Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Proms today announces that eight previously unannounced artists are to play vacuum cleaners, a floor polisher and rifles with the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Symphony Orchestra at the world-famous Last Night Of The Proms.

Sir David Attenborough, Jiri Belohlavek, Rory Bremner, Goldie, Stephen Hough, Martha Kearney, Chi-chi Nwanoku and Jennifer Pike, have all played a role at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Proms in 2009, either on stage or behind the microphones on radio and TV.

They will open the second half of the Last Night, live on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3, with Sir Malcolm Arnold's lively and comic A Grand, Grand Overture, which was conceived in 1956 by the humorist and cartoonist Gerard Hoffnung, who died 50 years ago. As well as three vacuum cleaners, a floor polisher and four rifles, the piece requires full orchestra and organ and lasts approximately eight minutes.

All of the artists invited to perform have been connected with the 2009 Proms season. Sir David Attenborough returns to the Proms following his guest appearances at the family-oriented Darwin Extravaganza For Kids in August to make his performing debut on floor polisher. Drum 'n' bass star Goldie was commissioned to write a new work for those same concerts, and he now returns to perform on vacuum cleaner.

The other vacuum cleaners are played by 2007's Last Night Of The Proms conductor Jiri Belohlavek, who has conducted three Proms as Chief Conductor of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Symphony Orchestra in 2009, including the First Night, and young violinist Jennifer Pike.

Nineteen-year-old Jennifer, a Radio 3 New Generation Artist and youngest-ever winner of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Young Musician Of The Year, when she was 12, played Holst and Saint-Saens at the free Family Prom in July and also took part in the 10th-anniversary celebrations for Radio 3's New Generation Artists in August.

The rifle parts are to be taken by opera-enthusiast and comedian Rory Bremner, who is joining Clive Anderson in the commentary box for the TV relays on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Two; Martha Kearney, who presented a Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Prom with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under Sir Roger Norrington on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Two (5 September) and Chi-chi Nwanoku, a double-bassist, regular Proms guest for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TV and presenter for Radio 3.

The final rifle part is taken by pianist Stephen Hough, who undertook a one-man piano marathon this season, performing all of Tchaikovsky's works for piano and orchestra. He also joins Sean Rafferty in the Radio 3 commentary box for the Last Night broadcast.

The Last Night Of The Proms is the world-famous finale to the 115th season of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Proms, which opened on 17 July.

This year's festivities draw together many of the season's threads and features the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Robertson with soloists Alison Balsom (trumpet) and Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano).

As well as the traditional participatory ingredients, including Rule, Britannia!, Land Of Hope And Glory and Jerusalem, there's music by Radio 3's Composers of the Year – Handel, Purcell and Haydn – as well as works by Mahler, Villa-Lobos, Ketelbey and others.

Among the highlights are new fanfares written by Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Proms Inspire Young Composer winners, which will link together the Last Night festivities in the Royal Albert Hall to the five Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Proms In The Park events around the country.

Radio 3 broadcasts the whole event live, while the first half is on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Two and the second on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One. Hundreds of "Promming" tickets are released on the day.

For full listings and ticket details for all Last Night Of The Proms events, please visit bbc.co.uk/proms.

VB