Once more the year draws in, and once more we here at ESC Insight look back with our friends on a quite frankly wonderful year of Music. Before 2017 arrives we’re going to look back over the year, starting with our favourite Musical Moments. The core Insight team pick today, and our contributors will be here for part two tomorrow.

Christmas is nearly here, and Albania’s Festivali i Këngës has our first present. Rounding up seven days of new from Eurovision, with National Final dates, internal selections, and a bit of panto. Ewan Spence brings you the latest from the world of the Eurovision Song Contest.

All your favourite songs, an evil queen to scream at, and the worry of who is behind you. Yes it’s Panto season in the United Kingdom, but how close is the Eurovision Song Contest to the classic British theatre genre? Ewan Spence pulls out his jester’s stick to explore the evolving nature of theatre and performance.

Another week, another seven days of news from Eurovision – with another internal selection, more National Final dates , and a little bit of X-Factor. Ewan Spence brings you the latest from the world of the Eurovision Song Contest.

There’s tons of new music, new selections and new dramas unfolding in the Eurovision world to catch up on – read them all in the ESC Insight Newsletter.

Ben Robertson meets up with Christer Björkman to discuss one of the projects he founded, the Marcel Bezençon Awards. Here he finds out how and why they begun, how they have changed through the years, and why the future looks bright for their continuation many years in the future.