert evening. The main difference in the experience comes from the position in the hall and whether the visitor chooses seating or Promming.
The doors open at 18:00, one hour before the start. A late arrival may mean waiting until a suitable break in the performance, so it is sensible to arrive earlier, especially because of entrance checks.
The Royal Albert Hall applies a one-bag-per-person rule. A bag should not exceed approximately 25 litres, or around 40 x 30 x 20 centimetres. All bags are subject to security checks. Food and drink may not be brought in from outside, and there are restaurants and bars inside the building.
How to get to the Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is located at Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP, in the South Kensington area, next to Kensington Gardens and close to London's major museums.
The nearest Underground stations are South Kensington and High Street Kensington. The walk from either station to the hall takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes. South Kensington is served by the Piccadilly, District and Circle lines, while High Street Kensington is served by the Circle and District lines.
Bus routes 9, 52, 70, 360 and 452 also stop near the hall, along with night route N9. TfL's journey planner is useful for checking routes and any changes on the day of the concert.
Parking is available nearby, including facilities at Imperial College that open before major evening events, but the number of spaces is limited and advance booking is required. For most visitors, public transport will be the simpler choice.
Practical preparation before arrival
- Plan to arrive before 18:00 if you want to pass through security calmly and find your place.
- Have your ticket ready for scanning before joining the queue.
- Bring only one smaller bag and expect it to be checked on entry.
- Do not plan to bring your own food and drink into the hall.
- If you use Promming, check the rules for claiming places on that day.
- If you arrive by Underground, allow 10 to 15 minutes to walk from the nearest stations.
What kind of atmosphere to expect
"Miles Davis Centenary" naturally brings together audiences who regularly follow BBC Proms, admirers of Miles Davis and jazz history, and listeners attracted by the combination of a jazz ensemble and a large orchestra.
For a first visit, it is useful to know that the atmosphere does not have to be formal. The Royal Albert Hall has no general dress code for most events, and Promming further enhances the sense of immediacy. At the same time, this is a concert in which the quieter parts of the programme will require a focused audience.
One of the more interesting aspects will be the relationship between familiar melodies and a new performance character. Many people will immediately recognise "Summertime" or "My Ship", but the combination of Akinmusire's trumpet, the jazz rhythm section and the BBC Concert Orchestra can place them in a different sonic framework. It is precisely in this tension between familiar material and live performance that the main reason for attending can be found.
The programme is also a good choice for audiences who do not primarily identify as classical music lovers. Proms is historically rooted in the classical concert model, but Davis's repertoire enters the large hall here without losing its jazz identity, while the orchestra becomes an active part of the arranging structure.
What sets this anniversary evening apart
"Miles Davis Centenary" starts from one musician, but presents his identity through collaborations, arrangements and albums that cross the boundaries of the traditional jazz quartet.
In a single evening, George Gershwin, Gil Evans, Joaquín Rodrigo, Manuel de Falla, Michel Legrand and Miles Davis himself come together. This combination shows how open Davis's music was to material beyond a narrowly defined jazz repertoire. In "Sketches of Spain", Spanish concert music became part of his language, while "Porgy and Bess" opened up space for an orchestral interpretation of Gershwin.
Akinmusire and Hazama represent a contemporary continuation of that idea. Both work between genres and formats, so the concert is not a museum reconstruction but a new performance situation. The BBC Concert Orchestra brings orchestral breadth, while the jazz quartet retains the rhythmic and improvisational core.
The most useful approach is to come without expecting the performance to be a copy of the original recordings. The repertoire is familiar, but the performers, the hall and the orchestrations create a new version of the material. That is precisely where the character of this Proms evening lies: history is the starting point for a live concert, not a rigidly prescribed template.
Sources:
- Royal Albert Hall - information about the "BBC Proms: Miles Davis Centenary" event, performers, programme, door opening time, concert start, interval and Promming.
- Royal Albert Hall - information about the BBC Proms 2026 season, Day Promming, season and weekend passes.
- Royal Albert Hall - information about travel, address, nearest Underground stations, walking distances and parking.
- Royal Albert Hall - information about bag rules, security checks, food and drink, late admission and dress code.
- Royal Albert Hall - history of the hall, opening date and current approximate capacity.
- Ambrose Akinmusire - biography, education, career development and awards.
- Miho Hazama - biography, conducting roles, orchestral work and Grammy nominations.
- Miles Davis Estate / Shore Fire Media - biographical information about Miles Davis and the context of the centenary of his birth.
- Transport for London - public transport and stops around the Royal Albert Hall.