Jubilee musicians 'not exploited'

The stage is being erected outside Buckingham Palace

Organisers of the Queen's Jubilee pop concert have denied that student musicians are being exploited.

An orchestra from the Royal Academy of Music is due to accompany some of the world's biggest pop stars at the concert at Buckingham Palace on Monday, 3 June.

A row had broken out after it emerged that the students would not be paid for their performances on the night or for appearing on CD or DVD releases.

The students will accompany stars like Eric Clapton

But the BBC - which is putting on the show - has said that even the biggest stars are not receiving any money.

Sir Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Cliff Richard and Will Young are among the stars who will perform.

"None of the main performers are being paid because it's a charity concert, and all proceeds from any CDs and DVDs are going to charity as well," a spokeswoman said.

The Musicians' Union said performers could have normally expected to get £800 each for the performance, TV broadcasts and future releases.

They said some backing musicians would be paid for their performances - and the students should have the choice of whether they should donate their fee to charity.

Concerns

The BBC has said it is making a donation to the Royal Academy of Music for a Jubilee scholarship.

There had been concerns that the 60 students - the best the Royal Academy of Music has to offer - are being thrown in "at the sharp end".

The Academy has said two new musicians have been drafted in to "beef up" some sections.

The concert will be watched by 12,000 people in the palace gardens plus millions more on TV around the UK, as well as the Royal family.

McCartney will lead a chorus of All You Need Is Love

It will be kicked off by Queen guitarist Brian May playing the national anthem on the palace roof.

Dame Shirley Bassey, Tony Bennett, Ozzy Osbourne, Aretha Franklin and Ricky Martin are among the other stars who will represent pop music from the last five decades.

A rousing finalé of The Beatles' All You Need Is Love, led by Sir Paul McCartney, will close the event - although Buckingham Palace officials have laughed off reports that the Queen will sing along on stage.

Giant screens will relay the event to crowds in The Mall, central London parks and in other big cities across the UK.

After the concert, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will light the last of a nationwide string of 1,500 beacons, and there will be a spectacular fireworks display from the palace roof.

Classical stars

About two million people applied for tickets to the pop concert and a classical concert that is to be held in the palace grounds on Saturday.

That classical concert is due to feature cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Thomas Allen and Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu.

An exhibition of gold and silver to mark the Jubilee is to open on Thursday, 30 May, and includes pieces to mark key events in the Queen's reign.

A ring worn by Hollywood actress Cate Blanchett and two pieces created by jeweller Theo Fennell for Sir Elton John will be among the exhibits.