ACCLAIMED saxophonist Jess Gillam is taking her chart topping classical album on tour for the first time.
Jess will visit eight locations across England from 26 June – 25 August performing music from her second album ‘TIME’ which shot to No.1 in the Official UK Classical Charts.
The 23-year-old said: “I cannot wait to connect with audiences once again this summer, and I feel very grateful to have these opportunities to share in the magical world of music. I released my second album, TIME, last year and it has felt quite odd not to be able to tour it or perform the music live so to have the chance to take the Jess Gillam Ensemble on the road for the first time is brilliant.”
She is joined by a small ensemble made up of an incredible group of musicians from a wide range of musical backgrounds but with roots in classical music. The Jess Gillam Ensemble includes Roberts Balanas & Michael Jones (violins); Eoin Schmidt-Martin (viola); Gabriella Swallow (cello); Sam Becker (bass); Elsa Bradley (percussion) and Leif Kaner-Lidstrom (piano).
As part of the live tour, the Ensemble will play some classic favourites as well as brand new works written especially for the ensemble including music by Will Gregory (Goldfrapp), Piazzolla, Meredith Monk, Kurt Weill, Bjork, Luke Howard, Joby Talbot and more.
The tour begins with Proms at St Jude’s, Hampstead (26 June) and ends at Snape Maltings (25 August).
26th June – Proms at St Jude’s, Hampstead
3rd July – Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden
8th July – Cheltenham Music Festival
10th July – Budleigh Music Festival, Devon
12th July – St Albans Festival
15th July – Petworth Festival
22nd July – Ryedale Festival TBA
25th August – Snape Maltings TBA
For full tour details visit the ‘Concerts’ page.
Also in a UK first, Jess celebrates her ARIA-winning weekly BBC Radio 3 show and podcast, ‘This Classical Life’ with the BBC Concert Orchestra and special guests, live at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall on July 7 at 7.30pm.
Guest performers will include composer, drummer and producer Ollie Howell who has written music for multi-award-winning films and TV series, soprano Soraya Mafi, singer Orlando Weeks former frontman of The Maccabees and songwriter, vocalist and cellist Ayanna Witter-Johnson
Exploring their musical influences and favourite styles, Jess and her guests will share and perform an eclectic range of music they love. Celebrating the power of live music, the concert promises to be an exhilarating and emotional evening conducted by the London Contemporary Orchestra’s Hugh Brunt.
For tickets to see This Classical Life: Live, please visit the ‘Concerts’ page.
