Stephen Bell conductor
Jess Gillam saxophone
Copland Billy the Kid
Harle Briggflatts
Williams Escapades
Bernstein Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
Adams A Short Ride in a Fast Machine
The brilliant young British saxophonist Jess Gillam takes centre stage in our Anglo-American season finale, beginning with Aaron Copland’s suite from his 1938 ballet, Billy the Kid, while John Williams’ Escapades, evokes a progressive jazz ambience. Jess switches to soprano sax for John Harle’s colourful and sonorous Briggflatts, inspired by Basil Bunting’s epic poem of 1966. Crossing the pond for the finale, Bernstein’s irresistible dances from West Side Story has an equally spectacular encore in John Adams’ adrenalin-pumping A Short Ride in a Fast Machine.