Olympics to close with show based on great British music

Choreographer and creative director Kim Gavin, the man behind Take That’s successful comeback shows, promised an extravaganza involving “our most globally successful musicians” and future musical talent.

“Music has been Britain’s strongest cultural export of the last 50 years and we intend to produce an Olympic closing ceremony that will be a unique promotion of great British popular music,” he said.

“For the closing ceremony, which will be titled A Symphony Of British Music, we will not only be working with our most globally successful musicians, but we also want to use this opportunity to showcase our stars of tomorrow.”

The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is to record the core orchestral soundtrack for the London 2012 opening and closing ceremonies.

Mr Gavin and his creative team have been at the 80,000-seater Olympic Stadium in Stratford, east London, this week where they have been testing the lighting for the ceremonies.

The team includes designer Es Devlin, music director David Arnold and lighting designer Patrick Woodroofe who are working with executive producer Stephen Daldry.

London 2012 chairman Lord Coe said: “The London 2012 ceremonies are an opportunity to promote the UK’s world-leading culture and creative industries to over four billion people around the world.

“We’re delighted that one of Britain’s world leading orchestras will be recording the orchestral music for the shows.”

The timing of London 2012’s announcement, aimed at teasing the world with hints about the shape of the closing ceremony, coincides with the UK’s high-profile success in the global industry.

Soulful singer Adele this week added two Brit awards to her six Grammys.