After attending my first Shuttleworth Flying Proms in 2023, I vowed to never miss it again. Shuttleworth Flying Proms is an air show choreographed with the British National Symphony Orchestra playing themed music matching the aircraft on display at the time, and a spectacular experience.
Here is a short video summary to give you a feel for what you missed!!
Thousands flocked to Old Warden Airfield for this unique event, bringing their chairs, tables, food and wine, enjoying a symphony concert, an air show and a picnic all in one.
The event only started at 18:30 in the twilight of the day, ending way into the dark after 21:00. The stage was well lit with different colours to match the ambiance of each theme.
18:45: “Dambusters March” with the iconic Lancaster bomber roaring over us.
18:53: “Where Eagles Dare” with my favourite aircraft, the Gloster Gladiator.
19:01: “Spitfire Prelude & Fugue” with of course, a Spitfire.
19:11: “James Bond Melody” with the Westland Lysander.
19:21: “Blue Danube” with a De Havilland DH.60X Hermes Moth, a Desoutter I and a Parnall Elf II.
19:32: “E.T Melody” with the de Havilland DH.88 Comet
19:41: “Monte Carlo Or Bust Suite” with the Miles Hawk Speed Six
19:50: “Those Magnificent Men & Their Flying Machines” with a De Havilland DH51 and a Miles Magister.
20:00 Interval - During the interval, the orchestra took a break but that did not leave the sky empty. For the next 25 minutes we were entertained by father and son team, Tim Dews and Tom Dews, each in a Grob G 109, and Mark Jefferies in his Extra 330 SC.
With the sky now pitch black, the remaining part of the event was purely focused on the British National Symphony Orchestra and guest opera singers.
20:27: Star Wars Theme
20:31: Musetta's Waltz “Quando m'en vo” from La Bohème
20:34: Juliet's Waltz
20:38: Summer (Presto) from the Four Seasons
20:41: Intermezzo from Cav Rusticana
20:45: Liberty Belle March
20:47: I Could Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady
20:50: Habanera from Carmen
20:54: Nimrod from Enigma Variations
20:58: Can Can from Orpheus
21:00: Trad. Hornpipe
21:03: Rule Britannia
21:06: Jerusalem
21:09: Pomp and Circumstance March no 1
21:13: Pomp and Circumstance Reprise
